Dominican, MVSU, and Purdue Fort Wayne Add Flag Football
For the second day in a row, three universities announced the addition of flag football. Dominican University (NY), Mississippi Valley State University, and Purdue University Fort Wayne (IN) will launch flag football programs in the 2026-27 academic year.
Dominican University is located in Orangeburg, New York, and is the second team from the NCAA Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) to announce a new team in as many days. The CACC is up to 7 teams as it eyes a flag football championship in the spring of 2027. Caldwell University (NJ), Chestnut Hill College (PA), Goldey-Beacom College (DE), Holy Family University (PA), Post University (CT), and the University of Bridgeport (CT) previously announced flag football teams. The CACC confirmed it will begin hosting a flag football championship in spring 2027.
At the NCAA Division I level, Mississippi Valley State will add a varsity program, while Purdue Fort Wayne will add a club team. MVSU made the announcement in tandem with two other athletic changes. The Devilettes are the second Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) school to add a varsity team, following Alabama State. Fellow SWAC members, Florida A&M University, Prairie View A&M University (TX), and Texas Southern University have club football programs. MVSU will join Millsaps College (NCAA D-III) as the only two flag football programs in the state.
Purdue Fort Wayne will add a club team for the 2026-27 academic year as the school seeks to expand its club sports program. The Mastodons are the first team from the Horizon League to offer a club or varsity flag football team. Purdue Fort Wayne is the fifth school in Indiana to offer flag football, following Indiana Wesleyan University (NAIA), Purdue University Northwest (NCAA D-II), the University of Saint Francis (NAIA), and Valparaiso University (NCAA D-I).
It's been a busy month of new teams being launched. 17 new flag football programs were announced in October, while the NCAA D-III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) announced it will sponsor a championship in 2026-27. There are almost 50 new programs lined up for the 2026-27 academic year and another two dozen additional club and varsity programs are in the pipeline. For the upcoming 2026 spring season, over 235 flag football teams are expected to compete across all collegiate governing bodies.