Randolph Adding Flag Football, 4 Clubs Announce New Affiliations
Randolph College (VA) will add a varsity women's flag football program beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The school will hire a head coach in the coming months and use the 2026-27 academic year to recruit for its varsity campaign in spring 2028. Tom Galbraith, the Director of Athletics, stated:
"Randolph College has always been focused on access. The addition of flag football adds another avenue by which young women can choose an outstanding institution for their educational pursuits while simultaneously playing a new sport and competing among the best in the nation at this level. This addition continues our focus on growth of not just the athletics department, but the College as a whole."
Randolph is the seventh member of the NCAA Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) to announce the addition of flag football. Hollins University (VA) and Virginia Wesleyan University competed in spring 2026 as varsity programs, while Shenandoah University (VA) is a club program. Bridgewater College (VA), Guilford College (NC), and Sweet Briar College (VA) previously announced their intentions to launch programs in the 2026-27 academic year.
Should there be no delays amongst the new programs, the ODAC would have six varsity programs for the 2027-28 academic year. It was previously reported that the ODAC is working towards sponsoring flag football, and Randolph's press release noted the conference could also sponsor the sport. Randolph is the 13th school in Virginia to announce the addition of flag football.
Iona to Join ECAC
Iona University (NY) announced that its women's flag football club team will compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. As reported earlier this week, the ECAC plans to expand to 32 teams for the 2027 spring season and have a "March Madness-style" conference tournament at season's end. St. Joseph's University Brooklyn (NY) and Villa Maria College (NY) also announced that they will compete in the ECAC next season.
The ECAC and New York Jets announced the league at the start of December 2025. There were 15 teams initially named across the 2026 and 2027 seasons, but that changed quickly in the following months as more teams committed for the 2026 spring season. In turn, the ECAC saw the interest build and decided to expand even further in 2027.
Allegheny College (PA), Centenary University (NJ), Eastern University (PA), Franciscan University (OH), Kean University (NJ), Long Island University (NY), Marymount University (VA), Mercy University (NY), Mercyhurst University (PA), Montclair State University (NJ), Mount St. Mary's University (MD), Penn State Schuylkill (PA), Sacred Heart University (CT), Saint Joseph's University (PA), and Wagner (NY) were the 15 teams that competed in the ECAC's inaugural season in spring 2026. Marymount captured the inaugural title with a thrilling 37-26 win over Franciscan.
With Iona joining the fray, the ECAC now has 24 teams for the 2027 spring season. Caldwell University (NJ), Dominican University New York, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY), St. Joseph's University Brooklyn (NY), Sweet Briar College (VA), Union College (NY), and Villa Maria College (NY) have also been previously noted as ECAC participants for next season. The list of teams is subject to change, and some schools may not ultimately compete in the ECAC in 2027. Binghamton University (NY) has also expressed its desire to compete in the ECAC when its varsity women's flag football program launches in the 2027-28 academic year.
Three Schools to Compete in NCFA
Three more schools will compete in the growing National Club Football Association (NCFA) for the 2026-27 academic year. Georgia College & State University, the University at Albany (NY), and the University of Vermont have become the latest club teams to join the NCFA.
The trio becomes the 10th, 11th, and 12th schools to join the NCFA, following Florida State University, Grand Canyon University (AZ), High Point University (NC), Long Beach State University (CA), Purdue University Fort Wayne (IN), Syracuse University (NY), Texas Southern University, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Oklahoma.
The NCFA will launch in the 2026-27 academic year, with plans to have close to 32 teams. The league will be separated into four regions, with conference games scheduled throughout the fall and spring semesters. The winners of the four regional playoffs will meet in the national championship at the end of April 2027.
For club teams interested in competing in the NCFA during the 2026-27 academic year, please reach out to Sandy Sanderson via email at Sandy.Sanderson@CollClubSports.com.