SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Bringing over 25 years of flag football experience as a coach, official and league operator, Frank Rogers has been named the first coach of the Union College women's flag football team, Director of Athletics Jim McLaughlin '93 announced on Tuesday.
 
Rogers will begin his role immediately as he starts the process of recruiting a team for Union's first varsity season, which is set for Spring 2027. 

READ MORE: Rogers Tapped as First Ever Head Coach for Union Women's Flag Football (Daily Gazette) 
 
"We are very excited to have Frank take the reins of our women's flag football program and bring this exciting new sport to life on our campus," said McLaughlin. "His experience at multiple levels of football will be a great benefit to our department and our student-athletes, and will allow him to hit the ground running as we build up our newest varsity sport."
 
"I want to thank our Athletic Director Jim McLaughlin and the entire Committee for making me feel welcome and comfortable throughout the process, and for trusting me to start this program," said Rogers. "Building a program from the bottom up will be challenging and rewarding. Union College deserves diverse student-athletes in its pursuit of academic and athletic excellence, and it will be exciting to bring in our first class of players."
 
Rogers spearheaded the first girls' flag football program in Section 2 when he started the program at Troy High School in 2023, building the team to 42 athletes in his first year. Since taking over the program, Rogers led Troy to a 14-9 record over two seasons. In April, Rogers was named the New York Giants' High School Flag Football Coach of the Week after leading the team to wins in its first three games of the 2025 spring season and was honored before a game at MetLife Stadium.
 
In addition to his work with the Flying Horses, Rogers served as Section 2 coordinator and represented the section on the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Flag Football Committee. He also has spent 20 years coaching in the NFL Youth Flag Football League (now known as NFL FLAG) with his All-American Sport Recreation program, including coaching former NFL running back Dion Lewis.
 
Outside of flag football, Rogers coached the Albany Metro Mallers semi-pro football team from 2004-09 and led the team to tremendous success, including two Empire Football League titles, one division crown, and a 2008 United States Football Alliance national championship.
 
A staple in the Capital Region, Rogers earned his bachelor's degree from Siena College in 1994.
 
Union's 27th varsity sport will begin play in 2027, as the Garnet Chargers compete as a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, which announced its creation last month as a partnership with the New York Jets and the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation.
 
Prospective Union College flag football student-athletes are encouraged to fill out a recruiting questionnaire. For more information on the program, please email Coach Rogers at rogersf@union.edu.