University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2025
- Class:
- 1972
A dedicated and life-long official, the late Michael T. (Mike) Allen is the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Jitu Kothari Meritorious Service Award for his over three decades of contributions to the sport of wrestling.
Remembered for his ability, integrity and professionalism on the mat, Allen, a Waterloo, Iowa native, started wrestling at the age of 12 at McKinstry Middle School in Waterloo. Allen began his athletic career wrestling and playing football at Waterloo East High School. After graduation, he competed in both sports at Ellsworth Community College before transferring to UNI in 1970. As a two-sport Panther athlete, Allen won a North Central Conference (NCC) wrestling title at 190 pounds under head coach Chuck Patten, while also playing football under Stan Sheriff.
Following his college graduation, he obtained employment as principal for the Waterloo Community Schools District. Mike was an assistant wrestling coach at Waterloo Central High School, where he helped guide five student-athletes to state titles over an eight year span. He later went on to become Director of Athletics at Waterloo East.
Allen was well known for his principalship and for his contributions as a wrestling official. He was the first African-American wrestling official in the history of Iowa and worked 20 traditional Iowa High School State Championship events, later earning induction into the Iowa State High School Officials Hall of Fame in 2003.
A three-time Iowa Wrestling Official of the Year (1980, 1987, 1992), Allen also worked numerous NCAA and conference championship events over his career, including 23 NCAA Division I Championships, 12 Division II Championships, three Division III Championships, five NAIA Championships, three NJCAA Championships, 13 Big Ten Championships and 11 Pac-10 Championships. He also officiated four college all-star meets and seven NWCA National Dual competitions.
For his years of service to wrestling, Allen was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Meritorious Official in 2007, the Dan Gable Museum's Glen Brand Hall of Fame in 2010, the Midlands Hall of Fame of Northwestern University, the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame of Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was recognized by the African-American Museum of Iowa as a history maker in the state of Iowa, a Lifetime Service To Wrestling Award from the Iowa chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014, and inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2024.
Allen passed away on February 28, 2025 and is survived by his wife Arnita Pugh Allen, two children - Denise and Victor, two stepsons - Gregory, and Jeremy, two brothers - Fred and Clifford, four grandchildren, ten step grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and former students whom he considered his children.
