Chattahoochee Valley and Washtenaw Adding Flag Football; STAC to Join ECAC; Three Clubs Joining NIRSA
Chattahoochee Valley Community College (AL) will add a varsity women's flag football team for the 2026-27 academic year. CVCC President Annette Funderburk stated:
“The addition of women’s flag football reflects CVCC’s commitment to expanding opportunities for our students both in the classroom and in competition. As this exciting sport continues to grow across the country, we are proud to offer student-athletes another pathway to earn a college education, develop leadership skills, and represent Chattahoochee Valley Community College. This program is another example of how CVCC is investing in the future of our students and our community.”
CVCC competes in the NJCAA's Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC), which will expand this season. Seven teams competed in the inaugural ACCC season in fall 2025: Bishop State, Calhoun, Lurleen B. Wallace, Northwest Shoals, Shelton State, Snead State, and Wallace State. At the 2025 ACCC women's flag football championship, it was noted that the conference was looking to expand to 12 teams and introduce North and South Divisions for the 2026 fall season. CVCC will join Central Alabama, Enterprise State, and Southern Union as new programs for the 2026 fall season.
The NJCAA announced that women's flag football will become a championship sport beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The final women's flag football invitational will be held in spring 2027 at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
Dickinson State Adding Intramural Team
Dickinson State University (ND) will add a women's flag football intramural team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. DSU is expected to elevate the team to varsity status in the future, but did not provide a timeline for when that will occur.
DSU is a member of the NAIA's Frontier Conference. The only Frontier school with a club or varsity women's flag football team is Mayville State University (ND), which is adding a varsity team for the 2026-27 academic year. The Frontier Conference could add the sport in the future, as noted by Mayville State Athletic Director Rocky Larson in May 2026. Larson said it could be "2 to 3 years" before the conference sponsors women's flag football.
Note: Intramural teams are not included in the list of women's college flag football teams. Only club and varsity teams are listed.
St. Thomas Aquinas Joining ECAC
St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY) women's flag football will compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. STAC competed as an independent in the 2026 spring season, finishing 6-2 overall. Five of St. Thomas Aquinas's opponents from last season will also compete in the ECAC next season.
The ECAC and New York Jets announced the launch of their league in December 2025, with 15 teams ultimately competing in the inaugural season. Allegheny College (PA), Centenary University (NJ), 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), Sacred Heart University (CT), Saint Joseph's University (PA), and Wagner (NY) competed last spring. Marymount won the ECAC's inaugural tournament in May, defeating Franciscan 37-26.
Shortly after the ECAC tournament, more additions were announced, along with additional details for the 2027 season. The ECAC plans to have 32 teams, with four divisions of eight teams, and a dozen conference games. Commissioner Dan Coonan stated the conference will have a "March Madness-style" tournament, with every team competing at the end of April and beginning of May.
For 2027, the ECAC has 26 club and varsity teams lined up. Caldwell University (NJ), Chestnut Hill College (PA), Dominican University New York, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY), Iona University (NY), St. Joseph's University Brooklyn (NY), St. Thomas Aquinas (NY), Sweet Briar College (VA), Union College (NY), and Villa Maria College (NY) are expected to join the 15 members from the 2026 spring season.
The list of teams is subject to change, and some schools may not ultimately compete in the ECAC next season. Binghamton University (NY) has also expressed its desire to compete in the ECAC when its varsity women's flag football program launches in the 2027-28 academic year.
Three Club Teams Joining NIRSA
Three more NCAA Division I women's flag football club teams will compete in NIRSA's club league for the upcoming 2026-27 academic year. George Mason University (VA), Princeton University (NJ), and Purdue University Fort Wayne (IN) will join NIRSA's growing women's flag football club league. The trio pushes NIRSA's total to 50, with more announcements expected in the coming weeks and months.
NIRSA and the NFL announced a partnership at the beginning of May, with 14 schools already committed: Bowling Green State University (OH), Clemson University (SC), Coastal Carolina University (SC), Florida Atlantic University, Grand Canyon University (AZ), North Carolina A&T State University, Pennsylvania State University, Radford University (VA), Texas Southern University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of North Florida, and University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
The list grew to 24 when another 10 clubs joined: Arizona State University, Florida State University, North Carolina Central University, the University of Albany (NY), the University of Colorado, the University of Denver (CO), the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of South Florida.
Another dozen schools joined in mid-May, bringing the list to 36. Duke University (NC), Georgia Southern University, North Carolina State University, Old Dominion University (VA), Plymouth State University (NH), the University of Michigan, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte were the seven teams that joined, followed by another five: Florida International University, Georgia College & State University, the University of Arizona, UCLA, and the University of Delaware.
In late May, Indiana University became the 37th team to join, followed by Delaware State University and the University of California, Berkeley at the end of the month. At the start of June, three more schools were announced: Long Beach State University (CA), the University of Pennsylvania, and USC. Boise State University (ID), San Diego State University (CA), and UC Davis (CA) were announced in mid-June, bringing the total to 45. In July, the University of Pittsburgh (PA) was added, followed shortly after by Sacramento State (CA).
More details regarding the schedules and end-of-season championship set for April 2027 will be provided at a later date. Teams interested in competing in NIRSA's women's flag football club league can reach out to National Flag Football Manager Nik Sandona via email at nik.sandona@nirsa.org. October 1 is the deadline for club teams to sign up for the league.
Washtenaw Adding Club Team
Washtenaw Community College (MI) will add a women's flag football club team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. The school's website lists Janel Carmona as the team's head coach. Although Washtenaw is a community college, it is not a member of any collegiate governing body and currently only offers club sports.
WCC is the sixth school in Michigan to add a club or varsity women's flag football team. Davenport University (NCAA Division II), Eastern Michigan University (NCAA D-I), Saginaw Valley State University (D-II), St. Clair County Community College (NJCAA Club), and the University of Michigan (NCAA D-I Club) also offer flag football as of the 2026-27 academic year. Siena Heights University (NAIA) previously offered flag football, but closed after the 2025-26 academic year.