From Nov. 4-6, 36 teams from 18 colleges across 10 states visited the Nebraska campus to compete in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association’s (NIRSA) regional flag football tournament. Competitors included four teams from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Students vied for the chance to travel to the University of West Florida to compete in NIRSA’s National Flag Football Championships in January 2017.

In the end, the University of Northern Iowa’s men’s team, Wayne State College’s women’s team and South Dakota State University’s co-rec team were the tournament champions.

In addition to the men’s, women’s, and co-rec divisions, the university hosted a Special Olympics division. The division started in 2014 and continues to be a positive part of the regional tournament.

Thirty-two student officials from 16 colleges and universities officiated the games. Among them was junior Dylan Steinkruger, a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who was selected as an All-Tournament official and will represent the university at the national tournament. Nebraska students Tyler Fitzke and Britton Lyon were also selected as All-Tournament officials and are alternates for the national tournament.

This was the 22nd consecutive year the university hosted the regional flag football tournament. The university has a successful history in the flag football competition. Nebraska won the national championship in 1996 with a co-rec team and in 2012 with a men’s team. Nebraska teams were runners-up to national champions in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and a total of 27 student officials and 30 student-athletes were awarded All-American status.