Gwynedd Mercy and Roanoke Add Varsity Women's Flag Football
Gwynedd Mercy University (PA) will add varsity women's flag football beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. Gwynedd Mercy will compete in the NCAA Division III Atlantic East Conference for its first season. Keith Mondillo, Director of Athletics, said:
"Women's flag football is exploding. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) added it to the Emerging Sports for Women program last January and it will be an Olympic sport for the 2028 games in Los Angeles. We are conducting a Nation-wide search for our first head coach and we look forward to kicking off Griffin flag football this spring!"
The Atlantic East currently has five flag football members for the 2026-27 academic year: Centenary University (NJ), Gwynedd Mercy, Immaculata University (PA), Marymount University (PA), and Penn State Schuylkill (PA). The Atlantic East will dissolve at the end of the 2026-27 academic year. Centenary, Gwynedd Mercy, Immaculata, and Marymount will become full members of the United East Conference at the start of the 2027-28 academic year. Penn State Schuylkill competes in the Atlantic East as an affiliate member.
Over 30 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania offer women's flag football, including 16 NCAA Division III schools. Gwynedd Mercy joins fellow D-III and Pennsylvania's Albright College as a new program for the 2027 spring season. In 2028, Elizabethtown College, Gettysburg College, and Messiah University will also launch varsity women's flag football teams.
Roanoke Adding Flag Football
Roanoke College (VA) will add a varsity women's flag football team beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The school has already begun the search for its inaugural head coach. Curtis Campbell, Director of Athletics, said:
"With women's flag football growing in popularity, we felt that this was the next logical varsity sport to add to our athletics program. Roanoke has a proud tradition of success in women's athletics, and we are excited to be able to offer additional opportunities for student-athletes."
Roanoke is the eighth team from the NCAA Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) to offer a women's flag football team. Batten University (VA; formerly Virginia Wesleyan University), Bridgewater College (VA), Guilford College (NC), Hollins University (VA), Randolph College (VA), and Sweet Briar College (VA) have announced varsity teams. Shenandoah University (VA) offers a club team.
The ODAC is slated to have seven varsity women's flag football teams for the 2027-28 academic year, assuming there are no timeline changes. It has been previously reported that the ODAC is working towards sponsoring flag football in the future. The NCAA is expected to host its first National Collegiate Championship for women's flag football in the 2028 spring season, making an ODAC launch in the 2027-28 academic year an increasing possibility.
There are now 16 women's flag football programs in Virginia, with additional programs expected to be announced in the coming months.
Rocky Mountain to Consider Flag Football in Future
Rocky Mountain College (MT) will consider adding women's flag football "down the road", according to athletic director Kelly Perry. RMC will focus on adding softball in the next three to four years before considering any additional sports.
"I don't think it's out of the realm. I think we're probably three to four years away from that [adding softball]. Probably looking at softball, maybe some flag down the road. We really want to beef up some of those women's sports."
Rocky Mountain is a member of the NAIA's Frontier Conference, which has been previously reported as a potential sponsor of women's flag football. Mayville State University (ND) is currently the only school in the Frontier to offer a varsity women's flag football team, with the first season set for the 2026-27 academic year. Dickinson State University (ND) is adding an intramural team for the 2026-27 academic year, with plans to elevate it to varsity status in the future. No timeline has been provided for the varsity move.
In May, Rocky Larson, Mayville State's Athletic Director, spoke about the Frontier sponsoring women's flag football. He noted a possible timeline of "2 to 3 years" before it happens, but also stated that the conversations are in the very early stages.
Six NAIA conferences currently sponsor women's flag football: the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC), Heart of American Athletic Conference (HAAC), Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), Mid-South Conference (MSC), Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), and Sun Conference.