Cal Poly hires first head coach for new women’s flag football program
When Cal Poly announced last summer that it would become the first school in California to add a Division I women’s flag football program, the debut still felt far away.
On Tuesday, that future took a step closer as the university announced Rod Sherman as the program’s first head coach. A formal news conference was held on Wednesday morning in the Mott Athletics Center’s lobby to introduce Sherman to the Cal Poly community.
Sherman brings a background in coaching tackle football, spending five seasons at Orange Lutheran High School, where he led the program to a CIF Division 2 title in 2021.
His experience with flag football came through Orange Lutheran’s girls flag football program, where he worked alongside his wife.
Together, they built Orange Lutheran’s girls flag football program into a nationally recognized team after the sport was sanctioned by the CIF Southern Section in fall 2023. Led by Head Coach Kristen Sherman, the program ranks No. 7 nationally and No. 2 in California and has produced players who have competed in NFL and USA Flag Football events.
In 2024, Kristen led the Lancers to the inaugural CIF Southern Section Division 1 title. Last season, Orange Lutheran finished 24-3 and was the runner-up in Division 1, and the Shermans now bring that coaching experience to Cal Poly.
Kristen will join Rod Sherman’s staff as the Mustangs prepare for their inaugural season.
“Rod brings the ideal lived experience, temperament and vision to build this program from the ground up,” Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong said in his opening remarks at the news conference.
Sherman acknowledged the vision and courage it takes to build a Division I program from the ground up, especially given that the sport is still in its early stages at the collegiate level.
In January, the NCAA announced that flag football had been added to its Emerging Sports for Women program.
“In my career, I have had the opportunity to build some programs from the ground up, and we believe they’re built through vision and culture,” Sherman said. “People were grateful that Cal Poly has hired us in advance, so we could begin to create that foundation and have a runway to do that prior to our competitive experiences beginning.”
Sherman said his goal is to build a program that develops both strong athletes and strong people, believing a championship culture and personal growth can exist together. He also emphasized service as a central part of the program, saying coaches are meant to support and guide student-athletes as they grow on and off the field.
With the hiring, athletic director Carter Henderson said the program is already ahead of the game. Cal Poly became the first Division I school in California to hire a flag football head coach, and its next focus is recruiting and finalizing the rest of its staff.
Henderson acknowledged there are still questions surrounding the timeline, including whether the Mustangs will begin competition next spring or the following year, as the sport works toward NCAA championship status in 2028.
As for recruiting, the process will begin immediately, with Sherman saying the program will prioritize athletes from California. Girls flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and the biggest driving force behind that growth is in California.
“I’m pleased to announce that Cal Poly is the first Division 1 school in the entire state of California to be offering a varsity flag football program, and that’s going to allow us to do an unbelievable job in recruiting California and creating destinations in SLO for all of our California students as well,” Sherman said.
Infrastructure and scheduling remain key pieces still being determined as Cal Poly builds the program, including which conference the Mustangs will compete in, which teams will be available to play and when the inaugural season will begin.
“Right now, I think it’s understanding what the next steps are going to look like,” Henderson said. “Scheduling, we’re one of the few who’ve announced that we are going to do this. It’s really just getting the infrastructure pieces in place.”
