NY native Nyla Allen playing a big role in Howard’s soccer success
Now in her senior season at Howard University, midfielder Nyla Allen is making every minute count. There are five games left in soccer’s regular season action, and she and her teammates are aiming for a spot in the Northeast Conference (NEC) tournament. The Elmont, N.Y., native said this season has fresh energy after a disappointing 2022 season. The Bison are currently 8–3–2 overall and 3–1–1 in NEC action.
“This season, I see everyone working toward the same goal of trying to get a ring (with a conference championship) this year and also working for one another,” said Allen. “I feel like a lot of players are going out and trying to up their stats each and every game, so going out on the field with a purpose. Conference play has been good so far. We’re trying to end the season [at] top three in our conference.”
Soccer began for Allen at age 4 with PAL and the Elmont Soccer Club. Today, she trains and coaches kids for Elmont whenever she’s home. She knew she was pretty good at the sport, but her potential became clear around the seventh grade when she was invited to participate in monthly U.S. national training center sessions. At 17, she played in two matches with the Jamaican National Under 17 Team, which was a great experience.
Allen said Howard University provides her the perfect balance between athletics, academics, and fun. She loves Washington, D.C. Academically, she finds the professors very supportive, and they keep her informed about internship opportunities and career possibilities.
Her major is political science and her minor is sports administration. While Allen is not planning on using her fifth year of eligibility, she does want to stay close to sports. She has applied for the highly selective NFL Rotational Program, in which participants complete up to four rotations over a two-year period in a variety of departments and office locations, and she hopes to be accepted.
“My career aspirations are to become an entertainment attorney and also a sports agent,” she said. “I also have interest in player relations in a league and also being a general counsel one day. Hopefully, I can get a job in the sports industry coming out of college to gain experience. I plan on applying to law school one or two years after.”
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