Friesen to Retire as Head of Track and Field Programs
Oskaloosa–William Penn University Athletics Director Nik Rule has announced Allen Friesen has announced he is retiring as head coach of the Statesmen men’s and women’s track and field teams as soon as his successor is hired.
“I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all past and present student-athletes as well as coaches of the William Penn track and field team, who over the years, have helped build a strong program here at William Penn University,” Friesen said. “The unwavering commitment to excellence and the relentless pursuit of athletic and academic success have truly made this university a special place. I have guided this ship the last 14 years and we have had a lot of great success and I look forward to seeing more. While I step away from my coaching role, I will forever remain a proud supporter of the Statesmen track and field program and look forward to witnessing continued triumphs from the sidelines.”
“Coach Friesen has been a dependable and dedicated member of the William Penn family, taking over a program that had years of undesirable results and transforming it into a consistent respected contender in the NAIA,” Rule said. “He has positively changed the lives of so many student-athletes over the years and it has been so amazing to see the outpouring of appreciation from his alumni since he made the announcement. It is just a testament to his strong legacy of changing lives.”
In 13 years at the helm, Friesen’s athletes nearly rewrote the record books. He coached one national champion, 26 All-Americans, and had numerous national qualifiers. William Penn produced an All-American in 15 of the past 17 NAIA National Championships and had a streak of six-straight outdoor championships with an All-American from 2015-2021.
Friesen was named Midwest Collegiate Conference Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year in 2015.
Most recently, the Statesmen men placed sixth and seventh at the Heart of America Athletic Conference indoor and outdoor Championships this year, while the women were 11th and 10th, respectively.
A search for William Penn’s next head track and field coach will begin immediately.
