Fulton, Mo 11/3/2025 — The Westminster College Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to announce the hiring of Emilee Buhl as the first Head Coach of the College's newly established Women's Flag Football program. The team will make its debut in the spring of 2027, marking Westminster's 20th varsity sport.

Buhl joins Westminster with an impressive background as both a player and coach, bringing championship experience and a passion for developing women's football at every level.
A standout at Kansas Wesleyan University, Buhl played four years of collegiate flag football, helping lead the Coyotes to three consecutive NAIA National B Bracket Championships (2022, 2023, 2024) and four straight runner-up finishes in the KCAC Conference (2022–2025). During her career, Kansas Wesleyan achieved its best program record in 2024 and contributed to the school's KCAC Commissioners Cup titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Before her college career, Buhl made history at Willis High School in Texas as the first woman to compete in tackle football for the Willis Wildkats varsity program, earning the Mike Garrison Legacy Award in 2020 for her trailblazing contributions and leadership.

Buhl says she is "beyond grateful for the opportunity to lead the Women's Flag Football program at Westminster College. My mission is to build a culture that values growth, confidence, and unity where every player feels seen, challenged, and inspired to chase greatness. Together, we're not just building a team we're building a family and legacy."
Before stepping into this role, she was the head coach for a high school flag football program and coached in a youth NFL Flag league. Through these experiences, she has been able to develop athletes, grow the sport, and share her passion for football with the next generation.

Her goal as a coach is to help players reach their full potential both on and off the field, while building a program that emphasizes fundamentals, teamwork, and passion for the game.

Dr. Jessica Brown, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, said she is excited to welcome Buhl to Westminster and to see the program take shape under her leadership.
"Emilee represents exactly the kind of leadership and vision we want for our women's flag football program," Brown said. "Her experience as both a player and a coach, along with her trailblazing background in women's football, makes her an excellent fit to build this program from the ground up."

The addition of women's flag football at Westminster College aligns with the sport's growing national momentum. In February 2025, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics recommended that Divisions I, II, and III sponsor legislation to add women's flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, noting that at least 65 NCAA institutions currently sponsor the sport at the club or varsity level. Once fully adopted, women's flag football could achieve full NCAA championship status after meeting the threshold of 40 varsity programs. The sport is also set to make its Olympic debut in 2028, and participation among girls at the high school level more than doubled in one year — from 20,875 in 2023 to 42,955 in 2024 — underscoring the sport's rapid growth and expanding opportunities for female student-athletes.

The inaugural Westminster season in 2027 aligns with the College's ongoing efforts to expand opportunities for women in athletics and strengthen its Title IX commitment.