Baldwin Wallace Adding Women's Flag Football

Baldwin Wallace University (OH) will add a varsity women's flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. The school will start the hiring process for the program's inaugural head coach at the start of 2026.

The Yellow Jackets are the second team from the NCAA Division III Ohio Athletic Conference to add a flag football team, following Heidelberg University (OH). Heidelberg will have a flag football club team for the 2026 spring season and hopes to elevate the program to varsity status for the 2026-27 academic year.

Ohio has reached double digits for collegiate club or varsity flag football programs. In addition to Baldwin Wallace and Heidelberg (NCAA Division III), Bowling Green State University (D-I), Defiance College (NAIA), Franciscan University (D-III), Hocking College (NJCAA), Lourdes University (NAIA), the University of Northwestern Ohio (NAIA), Ursuline College (D-II), and Wittenberg University (D-III) have or will offer the sport by the 2026-27 academic year.

More than 245 colleges and universities will have a club or varsity flag football team competing in the 2025-26 academic year. That number will grow in 2026-27, with more than 60 schools announcing a future flag football team.

All three NCAA divisions have recommended that flag football be added to the Emerging Sports for Women Program, with a vote expected at the NCAA's convention in January 2026. The NFL has already put the wheels in motion to start a professional flag football league, while the sport will make its Olympic debut in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.