Northwestern Ohio Adding Women's Flag Football

The University of Northwestern Ohio will add a varsity women's flag football team and begin competition in the spring 2027 season. UNOH is located in Lima, Ohio, and will be one of the three schools from the NAIA's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) to add flag football in 2027. The other two are Defiance College (OH) and Lourdes University (OH). Current WHAC member Siena Heights (MI) offers flag football but will close after the 2025-26 academic year.

While more than 95 schools will debut a flag football team in 2025-26, nearly a dozen schools are lining up for the 2027 spring season. In addition to Defiance (OH), Lourdes (OH), and Northwestern Ohio (OH), Albright (PA), Blackburn, Meredith (NC), Oklahoma Wesleyan, Ripon (WI), Saint Mary (NE), Saginaw Valley State (MI), and UT Arlington (TX) will also add a team.

Ohio is on track to have seven club or varsity programs by the 2027 spring season: Defiance (NAIA), Franciscan (NCAA D-III), Heidelberg (D-III), Hocking (NJCAA), Lourdes (NAIA), Northwestern Ohio (NAIA), and Ursuline (D-III). Franciscan and Heidelberg will play as a club team for the 2026 season, while Heidelberg hopes to elevate the team to varsity status for 2027.

Earlier this week, the NAIA approved moving women's flag football from an emerging sport to an invitational sport for the 2025-26 academic year. The change puts flag football one step closer to Championship status, which requires two invitationals, at least 30 programs, and approval from the NAIA's National Administrative Council.