Mid-South to Sponsor Women's Flag Football in 2026-27; MEAC Confirms Teams for 2027
The NAIA's Mid-South Conference will sponsor a women's flag football championship beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. The Mid-South will have 10 members in its first season. Commissioner Chris Wells stated:
“It is always exciting to introduce a new sport to the Mid-South Conference and provide additional opportunities for student-athletes to compete and excel both academically and athletically. Flag football continues to experience significant growth throughout the NAIA, and we are excited to provide a conference home for both our current member institutions and new affiliate members competing in the sport.
“We are pleased to welcome our flag football institutions, coaches, and student-athletes to the Mid-South Conference. We look forward to an exciting inaugural season of competition and to celebrating the achievements of our student-athletes while ultimately crowning the first-ever Mid-South Conference flag football champion this spring.”
Four full MSC members will sponsor varsity women's flag football during the 2026-27 academic year: Campbellsville University (KY), Cumberland University (TN), Freed-Hardeman University (TN), and Lindsey Wilson University (KY). Six affiliate members will join that quartet: Defiance College (OH), Indiana Wesleyan University, Midway University (KY), the University of Northwestern Ohio, the University of Saint Francis (IN), and Wilberforce University (OH).
In the 2026 spring season, Campbellsville, Cumberland, Lindsey Wilson, and Saint Francis were part of the six-team NAIA East Automatic Qualification tournament. Saint Francis won the championship game over Milligan University (TN), earning the bid to the 2026 NAIA Women's Flag Football Invitational. Milligan will compete in the SSAC for the upcoming 2027 spring season. Siena Heights University (MI) was the sixth team to compete in the NAIA East tournament, but closed at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
The Mid-South becomes the sixth NAIA conference to add women's flag football. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) and Sun Conference were the first two when the NAIA began offering flag football as an emerging sport in spring 2021. The Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC) became the third NAIA conference in the 2025-26 academic year. The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) and Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) are also adding women's flag football for the 2026-27 academic year.
The NAIA will have 60 varsity teams for the 2026-27 academic year. The NAIA also made women's flag football a championship sport for the 2027 spring season. The first championship will feature a 12-team single-elimination bracket. The qualification process has not been announced, but the 2026 Invitational saw four automatic qualification bids and four at-large bids. With 12 total spots and six conferences sponsoring the sport, it's likely the 2027 championship will feature the same 50/50 split between AQ and at-large teams, assuming no further changes.
MEAC Confirms Teams for 2027 Season
The NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced the six teams that would compete in its inaugural season. Four of the MEAC's full members and two affiliates will contest the 2027 spring season. The conference will announce its championship format at a later date.
Delaware State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will be joined by two affiliate members: Gardner-Webb University (NC) and Mississippi Valley State University.
In June, the MEAC announced it would sponsor women's flag football for the 2026-27 academic year. Maryland Eastern Shore announced it would launch a program, but it was unclear which other MEAC institutions would compete. Norfolk State announced at the end of June it would add a varsity program as well. Delaware State and North Carolina Central had previously planned to compete in NIRSA's Women's Flag Football Club League for the 2026-27 academic year.
Both Gardner-Webb and MVSU will be launching programs for the 2027 spring season. MVSU is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, which doesn't sponsor the sport. GWU is a member of the Big South Conference, which will host its first championship in the 2027-28 academic year. The school's original announcement adding flag football didn't provide a timeline for a first season, but it became increasingly likely a team would compete in 2026-27 as more signees were publicized over the summer.
For the 2027 spring season, at least 18 NCAA Division I schools are expected to compete at the varsity level: Alabama State, Cal Poly, Delaware State, Eastern Michigan, Fairleigh Dickinson (NJ), Gardner-Webb (NC), Long Island (NY), Manhattan (NY), Maryland Eastern Shore, Mercyhurst (PA), Mississippi Valley State, Mount St. Mary's (MD), Nebraska, Norfolk State (VA), North Alabama, North Carolina Central, South Carolina Upstate, and Texas at Arlington.