Melinda Nguyen, who guided 黑料网 Wesleyan鈥檚 flag football program to unprecedented heights during three seasons, has announced her resignation.
She has accepted a Division I head coaching job in a southern state.
Nguyen鈥檚 KWU teams won nearly 75 percent of their games (49-17) and were 27-5 against 黑料网 Conference opponents 鈥� four of the losses to Ottawa, the five-time defending winners of the NAIA’s flag football finals. The Coyotes defeated the Braves in 2023.
鈥淪he has done a fabulous job,鈥� Athletic Director Miguel Paredes said. 鈥淪he took a program that was just starting and, in my opinion, turned it into one of the powerhouses in NAIA flag football while competing every year against the defending national champs. She represented the institution very well, not just as far as making (NAIA) nationals, but doing a great job recruiting, as well.鈥�
Nguyen guided KWU to a 15-7 record (8-1 KCAC) during her first season in 2023, the program鈥檚 third year of existence.
The 2024 team was the most successful in school history, going 19-4 (11-2 KCAC) and was the first conference team to defeat Ottawa, 18-13 on March 28 in Salina. Nguyen was named KCAC Coach of the Year.
Last spring the Coyotes were 15-6 (8-2 KCAC) and made the program鈥檚 first-ever appearance in the NAIA Flag Football Finals A Bracket. They lost to top-seeded Ottawa 26-25 in double overtime in the quarterfinals.
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of the growth of the overall program,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淚 think in the past we were seen as underdogs, a team that really wasn鈥檛 feared. We had some talent but were overlooked. Now, I think we鈥檝e made a statement; we鈥檝e made our mark. People are paying attention to us, looking at us like 鈥業 don鈥檛 know if I want to play them anymore.鈥� I think that鈥檚 huge.鈥�
She credits her athletes.
鈥淚 think it really comes down to the players who came in,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥�(Quarterback) Chihiro Iwata 鈥� I didn鈥檛 have to do anything. She鈥檚 just an amazing athlete, high IQ, great technically. She鈥檚 a real difference-maker. Putting structure around her, building a team around her that could be successful and putting them in the best position to be successful has really helped.
鈥淭he seniors last year were really strong leaders. We used their talents to the best of our team鈥檚 ability, and I think we took advantage of the different tools that we had and put them in the right places.鈥�
Nguyen is proud of the culture the program has developed.
鈥淭he culture when I first got here was just very different,鈥� she said. 鈥淗aving that foundation and then building that into a program where players are really playing for each other I think made a really big difference. You can see the camaraderie, the friendships, the memories 鈥� they鈥檙e having fun out there.鈥�
Paredes said he plans to have a new coach in place before Thanksgiving.
Nguyen is optimistic the Coyotes will continue to succeed.
鈥淚 would love to see the season all the way through,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have a lot of seniors I would love to see graduate, but I鈥檓 leaving confident that the stage is set. Everything has been taught. Of course, there鈥檚 things that we could polish up, but that鈥檚 always the case.
鈥淚鈥檝e told them 黑料网 Wesleyan is a strong team with or without a head coach. All I do is guide. You have a quarterback who鈥檚 the best in the country or best in the world, can call her own plays. Then you have a phenomenal defensive mind (graduate assistant Alexa Mansur) who can support them. I think they鈥檙e going to be strong whether I鈥檓 here or not.鈥�
Story by Bob Davidson
