Missouri Baptist Adding Women's Flag Football
Missouri Baptist University will add a women's varsity flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. MBU is located in Creve Coeur, near St. Louis. The university will hire a head coach later in the 2025-26 academic year. Missouri Baptist AD Jeff Fore said the following:
"This is an exciting step for our athletics program. The addition of flag football opens new opportunities for student-athletes, enhances campus life, and aligns with our mission to provide high-quality athletic experiences. We expect the new program will strengthen our Spartan family and further enrich the student-athlete community at MBU."
The Spartans are the fifth school from the NAIA's Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) to add a flag football team. Baker University (KS), Graceland University (IA), and William Woods University (MO) also have varsity programs that compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) as affiliate members. Missouri Valley College is the fifth school and has a club flag football program.
Missouri is up to seven flag football teams, with future teams included. Cottey College (NAIA), Missouri Southern State University (NCAA D-II), North Central Missouri College (NJCAA), and Westminster College (NCAA D-III) have also announced programs alongside Missouri Baptist, Missouri Valley, and William Woods.
10 NAIA institutions have already announced the addition of flag football for the 2026-27 academic year: the College of Saint Mary (NE), Defiance College (OH), Indiana Wesleyan University, Lourdes University (OH), McPherson College (KS), Missouri Baptist University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Savannah College of Art and Design (GA), the University of Northwestern Ohio, and Wesleyan College (GA).
The NAIA first introduced flag football as an emerging sport in 2021 and will host its first invitational tournament in spring 2026. The Great Southwest Athletic Conference will begin competing in 2026, alongside the established Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and Sun Conference.