Joe Schlager was named Wingate's first flag football coach in March of 2025, when the sport was announced.
Schlager was the head coach at William Woods University since July of 2023. Prior to that, he was the Graduate Assistant Coach at Midland University. Schlager was a student-athlete at the University of South Dakota, where he was a running back for three years, earning Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award three straight years.
"Wingate has a rich culture and tradition of excellence - The Wingate mission and vision align with my goals for building a program for continual growth," Schlager says. "When I envision myself and collegiate flag football in the next several years, Wingate University is the place to be. The OneDog mentality is evident throughout and our goal is and will be to continue to contribute to the overall experience and success of Wingate. The NCAA is committed to the sport and the growing opportunities that it provides and Wingate's opportunity at this time is unmatched. I'm very excited to put this program into action and establish ourselves in the infancy of the sport within the NCAA landscape."
Schlager earned his Bachelor of Science degree at South Dakota, where he majored in Kinesiology and Sport Management with a minor in Business Administration. He earned his Master of Science in Learning and Talent Development from Midland University. After graduating, Schlager began his coaching career at Colorado State University, where he was the Football Operations Assistant.
