Following a national coaching search, Allen University announced Tuesday that Andre Payne will become the new head coach of the school’s men’s basketball program. A proven leader with more than 25 years of experience as both an administrator and college coach, Payne has achieved more than 200 wins at various levels of coaching.
Payne arrives at Allen after most recently serving as the head women’s basketball coach at Talladega College during the 2024-2025 season. In his only year leading the NAIA program, Payne led the Tornadoes to a 10-win season in which the team led the HBCU Athletic Conference in forced turnovers, steals, fewest points allowed, and lowest defensive field goal percentage while maintaining a team GPA of 3.42.
“Throughout our search process, Andre Payne distinguished himself as the perfect candidate to lead our men’s basketball program,” said Director of Athletics Phillip Wallace Jr. “His experience is extensive, and we are excited to have someone of his caliber joining our department.”
Payne began his coaching career at Texas College, an NAIA program, in 1999. After serving as an assistant coach for two seasons, Payne was promoted to head coach in 2001. During his five seasons at the helm, he accumulated 62 wins and led the program to their first ever Red River Athletic Conference Championship game appearance in 2005. In addition to his coaching duties, Payne served as the school’s interim Director of Athletics from 2001-2003 where he oversaw the inaugural seasons of three sports including football in 2003.
“I want to thank President Dr. McNealey and AD Wallace for this great opportunity,” said Payne. “We are excited about moving the program forward. We want our team to play harder and smarter than any team in the SIAC, but most importantly we want them to play together!”
After his time at Texas College, Payne became the Director of Athletics and Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. While at Wiley, Payne won 146 games and led the squad to the NAIA Tournament in his first season, which helped the program end a 34-year tournament drought.
Then from 2014-2019, Payne coached at the Division I level as the head men’s basketball coach at Mississippi Valley State University. During his time in Itta Bena, M.S., Payne amassed 25 wins, coached two All-SWAC performers, reached four SWAC Tournaments, was voted MVSU Athletics Coach of the Year, and implemented a mentoring program for teenage youths.
“I congratulate AD Wallace on his search and ultimate selection of Andre Payne as the next men’s basketball coach at Allen University,” President Dr. Ernest McNealey said. “We look forward to an exciting and competitive season in the year ahead.”
Following MVSU, Payne served one season as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Alcorn State University where he helped the Braves lead all of Division I in forced turnovers per game, total forced turnovers, steals per game, and total steals in 2019-2020. Payne returned to Alcorn State University for the 2023-2024 season as an assistant men’s basketball coach.
As Payne takes the reins at Allen, it will not be his first time working in the state of South Carolina. From 2020-2023, he served as the Director of Athletics and head men’s basketball coach at Denmark Technical College in Denmark, S.C. In his administrative role, Payne implemented seven sports in a two-year span, started the school’s first Athletic Hall of Fame, oversaw a $300,000 gymnasium renovation, created a weight room for the department, and increased the department’s overall winning percentage by 50%. While on the sidelines for the NJCAA program, Payne had two of his student-athletes be named valedictorian of their graduating classes and saw 40% of his student-athletes receive athletic scholarships to four-year institutions.
Payne is a graduate of Alabama A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He also has his Master of Science in Human and Sports Performance from New Mexico Highlands University.
