Defiance College Adding Flag Football
Defiance College (OH) will add a women's flag football team and begin competing during the 2027 spring season. Defiance also named Cole Recker as head coach. Recker previously played on the school's football team and was a member of the coaching staff after graduation.
Defiance is the third team from the NAIA's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) to add flag football. Siena Heights University (MI) was the first WHAC school to add the sport and began competing during the 2025 spring season. Unfortunately, Siena Heights will close after the 2025-26 academic year due to financial issues. Lourdes University (OH) will also be adding a team for the 2027 spring season.
Ohio has four collegiate flag football teams scheduled to play in the 2026 spring season: Franciscan Steubenville (NCAA D-III), Heidelberg University (NCAA D-III), Hocking College (NJCAA), and Ursuline College (NCAA D-II). Defiance and Lourdes will join the following year to give Ohio six flag football programs.
Over 210 colleges and universities are scheduled to compete in the 2026 spring season, including 95 new programs. The 2027 spring season already has 10 new flag football teams lined up to make a debut, including Albright (PA), Blackburn, Defiance (OH), Lourdes (OH), Meredith (NC), Oklahoma Wesleyan, Ripon (WI), Saint Mary (NE), Saginaw Valley State (MI), and UT Arlington (TX).
The NAIA is expected to have 35 programs competing in flag football next season, including a new conference: the Great Southwest Athletic Conference. Flag football is considered an emerging sport in the NAIA and its next step would be to become an invitational sport.
Invitational sports require 30 or more varsity teams to declare an intent to participate in a postseason, the coaches association must submit a request to the National Administrative Council (NAC), and the NAC must approve the request. To achieve NAIA Championship Sport status, a sport must have at least 30 varsity teams declare an intent to participate in a postseason competition, complete two invitationals, and have the Championship status request approved by the NAC.