Davenport, Edward Waters, Mount Saint Mary, and St. Catherine Adding Varsity Flag Football
A quartet of NCAA schools from Divisions II and III announced the addition of varsity flag football programs. Davenport University (MI) is adding a varsity women's flag football program and plans to compete starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The school is already accepting applications for the head coaching vacancy.
Davenport is the third school from the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to add women's flag football. Purdue University Northwest (IN) is competing in the current 2026 spring season, while Saginaw Valley State University (MI) and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside will launch programs in the 2026-27 academic year.
Four schools in Michigan offer club or flag football teams, but that number will drop to three. In addition to Davenport and Saginaw Valley State, Siena Heights University (NAIA) and the University of Michigan (NCAA D-I Club) also offer teams. Unfortunately, Siena Heights will close its doors at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, citing financial constraints.
Edward Waters University (FL) will add a varsity women's flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. EWU is the first team from the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) to add a club or varsity program. The Tigers are one of 26 schools in Florida to announce a flag football team, which is the fourth highest in the US, trailing only California, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Mount Saint Mary College (NY) announced that its flag football program will compete at the varsity level starting with the 2026 spring season. MSMC stated the NCAA's decision to add flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program was a factor in elevating the team to varsity status. MSMC is a member of the NCAA Division III Skyline Conference, which has four flag football programs: MSMC, SUNY Old Westbury (NY), and both Brooklyn and Long Island campuses of St. Joseph's University (NY).
St. Catherine University (MN) will also add a varsity women's flag football program and will compete starting in the 2026-27 academic year. St. Kate's is the sixth school from the NCAA Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) to add flag football. Augsburg University, Bethel University, College of Saint Benedict, Concordia College Moorhead, and Gustavus Adolphus College all sponsor club teams and compete in the Minnesota Vikings' Midwest College Women's Flag Football League (MWCFFL).
In addition to the 6 MIAC schools, three other Minnesota institutions offer flag football: Alexandria Technical and Community College (NJCAA), Minnesota North College - Vermilion (NJCAA), and the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MWCFFL).
Although the MIAC could begin sponsoring flag football with 6 members, all would need to become varsity programs to be eligible for any future NCAA flag football championships. When the NCAA added flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program, the established rules allow only a maximum of three (3) games against club programs to count towards the 12-game minimum for varsity squads.
More than 80 schools are set to add flag football programs in the next few years, including more than 50 in the NCAA. That number is expected to continue rising, as more schools and conferences embrace the sport and put it on a trajectory to become an NCAA Championship sport as soon as 2028.