Turmoil in Tigers' den: Why Tennessee State placed athletic director Mikki Allen on administrative leave

NASHVILLE – Tennessee State University put athletic director Mikki Allen on administrative leave Thursday. The move came after six head coaches sent a letter to the university president nearly two months ago, saying they had lost confidence in the department's leadership.

TSU president Dwayne Tucker made the decision after starting an internal investigation in late May, when he received the coaches' letter.

“We were made aware of multiple concerns surrounding the leadership of the TSU athletic department through an open letter from six head coaches on May 28, 2026,” Tucker said in a statement. “I took these concerns very seriously and immediately launched an internal investigation. Effective today, TSU athletic director Dr. Mikki Allen has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.”

Tucker said an interim athletic director will be named soon. He did not discuss the investigation's findings, saying it is a personnel matter, but stressed that TSU is taking the situation seriously and wants to treat everyone involved with care.

TSU President Dwayne Tucker's announcement on placing Allen on administrative leave. | Tennessee State University

What the Coaches Wrote

The investigation began after six head coaches sent a letter to Tucker in late May, according to Mike Organ of The Tennessean. The coaches who signed were men's basketball coach Nolan Smith, football coach Reggie Barlow, women's basketball coach Candice Dupree, track coach Chandra Cheeseborough, volleyball coach Donika Sutton, and softball coach Genee McRath.

The coaches said they were worried about the “current direction, leadership, communication, and operational management of the athletic department” under Allen. Other reports pointed to problems with fairness and support for different teams, and not enough teamwork between administrators and coaches.

Tucker said publicly on June 1 that he had received the letter, but he did not say much more at the time.

“The only statement I would make at this stage is that we are aware of the concerns raised by coaches and we take these things very seriously,” Tucker noted. “We will be reviewing the concerns, and that's pretty much all I can talk about right now.”

Allen declined to comment when the letter surfaced.

Reggie Barlow Takes Over At Tennessee State | Credit: TSU Athletics

Why This Signature List Matters

This group of coaches makes the situation stand out from a typical personnel issue. Allen himself hired four of the six coaches who signed the letter: Barlow, Smith, Dupree, and McRath. It is especially notable when an athletic director's own hires sign a no-confidence letter.

Cheeseborough's signature adds even more weight to the letter. She has worked at Tennessee State for 32 years and has coached Olympic-level sprinters under several different leaders, so she knows the school well.

The coaches sent the letter soon after the department had its biggest success in 30 years. Smith led the Tigers to an Ohio Valley Conference championship and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 32 years, which earned him a contract extension. Still, the administration faced criticism despite these wins.

Allen's Tenure

Allen became athletic director in spring 2020, taking over from Teresa Lawrence Phillips. Before that, he worked at the University of Tennessee for 11 years in fundraising, student-athlete development, and business operations, helping raise over $20 million. He has a master's degree in sports administration from Tennessee State.

At first, Allen focused on restructuring the department. He hired leaders for fundraising, marketing, communications, and fan engagement, reorganized how things worked inside the department, and updated policies for the 16 varsity teams and more than 300 student-athletes. He also managed the football team's move to Nissan Stadium and hired coaches who helped win the 2024 OVC-Big South title and the 2026 basketball championship.

Allen's work has been noticed outside Nashville. He is seen as a leading athletic director at a Division I HBCU. Tennessee State is one of only three Division I HBCUs that compete outside the SWAC or MEAC.

What Happens Next

Being placed on administrative leave does not mean someone is fired. Tucker said it is a standard step while the investigation continues. The university has not said when the investigation will end, what it will cover, or who will be the interim athletic director.

The timing makes the situation more urgent. Fall camp starts in a few weeks, and football season begins in late August. The interim athletic director will need to handle scheduling, compliance, and fundraising right away. Whoever is hired next, even if only temporarily, will take over a department where six head coaches have already shared their concerns.

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Kyle T. Mosley is the founder, managing editor and chief reporter of HBCU Legends On SI. He has covered HBCU athletics across the SWAC, MEAC, CIAA and SIAC since 2020. Follow him on X at @KyleTMosley.

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