CANTON, Mo. — Culver-Stockton College is preparing to add another opportunity for student-athletes, with women’s flag football set to begin competition in 2028 under head coach Timothy Trevier.

The college is set to introduce women’s flag football in the 2027-28 school year, with Trevier serving as the program’s first head coach. While the team will not begin competing until spring 2028, Trevier has already started the process of building the program from the ground up.

Recruiting is already underway, with Trevier using social media and recruiting websites to connect with high school athletes interested in continuing their careers at the collegiate level.

This is not Trevier’s first experience starting a college athletic program. However, he said coaching flag football has been a different experience from coaching traditional tackle football.

“I’ve coached men’s football before,” Trevier said. “My first year coaching flag football, I tried to run it like a football program, offense specifically. That was a disaster.”

Trevier said he quickly learned that flag football and traditional football are two very different sports. After adjusting his coaching style, he developed a better understanding of the offensive and defensive strategies needed for women’s flag football.

As the program begins to take shape, Trevier said academics will be one of his biggest priorities. While he wants his players to compete and build a successful program, he believes their education comes first.

“The flag football end of things is a great way for these young ladies to come in and compete collegiately,” Trevier said. “But at the end of the day, they’re here to get a degree and succeed in life.”

Trevier also wants the first group of players to have a major role in creating the team’s culture. Since the program is starting from scratch, the first athletes will have an opportunity to help establish what Culver-Stockton women’s flag football will become.

“Although I’m the head coach, it’s really their team,” Trevier said.

For Trevier, the opportunity to lead the program also has a personal connection. He graduated from Culver-Stockton in 1985 with a degree in criminal justice and said his time in Canton was one of the best periods of his life.

Now, more than 40 years after graduating, Trevier is back at his alma mater with the opportunity to build something new.

“To come back to your alma mater, to start a program from scratch is quite the honor,” Trevier said.

With recruiting already underway and competition scheduled to begin in 2028, Trevier and the future Wildcats are beginning the process of building Culver-Stockton’s women’s flag football program from the ground up.