Kingsville and Susquehanna Adding Women's Flag Football; 2 Club Changes Announced
Susquehanna University (PA) will add a women's flag football club team for the 2027 spring season and transition the team to varsity status for the 2027-28 academic year. The school is already conducting a head coaching search.
Susquehanna is the second school from the NCAA Division III Landmark Conference to add a flag football team. Elizabethtown College (PA) will launch a varsity program in the 2027-28 academic year. Nearly 40 schools in Pennsylvania have added club or varsity women's flag football programs.
Susquehanna is one of eight NCAA D-III schools that will compete at the club level for the 2026-27 academic year, followed by varsity competition in the 2028 spring season. The other seven schools are Azusa Pacific University (CA), Dean College (MA), Knox College (IL), University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Utica University (NY), Washington College (MD), and Westfield State University (MA).
TAMUK Adding Varsity Flag Football
Texas A&M University-Kingsville will add a varsity women's flag football program beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. Michael Salinas, TAMUK's Executive Director of Athletics, added:
"We are excited to add women's flag football to the Texas A&M University-Kingsville athletics program and provide another avenue for student-athletes to compete and succeed. The remarkable growth of the sport has created new pathways for female student-athletes, and we are proud to help lead that momentum in South Texas. We look forward to building a competitive program that reflects the passion, determination, and excellence that define our university."
Kingsville is the first team from the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference to add a club or varsity flag football team. Within Texas, 22 schools have a club or varsity women's flag football team. Kingsville is currently the only school that has confirmed a launch in the 2027-28 academic year. The other programs have previously competed or are expected to launch in the 2026-27 academic year.
The NCAA is likely to add women's flag football as the organization's next championship sport. In May, the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact voted at its 2026 spring meeting to recommend that all three divisions sponsor legislation to establish a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship. The vote will occur at the NCAA Convention in January 2027. Earlier in August, the NCAA Board of Governors approved funding for a National Collegiate Championship. The NCAA's inaugural women's flag football National Collegiate Championship is expected to take place in spring 2028.
Providence Joins NCFA
Providence College (RI) will compete in the National Club Football Association (NCFA) for the 2026-27 academic year. Providence's women's flag football club team was reported earlier this month. The NCFA has 17 teams for the upcoming season.
The other 16 schools that will compete are Florida State University, Georgia College & State University, Grand Canyon University (AZ), High Point University (NC), Iona University (NY), Long Beach State University (CA), Purdue University Fort Wayne (IN), Sacred Heart University (CT), Spelman College (GA), Syracuse University (NY), Texas Southern University, the University at Albany (NY), the University of Connecticut, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Vermont, and the University of Virginia.
The NCFA will launch in the 2026-27 academic year, with plans to have close to 32 teams. The league will be separated into four regions, with conference games scheduled throughout the fall and spring semesters. The winners of the four regional playoffs will meet in the national championship at the end of April 2027.
For club teams interested in competing in the NCFA during the 2026-27 academic year, please reach out to Sandy Sanderson via email at Sandy.Sanderson@CollClubSports.com.
Virginia Joins NIRSA
The University of Virginia will compete in NIRSA's Women's Flag Football Club League for the 2026-27 academic year. Virginia becomes the 53rd school to be announced for NIRSA's new club league. More than 60 schools are expected to compete in the inaugural season of NIRSA's club league.
NIRSA and the NFL announced a partnership at the beginning of May, with 14 schools already committed: Bowling Green State University (OH), Clemson University (SC), Coastal Carolina University (SC), Florida Atlantic University, Grand Canyon University (AZ), North Carolina A&T State University, Pennsylvania State University, Radford University (VA), Texas Southern University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of North Florida, and University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
The list grew to 24 when another 10 clubs joined: Arizona State University, Florida State University, North Carolina Central University, the University of Albany (NY), the University of Colorado, the University of Denver (CO), the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of South Florida.
Another dozen schools joined in mid-May, bringing the list to 36. Duke University (NC), Georgia Southern University, North Carolina State University, Old Dominion University (VA), Plymouth State University (NH), the University of Michigan, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte were the seven teams that joined, followed by another five: Florida International University, Georgia College & State University, the University of Arizona, UCLA, and the University of Delaware.
In late May, Indiana University became the 37th team to join, followed by Delaware State University and the University of California, Berkeley at the end of the month. At the start of June, three more schools were announced: Long Beach State University (CA), the University of Pennsylvania, and USC. Boise State University (ID), San Diego State University (CA), and UC Davis (CA) were announced in mid-June, bringing the total to 45. In mid-July, the University of Pittsburgh (PA) was added, followed shortly after by Sacramento State (CA).
In late July, George Mason University (VA), Princeton University (NJ), and Purdue University Fort Wayne (IN) were added to the list of clubs. In Mid-August, Atlantis University (FL) and University of Tampa (FL) joined the movement, becoming the 51st and 52nd teams.
More details regarding the schedules and end-of-season championship set for April 2027 will be provided at a later date. Teams interested in competing in NIRSA's women's flag football club league can reach out to National Flag Football Manager Nik Sandona via email at nik.sandona@nirsa.org. October 1 is the deadline for club teams to sign up for the league.