North Georgia and North Texas Add Club Teams; Ten More Schools Joining NIRSA
The University of North Georgia is adding a student-run women's flag football club team and will begin competing in NIRSA's Club League during the 2026-27 academic year. UNG is one of three institutions in the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference to have a club team. The other two are Columbus State University (GA) and Georgia College & State University.
The University of North Texas is also adding a student-run women's flag football club team. North Texas is one of four schools in the NCAA Division I American Conference to have a club team. The other three are Florida Atlantic University, UNC Charlotte, and the University of South Florida. Those three are slated to compete in NIRSA's Women's Flag Football Club Leagues for 2026-27.
Ten More Clubs Join NIRSA
Ten more club teams joined NIRSA ahead of the October 1 league deadline. The College of Staten Island (NY), Florida A&M University, Georgia Tech, LSU, Montana State University, the University of Alabama, the University of Montana, the University of North Georgia, the University of Utah, and Winthrop University (SC) will compete in NIRSA's Women's Flag Football Club League for the 2026-27 academic year. 86 schools are expected to compete in the upcoming season.
NIRSA has grown rapidly in the four months since the partnership announcement with the NFL at the beginning of May. The initial announcement had 14 teams: 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, putting NIRSA's first season at 50 teams. Later in August, Atlantis University (FL), High Point University (NC), University of Tampa (FL), and the University of Virginia joined the movement. In September, Rutgers University and the University of Maryland joined, followed shortly later by Florida Gulf Coast University and UC San Diego.
Washington Adventist Launching in 2027-28
Washington Adventist University (MD) is now targeting the 2027-28 academic year to launch its varsity women's flag football program. The news wasn't officially announced, but a social media post welcoming new head coach Katie Rim specified recruiting for 2027-28.
WAU originally planned to launch in spring 2026, but the team never debuted. The school hired Alonzo Marshall as head coach in March 2025. WAU will join 9 other NAIA schools launching varsity women's flag football programs in 2027-28, including:
Bismarck State College (ND), Culver-Stockton College (MO), Dickinson State University (ND), Faulkner University (AL), Indiana Tech, Manchester University (IN), Rochester Christian University (MI), Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (IN), and Valley City State University (ND).