“We’re not tiptoeing into women’s flag football—we’re sprinting,” UTA President Jennifer Cowley said. “Hiring our first coach starts a new era not just for UTA, but for Division I sports in Texas—and we intend to set the standard. Melinda is smart, competitive, and ready to build something special here. Buck ‘em!”
Nguyen joins UTA after three seasons as the head coach at Kansas Wesleyan, where she went 49-17 (and 27-5 against Kansas Conference opponents) with the Coyotes, reaching the NAIA Flag Football Finals in all three seasons. In addition to her time at KWU, Nguyen has also been the Offensive Coordinator for the Philippines Women’s National Team and the Assistant Coach for the US 15U Junior National Team that won a silver medal in the 2025 Junior International Cup that was hosted by USA Football and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF).
“This is a monumental moment here at UTA,” Fagg said of the historic hire. “We couldn’t be more excited to have Melinda lead our program and usher in the era of flag football at the collegiate level in Arlington. She brings a fantastic track record of success to our program and her energy and passion for the sport was unmatched during our process. I can’t wait to see her build this program and for us to take the field in the spring of 2027.”