Dave Allen
Dave Allen
Title: Head Swimming & Diving Coach | Aquatics Director
Phone: 413-538-2314
Email: dmallen@mtholyoke.edu

Dave Allen enters his 28th season as head coach of the Mount Holyoke College swimming and diving program in 2024-25. Allen also serves as the Aquatics Director and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physical Education and Athletics.

At Mount Holyoke College

  • Over 100 College and pool records have fallen under Allen's leadership.
  • Several athletes have qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships, including two-time NCAA National All-American Cathleen Pruden, who was also an eight-time NEWMAC Champion and the NEWMAC Swimmer of the Year in both 2015 & 2016.
  • Has accumulated a dual meet record of 98-78-1, and his 2007-08 and 2015-16 squads posted the top grade point average in the nation among women’s teams competing at the NCAA Division III level.

Before Mount Holyoke College

  • Prior to joining the Mount Holyoke staff, Allen was an assistant swimming and diving coach at both the University of Rochester (1997-98) and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (1995-97). While at St. Mary’s, he also served as an Athletic Trainer (1993-95).
  • Allen is certified as both a strength and conditioning specialist as well as an athletic trainer. He earned his Master of Science Degree in exercise science-human performance from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and his Bachelor of Science in physical education from Bridgewater State College.

Personal

  • Allen is an American Red Cross certified instructor in water safety, life guarding, CPR and community first aid. Allen currently serves as the Assistant Director and Swim Coach for the United States Sports Camps. He has been involved in the camp since 1988.
Season Record Conference Highlights
1998-99 4-4-0 Sixth  -----
1999-00 5-3-1 Fifth -----
2000-01 6-2-0 Seventh -----
2001-02 3-4-0 Seventh -----
2002-03 6-2-0 Fifth -----
2003-04 3-4-0 Seventh -----
2004-05 6-2-0 Seventh -----
2005-06 6-2-0 Fifth -----
2006-07 3-6-0 Ninth -----
2007-08 4-6-0 Ninth Top team grade point average in nation
2008-09 3-6-0 Tenth -----
2009-10 4-4-0 Eighth -----
2010-11 5-3-0 Tenth -----
2011-12 6-3-0 Tenth -----
2012-13 7-3-0 Fifth -----
2013-14 6-4-0 Sixth National All-America (4th) - Cathleen Pruden
National Academic All-America - Cathleen Pruden
2014-15 7-4-0 Seventh National All-America (8th) - Cathleen Pruden
National Academic All-America - Cathleen Pruden
2015-16 8-2-0 Ninth

National All-America (3rd) - Cathleen Pruden
National All-America Honorable Mention (14th) - Cathleen Pruden
Top team grade point average in nation (Fall 2015)

2016-17 2-8-0 Ninth -----
2017-18 2-8-0 Eighth NCAA Championship (Diving) - Samantha Nemivant (18th - 1 meter; 20th - 3 meter)
2018-19 4-6-0 Eighth ----- 
2019-20  4-6-0  Ninth -----
2020-21 0-0 ----- Season Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2021-22 4-3-0 Eighth Tied for 32nd Place at NCAA Championship; Kathryn Murphy 8th in 3-Meter Diving
2022-23 5-4-0 Eighth CSCAA Top 10 Scholar All-America Team
2023-24 2-4-0 Ninth  
Totals 113-95-1    

 

Kevin Walker
Kevin Walker
Title: Assistant Swim Coach
Email: kevinwalker@mtholyoke.edu

Head swimming and diving coach Dave Allen and the Mount Holyoke College Department of Athletics announced the appointment of former Elms College head coach Kevin Walker as the Lyons' full-time assistant swim coach in September 2024.

"The MHC Swimming and Diving team is excited to have Coach Walker join our program," said Allen, now in his 27th season at Mount Holyoke. "His enthusiasm for the sport of swimming was clear during the interview process, and we look forward to having him on deck with the team this season. In addition to on-deck coaching, Coach Walker will be a great addition in developing our social media presence and our recruiting efforts."

Walker has served as head swim coach at Elms College since 2021, and for the past year has also been head site coach for the Amherst Tritons swim club. From 2019 to 2021, he also worked as head swim coach and aquatics director at the Hampshire Regional YMCA in Northampton, Mass.

Walker earned a bachelor of science degree in recreation management in 2024 from Springfield College, where he was a four-year member of the varsity swim team.

"I am honored to continue my coaching career at Mount Holyoke College," said Walker "It's very exciting to coach in the conference that I swam in in college and to give back to the NEWMAC swimming community."

Bill Tyler
Bill Tyler
Title: Assistant Swimming Coach
Email: wtyler@mtholyoke.edu

Bill Tyler (UMass '81, M.Ed. '86) has been a competitive swimmer most of his life and has over 40 years of coaching experience.

His last stint was at Elms College, where he taught and was the head coach of men's and women's swimming for 16 years, winning conference Coach of the Year honors five times. He retired in May of 2019.

In 2021, Coach Tyler received a call from Mount Holyoke head coach Dave Allen asking if he knew of anyone available for an assistant coaching opening at MHC. He decided he would take the position to help out for the season, but he enjoyed it so much that he is now back for his fourth season. Coach Tyler likes to joke that he is a "reverse legacy," as his daughter, Katie Tyler '17, was a four year swimmer at MHC.