Abby Haynie was hired as the inaugural head coach of Allegheny’s women’s flag football team, as announced on Tuesday, Sept. 16, by Director of Athletics and Recreation Bill Ross.

“Her passion for the game and vision for building this program make her the perfect leader to guide such a historic addition to Gator athletics,” Ross wrote in a press release announcing the decision. “She is a great addition to our staff.”

Haynie has been an athlete her whole life and has played football for many years. She was introduced to flag football in sixth grade.
“I have so many fond memories,” Haynie said. “We would have picnics with friends where it would be, like, adults versus kids, and we would play football.”

She joined a junior flag football team outside school, where one of her coaches happened to also coach the Pittsburgh Passion, a women’s tackle football team. She would go on to join the Pittsburgh Passion in 2023.

She played flag football for a number of years, building up her knowledge and expertise of the sport with firsthand experience. Haynie began her career in flag football playing as an offensive lineman and offensive snapper for the Pittsburgh Passion. She looks back on this time as an experience full of lessons.

“It was the most challenging, yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Haynie said. “I met so many amazing people. The Passion’s motto is ‘Life lessons through sports,’ and they truly live by that. So it was just a learning opportunity, and I’m not the same person I was when I joined.”

She played until 2024, when she was injured and took a season off to be an assistant coach for women’s flag football at Seneca Valley Senior High School. She never thought about coaching before the opportunity, but wanted to find an athletic outlet and a way to leave a positive impact.

“Getting to share with them all the awesome things to do with this sport, but also, if they’re having a hard day, trying to help them feel better or sharing a laugh with them, that’s so impactful,” Haynie said. “Just trying to be that person that I needed when I was their age. That’s basically what I’m trying to do in every chapter of my life.”

Allegheny plans to elevate the team to varsity status by 2027 as the sport grows in popularity across the country. Despite being the first coach for the team, Haynie isn’t nervous, but optimistic about what she and her players will be able to accomplish. She looks to the coaches in her past for guidance and confidence, making sure to implement those same lessons when interacting with her players.

“I’m so thankful to the college for taking a chance on me,” Haynie said. “It’s just something that I’m so passionate about.”

“I don’t have that much experience in being a head coach in this sport, but I had such great role models for the Passion,” Haynie continued. “Coach T (Teresa Conn) and Coach (Lisa) Horton, they are just about the best you can get.”

Haynie considers the team a collaborative effort. To her, the team loses and wins together. On difficult days, she gives herself grace on the things she doesn’t know and uses every day as a chance to improve herself. She also credits other coaches in the athletic department for their constant encouragement and guidance, namely Ross, Associate Director for Facilities and Recreation Jared Luteran and Assistant Athletic Director Kate Costanzo.

“Bill and Jared and Kate and all the coaches here have been so good with me,” Haynie said. “If I have a question, they answer it right away, and they give me advice. I couldn’t be more thankful. It’s such a great environment to work in.”

Currently, Haynie is creating schedules for practices and games. Since women’s flag football is already planned to go varsity in 2027, Haynie works full-time to ensure the strength and quality of the players. She believes the players should be proud to be the first women’s flag football team to represent their school. Haynie said both players and fans can look forward to a vibrant and thrilling season.

“I think it’s going to be really cool to see the dedication of the players come to light,” Haynie said. “You work so hard in practice and to be able to put that on display for everyone. Because they’re the first ones to do it. The players should be proud of themselves, and their friends and families should be proud of their loved ones.”