Colin Wood was named the first head coach in the history of the University of Illinois Springfield women’s flag football program in January 2026. He will lead the Prairie Stars as the program prepares for its inaugural season in 2027.
Wood brings a strong background in football coaching, program development, and student-athlete support, with experience spanning championship-level collegiate football and Power Five operations. He oversees all aspects of the UIS women’s flag football program, including recruiting, roster development, culture building, and day-to-day operations — with a focus on creating a supportive, team-driven environment.
Most recently, Wood spent the 2025 season with the University of Florida football program as an Assistant Special Teams Analyst, gaining valuable experience in a Power Five environment and contributing to daily operations at the highest collegiate level.
Prior to his time at Florida, Wood spent several seasons at North Central College, joining the Cardinals’ staff in 2020 as a defensive graduate assistant. He was promoted ahead of the 2022 season to special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach, while also serving as the program’s academic coordinator. In that role, Wood worked closely with student-athletes, coaches, and academic support staff to help foster success both on the field and in the classroom.
Wood played a key role in North Central’s undefeated 2022 NCAA Division III national championship season. That year, the Cardinals ranked first among all Division III programs in points scored by kicking, 17th nationally in net punting, and 18th in kickoff coverage. North Central also reached the Division III national title game in each of Wood’s final six seasons with the program.
His coaching experience also includes a season as an assistant football coach at West Aurora High School in 2019, where he supported player development, practice planning, and game-day operations.
A native of Elgin, Illinois, Wood earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education and secondary education from North Central College in 2019, followed by a master’s degree in sports leadership in 2022. As a student-athlete, he was a four-year member of the Cardinals’ football program and later served as a student assistant coach during his senior season, contributing to North Central’s first national championship team in 2019.
With a foundation in championship culture, academic coordination, and athlete mentorship, Wood is leading UIS women’s flag football as the program enters its first chapter.
