Andy Shaw’s 12-year stint as Allen Community College’s men’s head basketball coach is coming to an end.
Shaw is taking the head coaching job at Iowa Western Community College beginning later this month.
The Red Devil coach took over the program when he was only 23 years old. What Shaw has done since that time is impressive.
“I was thrown into the fire at a young age,” Shaw admitted. “I’ve had to learn how to navigate college basketball. There were some ups and downs, but I got good hands-on experience at a young age. It’s been a great 12 years.”
During Shaw’s tenure, Allen shifted from Division I to Division II, reached the NJCAA national tournament in 2022 and helped countless high school basketball players transition to the junior college level and beyond.
“It’s tough because you’ve got to recruit the kids here and then you’ve got to help them get on to the next place,” said Shaw. “It’s just non-stop. There’s never a down time because you’ve always got to be recruiting while also helping your kids find their next home.”
As for moving to Division II, “That’s where we belonged scholarship-wise,” he said.
Shaw elevated Allen men’s basketball to a place they had never been before during the 2021-22 season, the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. It was the first time in program history Allen made it that far and they put themselves on the map as a nationally ranked team.
On that journey, Shaw also led the Red Devils to their first KJCCC title since 1989. After starting that season at 3-3, Allen rattled off wins in 17 of their next 18 games, propelling them into the NJCAA DII National Poll. 
“It was a special group. Several were with me here for three years,” said Shaw. That season Shaw was also named KJCCC and Plains District Coach of the Year.
“Making it to Danville, Illinois for the national tournament is something I’ll never forget,” Shaw added. “Those are things that can never be taken away and those groups are bonded forever. I felt like it was a good group to end on. We were right there in the thick of things.”
