Five-time national champion Liz Sowers named head flag football coach at Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Nebraska Athletics on Thursday named five-time national champion coach Liz Sowers as the first head flag football coach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Katie Sowers, Liz’s twin sister, will serve as the Associate Head Coach, athletic director Troy Dannen said.
The Sowers sisters come to Nebraska from Ottawa University in Kansas, where they have built a dynasty at the NAIA level.
After finishing the current season in Ottawa, the duo will officially start their tenure at Nebraska in June.
In January, Nebraska became the first Power Four school to add women’s flag football as a varsity sport, and plans to play its first competitive season in the spring of 2028.
SEE ALSO: Nebraska becomes first power four program to add women’s flag football as varsity sport
“We are thrilled to bring Liz and Katie Sowers to Lincoln to build our women’s flag football program,” Dannen said. “Together, they have built a championship program at the NAIA level and have experienced success working with national teams. They have a great vision for what flag football can become at the University of Nebraska and also understand the potential for the sport and the opportunities it will provide for young women across the collegiate landscape.”
Liz is the current head coach at Ottawa University, leading her squad to five consecutive NAIA National Championships and five straight Kansas Collegiate Conference championships.
She is a three-time KCAC Coach of the Year and has an 88-8 record as a head coach.
Liz has recruited athletes from 17 different states and four different counties to help bolster the Ottawa dynasty.
“This is the start of a new era, and we intend to set the standard,” Liz said. “It’s an honor to lead the first flag football program at Nebraska, and even more meaningful to build it alongside my twin sister in a place with such deep tradition. We want young girls across Nebraska to see this team and know there’s a future here for them.”
Liz was also the defensive coordinator of the USA Women’s National Team in 2023, which won a gold medal at the Continental Championships.
With her coaching, the team allowed the fewest points in Team USA history.
She also served as the head coach of the 17U Girls Junior National Team in 2022, which won a gold medal at the Junior National Championships.
In her playing career, Liz was a seven-time First-Team All-American for the Kansas City Titans. She also played for the West Michigan Mayhem, the Kansas City Tribe and the Kansas City Glory.
She was on the 2016, 2018 and 2021 USA Women’s Flag Football teams and on the 2013 and 2017 USA Women’s Tackle Football teams.
Liz is a two-time gold medalist with the national tackle football team and also won gold with the flag football team in 2018.
Katie also coaches at Ottawa, where she serves as the associate head coach, defensive coordinator and director of operations.
She served as the head coach for the Italian Women’s Flag Football team from 2023-24. She organized and led selection camps, implemented game plans and training systems, and eventually led the team to a win over Germany.
“I am proud to join the Nebraska family as part of the first coaching staff in program history,” Katie said. “This is a fanbase that lives and breathes excellence, and I can’t wait to give this amazing fanbase another sport to rally behind.”
Katie has been on the coaching staff for three different NFL teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons.
With the Chiefs, Katie was selected for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship and worked with the tight ends in 2021.
From 2017-21, she worked as an offensive quality control coach for the 49ers, where she primarily supported the wide receiver room and assisted with scouting and run-and-pass game evaluations.
Katie was a player personnel scout for the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-17, created weekly practice player and prospect evaluations and assisted with scouting.
