GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart and William Smith Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Miller announced today that Rusty Virkler will serve as the inaugural head coach of William Smith flag football. Over the past four seasons, he led the Owego Free Academy flag football team to a 46-7 record.
 
"Through the interview process, Rusty's passion for flag football and knowledge of the game shown through," Miller said. "Coupled with his experience as a former Division III student-athlete at a small liberal arts institution, make him the right person to build this program."
 
Virkler will begin recruiting student-athletes immediately for William Smith's first season in the spring of 2027.
 
"I look forward to helping add to the rich legacy and championship tradition of William Smith Athletics," Virkler said. "I'm determined to bring a positive energy to the program and create a winning culture from Day 1."
 
A former physical education teacher at OFA, Virkler started the school's flag football program in 2021, growing the roster from 20 players in his first season to 40 this past spring. The River Hawks won the school's first Section IV Championship in 2024 and didn't stop there. They went on to win a New York State Regional Championship and advanced to the state semifinals, finishing the season with a 16-1 record.
 
This past spring, Virkler led Owego to a 19-1 record, winning another Section IV Championship, another regional championship and guided the River Hawks to the State Championship game. Four members of the team were named to the All-State team and six went on to play flag football in college.
 
Virkler also organized and coached a team of Owego athletes that played in the Flag Football World Championships in Tampa, Florida. That team advanced to the semifinals of the tournament organized by USA Flag.
 
A native of Vestal, Virkler holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Hartwick and a master's degree in physical education from West Alabama.
 
As a student-athlete, Virkler played four seasons for the Hawks' football team as a wide receiver and punter. In 25 career games, he caught 61 passes for 670 yards and a touchdown.
 
At the collegiate level, more than 70 NCAA institutions sponsor flag football. Locally, Brockport, Elmira, Geneseo, Hartwick, and Russell Sage have varsity flag football teams. The Knights began play this past spring, while the Golden Eagles, Soaring Eagles, Hawks and Gators will play their inaugural season in 2026. William Smith was the first team in the Liberty League to sponsor flag football.