Two alums from The Woodlands Christian Academy named sprint football captains at UPenn

THE WOODLANDS, TX – The University of Pennsylvania sprint football team named two graduates from The Woodlands Christian Academy – Josh Johnson (’23) and Jacob Rios (‘23) – as two of its captains for the 2026 season on Thursday afternoon. A third student, Paul Tjoumakaris, a graduate from Ocean City High School in New Jersey, was also named.

"Josh, Jacob, and Paul represent the best of Penn Sprint Football," said the William R. Wagner head coach Jon Dupont. "They lead by example, hold their teammates accountable, and embody the grit, relentlessness, and purpose we expect from this program. I'm proud to have them leading our team."

Rios enters his senior season as a veteran leader for the Quakers after making an impact on the defensive side of the ball in 2025. He appeared in five games last season, totaling 14 tackles, including a season-high five against Caldwell (9/19).

Johnson returns as a captain after earning First Team All-CSFL honors in 2025. A key contributor on both sides of the ball, Johnson played in all eight games last season and finished with 742 passing yards and four touchdowns while leading Penn with four interceptions.

“We’re proud to see these former Warriors recognized for their leadership at the collegiate level and wanted to pass along the announcement for your consideration,” said Jamie Spikerman, M.Ed., Communications Manager at The Woodlands Christian Academy.

Sprint football is a full-contact, intercollegiate varsity sport that follows standard American football rules, with one major exception: every player must meet a strict weight limit. The sport started in the 1930s (originally called ‘lightweight football’) to give smaller, highly skilled athletes a chance to play competitive college football without facing much heavier opponents. It is governed independently of the NCAA by the CSFL (founded in 1934) and the MSFL (founded in 2021), featuring participating universities like Army, Navy, Cornell, and Penn.