MEAC to Sponsor Women's Flag Football in 2026-27
The NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will begin sponsoring women's flag football as a championship sport in the 2026-27 academic year. The MEAC will also begin sponsoring women's golf in 2026-27. MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills stated:
"The addition of women's flag football and women's golf represents an exciting step forward for the MEAC and our member institutions. As we continue to create meaningful opportunities for student-athletes, these sports further strengthen our commitment to supporting the growth of women's athletics, while enhancing the championship experience across our conference."
The MEAC didn't list the schools that will compete in 2026-27, but the University of Maryland Eastern Shore announced it would launch a program. Four other MEAC members currently have club programs: Delaware State University, Howard University (D.C.), Norfolk State University (VA), and North Carolina Central University. Delaware State and North Carolina Central have previously announced their respective club teams will compete in NIRSA's Women's Flag Football Club League next season.
The MEAC will host a championship after the 2027 regular season, making it the first NCAA Division I conference to conduct a flag football championship. The multi-divisional Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) held a conference tournament this spring, with a pair of D-III schools competing in the final. Marymount University (VA) won the inaugural ECAC championship over Franciscan (OH) 37-26. In March, the Big South was the first NCAA D-I conference to announce the addition of flag football. The Big South will play its first season in the 2027-28 academic year.
The MEAC is the third HBCU conference to sponsor women's flag football. The NCAA Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) sponsored club flag football, but will begin sponsoring varsity flag football in the 2026-27 academic year. The D-II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announced the addition of flag football in May. The SIAC plans to have at least 10 teams play a 12-game regular season and a conference championship in the 2026-27 academic year.
The NCAA now has 12 conferences sponsoring women's flag football across all three divisions. After adding flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program in January, the NCAA has recommended that flag football become a championship sport. The first NCAA championship in women's flag football is likely to occur in 2028.