Allen University scores goal with new soccer program, coach

COLUMBIA, SC (courtesy allenuniversity.edu) — Allen University athletics continues to expand with the addition of women’s soccer, increasing the university’s roster of sports programs to 12.

The addition of the soccer program comes just seven months after the university welcomed the return of Yellow Jacket football, which had a 13-year hiatus. Alexandra Mouton, who helped lead Columbia’s Dreher High School to win the 2015 state championship, has been tapped to build AU’s women’s soccer program.

“I am excited to be a part of history at Allen University. There is an unprecedented energy – a momentum – here in which Allen is advancing. This new soccer program is just one of several examples that illustrates the progress underway at the university,” said Mouton.

“We look to build a competitive team that will compete in the NAIA-AAC conference this year,” she continued.

A Columbia native, Mouton graduated from Richland Northeast High School, where she played soccer. While competing at the University of South Carolina during a two-year stint, Mouton was recognized as the SEC Freshmen of the Week (2005). She would transfer to Midlands Technical College to earn an Associate of Arts degree, which she received in 2015.

Her coaching experience spans more than a decade having coached at Dreher and serving as coach for a local soccer club for seven years. In 2016, the South Carolina United FC named Mouton Coach of the Year. When time allows, Mouton plays in an adult amateur league. Beyond leading competitive teams comprised of players who now compete at formidable Division I and II programs at universities such as UNC – Chapel Hill, the University of Tennessee and USC, Mouton demonstrates her commitment to the sport by maintaining several coaching certifications.

“We are delighted that Coach Mouton is joining the Yellow Jacket family. Her coaching and competition experiences, the professionalism with which she leads and her connections to high school students and their coaches made Coach Mouton a strong candidate for this position,” said Athletic Director Chad Washington.

“We have the highest confidence in her abilities and believe she will execute our efforts in recruiting and coaching our new soccer players,” said Washington.

Ahead of her now, Mouton is focused on building her team through recruitment, which she says will align with the university’s aggressive push to increase enrollment.

“You don’t see many Historically Black Colleges and Universities with women’s soccer programs, especially universities the size of Allen, with competitive programs. With the start of this program, Allen is providing potential players access to an education who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to play collegiately, either because they were unaware or because naysayers told them they could not play at a university,” she said.

“We’re not just looking for players who have the athletic ability, but we’re looking for players who have heart. Not just to start, but to finish and to finish strong,” Mouton further noted.

Any inquiries from those with interest in playing next season are encouraged to contact Coach Mouton at amouton@allenuniversity.edu.