The University of Maryland Eastern Shore hired alumnus Duane Tolson as head coach of its newly established women’s flag football team. The university announced the move Aug. 10, 2026, as the program prepares for its inaugural season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore announced the addition of women’s flag football in June. The team will compete in the MEAC beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.
Duane Tolson Brings Over 20 Years of Coaching Experience
Tolson has more than two decades of coaching, leadership and sports administration experience. Most recently, he served as head girls flag football coach at KIPP Legacy, leading the team to a 10-1-1 record during the 2026 spring season and a postseason championship game appearance.
Before his head coaching role at KIPP Legacy, Tolson spent five seasons as an assistant coach at KIPP College Preparatory. His coaching expertise spans scholastic, adult, and league flag football levels.
Tolson also founded the Coastal Women’s Flag Football League in 2015 and has owned and operated the MESPORTS Coed Sports League since 2008. Since 2017, he has led the Alter Egos men’s, women’s, and coed flag football teams as head coach.
Previous coaching roles include owner and head coach of the Young Guns Coed Flag Football Team (2008-2013), head coach of the Sharks Women’s Flag Football Team (2013-2015), and co-head coach of the Capitol Punishment Women’s Flag Football Team (2015-2016). Early in his career, Tolson coached junior varsity and summer league girls basketball teams at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Tolson graduated from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2000 and now leads the university’s women’s flag football program as it begins competition in the MEAC.
Launching UMES Women’s Flag Football Program
“As we prepare to launch our women’s flag football program, we are excited to welcome Coach Tolson to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore,” said Vice President of Athletics Tara A. Owens. “Coach Tolson has shown the ability to develop and build competitive teams while possessing a great knowledge of the game. With his guidance on and off the field, UMES will serve as a model for the promotion and growth of women’s flag football. We also look forward to contributing to the sport’s development at the collegiate level and welcome members of our community to support this initiative.”
“It is an exciting time at UMES,” Tolson said. “I want to thank the university leadership team for officially bringing women’s flag football to UMES and for choosing me to lead the program. We are going to build a team of young ladies who will proudly and positively represent UMES on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.”
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s hiring of Duane Tolson gives its inaugural women’s flag football program a coach with strong experience at scholastic, adult and league levels. His 2026 KIPP Legacy team posted a 10-1-1 record and reached a postseason championship game.
Tolson will lead UMES as the women’s flag football team enters MEAC competition for the 2026-27 academic year.
Source: Original report
