Walt Hameline, in 38 years (1982–present) as the director of athletics and 34 years as head football coach at Wagner (1981–2014), won the school's only
National Championship with a 19–3 victory over the
University of Dayton in the 1987
NCAA Division III Championship game (also known as the 1987
Stagg Bowl). He was named NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1987. During his 34-year coaching career, Hameline amassed an all-time record of 223–139–2 (.615) at Wagner College. Upon his retirement as head football coach following the 2014 regular season, those 223 victories ranked fifth among active head Football Championship Subdivision head coaches and remains in the top 10 among all
Division I-FCS coaches in the United States. Notable Wagner sports coaches of the past include former Seton Hall University, NBA head coach and current
TV analyst
P.J. Carlesimo (head basketball coach 1976–1982), former Marquette University and Wagner head coach
Mike Deane,
Jim Lee Howell (head football coach 1947–1953, who went on to become the head coach of the
New York Giants), and former University of Florida head football coach
Dan Mullen (assistant football coach 1994–1995). In 2019, two NFL coaches who had previously been Wagner assistant coaches were elevated to defensive coordinator positions. As of 2025, Lou Anarumo heads the
Indianapolis Colts' defense, while Patrick Graham is defensive coordinator for the
Las Vegas Raiders. The football team's home venue is Hameline Field (designated in 2012) at
Wagner College Stadium, while the
basketball teams play their home games in the
Spiro Sports Center's Sutter Gymnasium. Six of Wagner's student athletes have been NEC Student-Athlete of the Year winners (2013–2018). In March 2025, Wagner College fencer Red Sullivan was involved in a widely reported incident at the Cherry Blossom Open fencing tournament in Maryland. An opposing fencer, Stephanie Turner, refused to compete against Sullivan, who is a transgender woman, and was disqualified after kneeling in protest on the piste. The incident received national media attention and sparked debate over USA Fencing's policies on transgender athletes. The institution shortly thereafter released a statement saying that Sullivan was no longer a part of the fencing team. A congressional hearing was held over the incident, leading to
USA Fencing implementing a ban on trans women in women's fencing and Wagner College agreeing to comply with the
Trump Administration regarding trans athletes. Turner was subsequently awarded $5000 by
Riley Gaines as a brand ambassador of
XX-XY Athletics. == Sponsored teams ==