Eastern Connecticut State, UT Southern Adding Varsity Flag Football
Eastern Connecticut State University and the University of Tennessee Southern will add women's varsity flag football programs beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.
ECSU is the first school from the NCAA Division III Little East Conference to add a club or varsity program. The flag football team will be coached by Andy Crane, who was previously the head coach of Mount Saint Mary College's (NY) club program. NCAA Division III currently has 20 new programs set to launch in the 2026-27 academic year and is likely to see flag football added to the Emerging Sports for Women Program in early 2026.
The Warriors are the fifth team from Connecticut to add a club or varsity program, following Post University (NCAA D-II), Sacred Heart University (NCAA D-I club team), the University of Bridgeport (NCAA D-II), and the University of Connecticut (NCAA D-I club team). Bridgeport will also begin competition in 2026-27, while the other three will compete in 2025-26.
UT Southern is the fifth team from Tennessee to add the sport, following Cumberland University (NAIA), Jackson State Community College (NJCAA), King University (NCAA Division II), and Milligan University (NAIA). All five are, or will be, varsity programs.
The Firehawks compete in the NAIA's Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), which now has six schools sponsoring flag football. Brewton-Parker Christian University (GA), Life University (GA), Point University (GA), and Thomas University (GA) will compete as affiliate members of the Sun Conference for the upcoming 2026 spring season. Wesleyan College (GA) will join UT Southern as a new program in the 2026-27 academic year. With six members having varsity flag football in 2026-27, the SSAC could begin sponsoring the sport.
14 NAIA schools have already announced a flag football team for the 2027 spring season. UT Southern and Wesleyan will be joined by Calumet College of St. Joseph (IN), College of Saint Mary (NE), Defiance College (OH), Hastings College (NE), Indiana Wesleyan University, Lourdes University (OH), McPherson College (KS), Missouri Baptist University (MO), Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Savannah College of Art and Design (GA), the University of Northwestern Ohio, and William Penn University (IA).
The NAIA has led the way in flag football among collegiate governing bodies. The organization first introduced the sport in spring 2021 and will have a qualification-based Invitational Tournament for the first time in spring 2026. Currently, 36 schools are slated to compete in the upcoming NAIA season. The Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC) will begin sponsoring flag football in 2026, alongside the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) and Sun Conference.