FLORENCE, Ala. (February 20, 2026) – The University of North Alabama Department of Athletics officially has its first head women's flag football coach.
Abbi Munson was officially announced to the position on Thursday. UNA announced the addition of women's flag football on Sept. 30, 2025. The program's first season will take place in the Spring 2027 semester.
Munson comes to UNA from Pratt Community College, where she spent two seasons as the head flag football coach while also serving as the Director of Students and Residence Life. She also spent one season as the head coach at Fort Scott Community College in 2023-24.
"Women's flag football is one of the fastest‑growing sports in the country, and we're proud that North Alabama is stepping forward as an early Division I leader," said UNA Director of Athletics Dr. Josh Looney. "From the beginning, our search focused on finding a coach with true collegiate flag football head coaching experience, and Abbi has successfully built programs from the ground up twice. She is exactly the kind of visionary teacher and competitor who will help grow the sport locally, across the Southeast and on the national stage."
Not only is Munson an accomplished coach, but she also brings national championship experience as a player. Munson was the starting left guard for the Oklahoma City Lady Force, winning a national title in 2022 and earning a runner-up finish in 2023.
Munson completed her bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2021 and a master's degree from Arkansas State in 2025. Prior to this, Munson served in the United States Army as a Specialist. She received an honorable discharge in 2013.
"I am deeply honored to join the University of North Alabama and lead the first group of varsity flag football student-athletes," said Munson. "Flag football is one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding sports in collegiate athletics, and I'm thrilled to be part of a growing sport that's stepping into the Division I spotlight. This opportunity is about more than just building a team; it's about helping shape the future of the sport, fostering development on and off the field, and contributing to the growth of flag football both regionally and nationally. I'm eager to get to work and committed to helping our players thrive as women, competitors, students and leaders."
Munson will take over a program that already has 14 official signees, including two that signed and will be announced this weekend. The list of signees also includes 2025 Ms. Football for the state of Alabama, quarterback Julia Rose of Vestavia Hills. Rose led her team to the 2025 AHSAA State Championship game against Central-Phenix City. She is the first Mr. or Ms. Football from the state to sign with UNA since 1988 — the year Tommy Compton joined UNA's roster after winning the award at Vigor High School.
The current class includes 12 signees from Alabama two from Georgia. Three of the signees are coming from the community college level — Leah Haynes from Calhoun, Mattie Case from Northwest Shoals and Brynlee Silletti from Snead State. Haynes and Case both play wide receiver and safety, while Silletti is a quarterback.
Future signees will be announced as the offseason continues. Prior to Munson taking the reigns, UNA Associate Athletic Director for Governance and Student-Athlete Experience Anna Milwee Hovater was named interim head coach and put together the early signing class.
Hovater also led the search for the first head coach of the program and will continue to serve as the sport administrator.
"We are so excited to have Coach Munson lead our women's flag football program at the University of North Alabama," said Hovater. "She will be building it from the ground up, and she truly checked all the boxes in our search. She has coached women's flag football at the collegiate level, and you can immediately see the passion she has for coaching and developing young women both on and off the field. We're confident she will lay a strong foundation and build a program our university and community can be proud of."
More information regarding the program's first season will be announced in the coming months.
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