Messiah and Moorpark Adding Varsity Women's Flag Football
Messiah University (PA) will add a varsity women's flag football team beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. Messiah is already in the process of searching for a head coach, with an estimated start date of August 1.
Messiah is the sixth school from the NCAA Division III Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) to add a varsity team. Albright College (PA), Eastern University (PA), Marywood University (PA), and Neumann University (PA) will compete during the 2026-27 academic year. Messiah will launch its program in the 2027-28 academic year, while Lebanon Valley College (PA) plans to have its first full season in 2028-29.
The Middle Atlantic Conference could begin sponsoring women's flag football with six teams. Lebanon Valley's press release stated the school anticipates the MAC will sponsor women's flag football by the time it plays a full season in spring 2029.
Pennsylvania now has three dozen club and varsity women's flag football teams across all collegiate governing bodies. Of those 36 teams, 15 compete in NCAA Division III.
Messiah joins 9 other NCAA D-III schools adding flag football for the 2027-28 academic year: Alverno University (WI), Elizabethtown College (PA), Gettysburg College (PA), Lawrence University (WI), Manchester University (IN), Manhattanville University (NY), Randolph College (VA), Saint Joseph's College of Maine, and Wisconsin Lutheran University (WI).
More schools across all three divisions are expected to add varsity women's flag football teams in the coming months. Women's flag football is currently classified as an emerging sport by the NCAA, but that will change soon. The NCAA has formally recommended that women's flag football be added as a championship sport at the January 2027 convention. The first NCAA championship is likely to take place in spring 2028.
Moorpark Adding Varsity Team
Moorpark College (CA) is adding a varsity women's flag football team. The school did not provide the program's first season, but is currently looking to fill the head coaching position. The school plans to have the inaugural head coach in place for the 2026 fall semester.
Moorpark competes in the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A). At least six 3C2A members have announced new programs for the 2026-27 academic year: Citrus College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Mt. San Jacinto College, Pasadena City College, Reedley College, and Santiago Canyon College. At least two dozen 3C2A flag football programs are expected to compete in the 2026-27 academic year.
The 3C2A added women's flag football as an emerging sport for the 2026-27 academic year at the end of May. The organization requires 10 or more varsity programs for two consecutive seasons before flag football can become a championship sport. Should it happen, the 3C2A would join the NAIA and NJCAA as collegiate governing bodies that sponsor women's flag football as a championship. The NCAA could join the NAIA and NJCAA as soon as January 2027, when it votes on making flag football a championship sport.