Guilford College, Jackson State CC Adding Women's Flag Football
Two schools announced the addition of women's flag football for the 2026-27 academic year. On Monday, Guilford College (NC) announced changes to its athletic offerings. Guilford will add women's flag football beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, while discontinuing the women's swimming team due to low participation. On Tuesday, Jackson State Community College (TN) announced the addition of flag football.
Guilford is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is a member of the NCAA Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). The Quakers become the third ODAC member to add the sport following Hollins University (VA) and Virginia Wesleyan University. Hollins will compete during the 2025-26 academic year.
North Carolina continues to see growth in flag football with 17 club and varsity teams slated to compete by the start of the 2026-27 academic year. Guilford will join Meredith College in 2026-27 as the only two NCAA Division III schools located in North Carolina to sponsor flag football, a number that is likely to increase due to the sport's popularity.
Jackson State Community College is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). JSCC is the first NJCAA school in Tennessee to offer flag football. Three other NCAA and NAIA schools in Tennessee offer the sport, including Cumberland University (NAIA), King University (NCAA Division II), and Milligan University (NAIA).
The list of teams to add flag football continues to grow for the next two years. Over 100 teams are expected to start competing in flag football in 2025-26, while the 2026-27 season will see over a dozen new teams. Albright (PA), Blackburn (IL), Defiance (OH), Guilford (NC), Jackson State Community College (TN), Lourdes (OH), Meredith (NC), Northwestern Ohio (OH), Oklahoma Wesleyan (OK), RCSJ-Cumberland (NJ), Ripon (WI), Saint Mary (NE), Saginaw Valley State (MI), UT Arlington (TX), and Westminster (MO) are confirmed to be adding the sport in 2026-27.
Over 220 schools across the country will compete in the upcoming 2026 spring collegiate flag football season. There will be at least 10 conferences across the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA that will sponsor flag football: ACCC (NJCAA), Atlantic East (NCAA D-III), CIAA (NCAA D-II), Conference Carolinas (NCAA D-II), Empire 8 (NCAA D-III). FCSAA (NJCAA), Great Southwest (NAIA), KCAC (NAIA), Sun (NAIA), and United East (NCAA D-III).