JOPLIN, Mo. – A dynamic coach with over 15 years building programs, Sergio Reyes was named the inaugural head coach of Missouri Southern State University's women's flag football team, Director of Athletics Rob Mallory announced Thursday.
 
"I am honored to join Missouri Southern as we architect the future of collegiate flag football in the MIAA," Reyes said of leading the Lions. "My focus is not just on building a team, but on establishing a professionalized, sustainable program model that serves as a blueprint for the sport's expansion at the NCAA level. We aren't just launching flag football in Joplin; we are building a national destination for elite student-athletes who want to be part of the inaugural class of this global movement. Most importantly, this program is rooted in my core value of ensuring young women have direct access to a high-quality education and a clear pathway to future success."
 
"In our search for the best person to launch our new women's flag football program, Coach Reyes stood out for his vision for what the sport can be on our campus, his desire to grow the sport regionally and nationally, and his passion for providing transformational opportunities for young women," Mallory said of Reyes. "He is exactly the right person to lead this effort and is an outstanding addition to our department and campus community."
 
Reyes heads to Joplin after serving as varsity head women's flag football coach at Gaithersburg High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In this role, he led strategic planning, recruitment, training, practice design, and game management for the Trojans. Reyes also conducted daily practices that focused on the fundamentals of passing accuracy, receiving routes, flag pulling techniques, and defensive positioning.
 
Prior to working at Gaithersburg HS, he led both the recreational flag football and basketball programs for 12 consecutive, successful years at the Montgomery County Recreation Department. In this position, he has had the opportunity to share his passion for basketball and football with young athletes.
 
Reyes is a dedicated father of three who has always had a passion for helping others. Born in Nicaragua and raised in the United States, he takes great pride in his Hispanic heritage and is committed to developing a robust international recruiting effort at MSSU.
 
Besides his athletic experience, Reyes brings over two decades of executive leadership in insurance and financial services, as well as the government sector. He has held senior leadership roles including Regional Director at Mutual of Omaha, Director of Business Development at VIATEQ Corporation, President/CEO at Primitus Inc., Founder of District Mutual, Chief Marketing Officer at XCINEX, and Financial Services Consultant at State Farm Insurance.
 
A Chartered Financial Consultant, Reyes, graduated from Marymount University in 2003 with his Bachelor of Business Administration.
 
For flag football scheduling and student recruitment opportunities, please contact Head Coach Sergio Reyes directly at reyes-s@mssu.edu.
 
Head Coach Sergio Reyes will be formally introduced on campus in May. Full details and media availability will be announced as those plans are finalized.
 
MSSU WOMEN'S FLAG FOOTBALL
Missouri Southern State University approved the addition of women's flag football during the MSSU Board of Governors meeting held on June 12, 2025, in the Board Room of the Billingsly Student Center. MSSU women's flag football is a full NCAA Division II, varsity sport that will begin competition in the spring 2027 semester.
 
MSSU is the first school in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association to add women's flag football as a varsity sport. With the NFL actively championing the sport's growth from high school programs across the country to a full NCAA championship level, Missouri Southern stands among a select few NCAA programs leading the way. There are three other collegiate flag football programs in Missouri: Cottey College (NAIA), North Central Missouri College (NJCAA), and William Woods University (NAIA).