Charleston Southern, Mount Mary, Sacred Heart, and Saint Joseph's Adding Flag Football
Three NCAA schools and one NAIA institution are adding women's flag football teams, starting with Charleston Southern University (SC). CSU will add a varsity women's flag football program and begin competing in the 2027-28 academic year. The Buccaneers will offer scholarships and will search for a head coach.
Charleston Southern is at least the 12th NCAA Division I school to announce the addition of a varsity program. Alabama State University, Cal Poly (CA), Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Long Island University (NY), Manhattan University (NY), Mercyhurst University (PA), Mount St. Mary's University (MD), Mississippi Valley State University, the University of Nebraska, the University of North Alabama, and the University of Texas at Arlington also have varsity teams.
Charleston Southern is the second school from the NCAA D-I Big South Conference to add a flag football team, but the first to add a varsity program. Radford University (VA) announced a club team in May 2025. Big South Commissioner Sherika Montgomery stated in October 2025 that "three-to-four member institutions were actively engaging in discussions with NFL representatives" about adding flag football.
Sacred Heart University (CT) and Saint Joseph's University (PA) are adding women's flag football club teams for the 2026 season. Saint Joseph's is the first member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference to add a club or varsity program.
Sacred Heart is one of five schools in the NCAA Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to offer a team. Iona University (NY) and Niagara University (NY) offer club teams, while Manhattan University (NY) and Mount St. Mary's University (MD) have varsity teams.
Both SHU and SJU will compete in the newly established Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) starting this spring, bringing the ECAC to 14 teams. Also competing will be Allegheny College (PA), Eastern University (PA), Franciscan University (OH), Kean University (NJ), Long Island University (NY), Marymount University (VA), Mercy University (NY), Mercyhurst University (PA), Montclair State University (NJ), Mount St. Mary's University (MD), Penn State Schuylkill (PA), and Wagner (NY) will also take part in the inaugural campaign.
For spring 2027, Caldwell University (NJ), Dominican University New York, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Sweet Briar College (VA), and Union College (NY) will compete in the ECAC, bringing the league to 19 teams. Don't be surprised if that number increases in the run-up to the 2027 season as more programs add flag football.
In the NAIA, Mount Mary University (WI) will add a varsity women's flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. The Blue Angels are the second team in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) to add the sport, following Calumet College of St. Joseph (IN). A third member of the CCAC, Saint Xavier University (IL), has not announced the addition of flag football, but is in the process of hiring a head coach.
For the 2026 spring season, over 250 flag football teams are expected to compete across all collegiate governing bodies. Looking toward the future, over 70 schools are planning to add club or varsity teams in the next two years in the NCAA and NAIA. Expect that number to climb and additional conferences to sponsor the sport after the NCAA added flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women Program and the NAIA elevated it to an Invitational Sport.