Collen was born December 21, 1953[1] in Lancaster, Ohio, and received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Bowling Green State University in 1977.
He earned a master's degree in health education from Miami University (of Ohio) in 1982, and another in 1983 in recreational programming.
[3] The year after he left, Arkansas went to the 1998 Final Four of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship.
Arkansas' women's athletic director Bev Lewis said "his reputation as a recruiter is among the best in the country.
[6] After the 2001–2002 season, Collen accepted a position at Vanderbilt University but resigned the next day over a discrepancy discovered on his resume.