Jacksonville Eyeing Varsity Team in Future; Richland, Saint Joseph's, and St. Clair Adding Flag Football
Jacksonville University (FL) plans to transition its women's flag football club team to varsity status, though a definitive timeline has not been provided. The school announced the hiring of Hayward Miller Jr. as head coach of the club team and noted, "JU Club Flag Football looks to lay the foundation to transition into a Varsity program soon."
Jacksonville would be the first team from the NCAA Division I Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) to add a varsity team. The Dolphins offer a club team, as do fellow ASUN members Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of North Florida.
18 NCAA Division I schools have announced varsity women's flag football programs. For the 2026-27 academic year, Alabama State University, Cal Poly (CA), Eastern Michigan University, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Long Island University (NY), Manhattan University (NY), Mercyhurst University (PA), Mississippi Valley State University, Mount St. Mary's University (MD), the University of North Alabama, the University of South Carolina Upstate, and the University of Texas at Arlington will take the field.
Those dozen programs will be joined by at least six more in the 2027-28 academic year: Binghamton University (NY), Charleston Southern University (SC), Gardner-Webb University (NC), Radford University (VA), the University of Nebraska, and the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The Big South Conference will also hold its first championship in spring 2028, which is likely to coincide with the NCAA's first women's flag football championship later that season.
NJCAA's Richland and St. Clair Adding Flag Football
Dallas College Richland (TX) will add a varsity women's college flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. Head coach Dynastee Cain is already recruiting for the program's inaugural season.
Richland is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the first junior college in Texas to offer a club or varsity program. The NJCAA is set for considerable growth in the 2026-27 academic year, which includes another new program below.
Richland is one of 16 schools in Texas to offer a club or varsity flag football team. It was reported earlier this week that the University of North Texas at Dallas will also add a women's flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.
St. Clair County Community College (MI) will add a women's flag football club team for the 2026-27 academic year. St. Clair hopes to transition to a varsity team in the future, but no timeline was provided. The school confirmed the addition of a club team in an email to Collegiate Flag Football.
St. Clair (SC4) is the first junior college in Michigan to offer a club or varsity team, and one of five programs in the state. Davenport University (NCAA D-II), Eastern Michigan University (D-I), Saginaw Valley State University (NCAA D-II), and the University of Michigan (D-I Club) will also offer flag football during the 2026-27 academic year. Siena Heights University (NAIA) sponsored varsity flag football for the 2025 and 2026 spring seasons, but closed at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
In addition to Richland and St. Clair, the NJCAA has seen at least 9 other programs announced flag football programs for the 2026-27 academic year: Alexandria Technical and Community College (MN), Camden County College (NJ), Central Alabama Community College, Enterprise State Community College (AL), Jackson State Community College (TN), Murray State College (OK), Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland (NJ), Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester (NJ), and Richard Bland College (VA).
The NJCAA is expecting at least 30 programs to compete in the 2027 spring season. The 2026 spring campaign saw Florida Gateway College capture its fourth straight title.
Saint Joseph's to Add Varsity Flag Football
Saint Joseph's College of Maine will add a varsity women's flag football program beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. Will Sanborn, co-Director of Athletics, stated:
"This is an exciting day for Saint Joseph's College and for the future of women's athletics in Maine. Women's flag football has experienced tremendous growth across the country in recent years, and we believe that momentum will continue. After carefully evaluating the landscape and the opportunities available to prospective student-athletes, we felt this was the right time to invest in the sport and establish a program that can thrive for years to come."
Saint Joseph's is the second school in Maine to offer flag football and the first to sponsor a varsity team. Bowdoin College currently sponsors a club team. SJC is the second school from the NCAA Division III Great Northeast Athletic Conference to add flag football. Fellow GNAC member Dean College (MA) will add a club team for the 2026-27 academic year, before transitioning to varsity in 2027-28.