Dragon Athletic Hall of Famer Allison Swenson enters her 18th season at Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2025-26. She was promoted to first assistant in the program in April 2012 and was elevated to Associate Head Coach in April 2025. Swenson also serves as the program's recruiting coordinator.
The 2024-25 season saw Swenson guide Terryn Johnson to her second consecutive All-NSIC Second Team honor. The Dragons would earn a victory in the first-round of the NSIC Tournament against Wayne State on February 26. MSUM was again on the right side of the rebounding battle during the year, holding a plus-4.6 margin on the glass. The Dragons were also effective on defense, allowing the third-fewest points per game in the Northern Sun (65.3).
In 2023-24, Swenson helped Dragon post Terryn Johnson to her first All-NSIC selection as the sophomore was named to the Second Team. MSUM was near the top of the NSIC in total rebounding throughout the year, led by Johnson, who grabbed nearly 10 per game. Johnson snared 20 rebounds against Minnesota Crookston on January 30 while MSUM compiled a whopping 67 team rebounds in the win. By season's end, MSUM was first in the NSIC in team rebounds per game (41.8) and second in the league in rebounding margin (+5.2).
Swenson’s coaching duties include post player development, scouting, scheduling, and coordinating summer camps. In 2019, Swenson was selected to attend the NCAA Basketball Coaches Academy. Through the academy, full-time assistant coaches were given the opportunity to expand their knowledge and insight into the world of intercollegiate basketball coaching.
During her tenure as an assistant coach, the Dragons have posted a 258-152 record and made appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2009, 2017, 2018, and 2019. She’s been a part of the 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 NSIC Conference Championship Teams, and the four-straight NSIC North Division Championship Teams in 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19.
She has coached 17 NSIC All-Conference post players, including 14 first team selections: Alison Nash-Gerlach and Meghan Rettke (2009 and 2010), Angie Jetvig (2011 and 2012), Megan Strese (2013), Heather Strese (2016), Drew Sannes (2017 and 2018), Megan Hintz (2019 and 2020), and Peyton Boom (2021, 2022 and 2023). Sannes was named the NSIC Player of the Year in 2016-17, becoming the first Dragon women’s player to earn the honor.
Swenson has also coached 7 Daktronics/D2CCA All-Region selections: Rettke (2009), Nash-Gerlach (2010), Jetvig (2011 and 2012), Sannes (2017 and 2018), and Hintz (2019).
She has coached 5 All-American first team, second team, and Honorable Mention selections. Nash-Gerlach and Rettke were named to the Daktronics All-American second team in 2010. Jetvig was named to the Daktronics All-American team in 2011 and 2012, as well as Honorable Mention nods on the State Farm Coaches All-American Team and WBCA All-American Team in 2011. Sannes was an Honorable Mention selection to both the WBCA All-American Team and the D2 Bulletin All-American Team in 2017.
In her coaching stint, MSUM has placed in the WBCA Academic Top 25 ten out of fourteen years: 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22. Sannes and Jacky Volkert were named to the COSIDA Capital One/Google Cloud Academic All-District Teams in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Sannes was also named a COSIDA Capital One/Google Cloud Academic All-American in 2017 and 2018.
Before joining the coaching staff, Swenson had a productive playing career that spanned from 2003 when she red-shirted for the Dragons, until her senior season in 2008. As a post player, Swenson was a member of the 2004-05 team that won the NSIC Conference Championship and qualified for the school’s first ever NCAA Tournament. The team would once again qualify for the 2007 NCAA Tournament during Swenson’s playing career. She was also a member of five straight teams to be ranked in the WBCA’s NCAA Division II Academic Top 25.
She ranks fifth in school history with 1,446 career points. Swenson also ranks in the top 10 in school history in career categories including: free throws made (380), free throws attempted (490), field goals made (516), career wins (79), and games played (119).
Swenson was a three-time All-NSIC selection, a two-time All-NSIC Tournament selection and a three-time All-NSIC Academic selection. Swenson also joined the Dragon Track and Field team for two season (2007 and 2008) where she became a standout discus thrower. She was a two-time All-NSIC selection and a two-time All-NSIC Academic selection.
In 2008, Swenson became a national qualifier and was a U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association Division II Women’s Academic All-American. In the spring of 2008, Swenson graduated from MSUM with a B.S. degree in business administration. In the spring of 2010, Swenson completed her graduate studies, receiving a M.S. in educational leadership. She was inducted into the Dragon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.
Swenson is a native of Halliday, North Dakota. She is also a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. She resides in West Fargo, N.D.
