Kansas Wesleyan University

Melinda Nguyen is the second coach in the history of the Kansas Wesleyan Flag Football program, becoming head coach in August 2022. 

In 2025, Nguyen led the Coyotes to a 15-7 record overall and an 8-1 KCAC record. The Coyotes were the runners-up in the KCAC Tournament falling to Ottawa University in the finals. KWU made the program's first-ever appearance in the NAIA Flag Football Finals A Bracket in the seasons that the Finals used the two bracket format. KWU faced top seeded Ottawa in the quarterfinals, taking the Braves to double overtime before falling 26-25. Quarterback Chihiro Iwata was named as the KCAC Co-Player of the Year leading the conference in passing yarads, completions, attempts and touchdown passes. She threw for 2044 yards in nine conference games and overall threw for 4628 yards and 68 touchdowns in the 20 games that statistics were available for. She completed over 68 percent of passes on the season and averaged 231.4 yards per game. Aliyah Wood had 111 receptions and 1068 yards receiving in 20 games where statistics were available, and caught 16 touchdown passes. KWU had 12 players earn multiple All-KCAC honors this season and had seven Academic All-KCAC honorees. 


In 2024, Nguyen led the Coyotes to the most successful season in program history. The Coyotes went 19-4 overall and were 11-2 in the KCAC. KWU again reached the KCAC Championship game, held at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for a second straight year. KWU became the first KCAC team to defeat the Ottawa University Braves, when the Coyotes picked up an 18-13 win on March 28 in Salina. In the NAIA Flag Football Finals, KWU went 1-1 in pool play, and was the top seed in the B Bracket, where the Coyotes would win the NAIA B Bracket with a 25-6 win over Milligan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Nguyen was named as the KCAC Coach of the Year, and Chihiro Iwata was named as the KCAC Offensive Player of the Year and Alexa Mansur was named as the KCAC Defensive Player of the Year to headline a list of 14 All-KCAC performers. 


2023 was Nguyen's first season leading the Coyote Flag Football program. The Coyotes went 15-6 overall in her first season and 8-2 in the KCAC, the lone conference losses coming to conference champion Ottawa. KWU reached the KCAC Championship game, played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, against Ottawa. KWU then went to the NAIA Flag Football Finals in Atlanta, and went 2-2 at the 12-team finals event held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brianna Hernandez-Silva was named as the KCAC Offensive Player of the Year for a second straight year headlining the list of 13 All-KCAC players for the Coyotes. 
 

Nguyen comes to Kansas Wesleyan with extensive experience in flag football, most recently serving as the offensive coordinator for Team America as part of the Women’s Flag Football Network. Team America featured some of the top players in the United States and participated in tournaments around the world.

She also worked as a performance trainer for X-Factor Athletics, where she trained athletes on skills focused on flag football fundamentals and advanced skills. X-Factor Athletics trains a myriad of athletes from recreational players up through the professional ranks.

Nguyen has been involved in football and flag flootball since the age of seven. As a student at the University of Maryland, she was the head coach and quarterback of two club flag football teams, and helped lead them to nine total championships over a six-year span.

She also worked as a school teacher in the Montgomery County Public School system in Maryland, a position she held since 2020 until joining the KWU family.

Nguyen holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland and a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Trinity College.