CINCINNATI — St. Ursula Academy graduate Penelope Bolinger was named Thursday night as the 2026 Bengals Girls Flag Football Player of the Year.
The award was given to Bolinger during the Cincinnati Bengals versus Detroit Lions preseason game Thursday night at Paycor Stadium.
The St. Ursula flag football team took the field at Paycor Stadium to honor Bolinger, who was surprised with a personalized Bengals jersey at halftime. Bolinger wore No. 9 for the Bulldogs, just like Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
Bolinger graduated from Saint Ursula Academy in 2026 after leading the Bulldogs to the program’s state quarterfinal appearance in May. She served as quarterback and team captain and finished the season ranked first in Ohio by MaxPreps with 3,394 passing yards, 61 passing touchdowns and 312 completions.
Off the field, Bolinger volunteered more than 25 hours at youth flag football camps, mentoring fifth through eighth grade athletes and helping grow the sport.
A dedicated multi-sport student-athlete with a 3.8 grade-point average, she led by example while at Saint Ursula through her commitment to her teammates, school and the next generation of players, according to a news release.
