Utica Adding Varsity Flag Football; 4 Team Affiliation Changes Announced
Utica University (NY) will add a women's flag football team beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. The school plans to play a non-varsity schedule in 2026-27 before elevating to a varsity program in 2027-28. Damian Boehlert was named the program's inaugural head coach. Utica Director of Athletics Kristin St. Hilaire had this to say about adding flag football:
"As an athletics department, we're proud to be at the forefront of institutions making a commitment to growing this emerging women's sport Most importantly, we're excited to expand opportunities for female student-athletes, and I'm thankful for President Nesbitt's support in making it happen."
Utica will compete in the NCAA Division III Empire 8 Conference, which currently has 7 flag football members. Elmira College (NY), Hartwick College (NY), Russell Sage College (NY), SUNY Brockport (NY), and SUNY Geneseo (NY) competed during the inaugural 2026 spring season, with Brockport winning the championship over Elmira. St. John Fisher University (NY) will begin competing in the 2026-27 academic year, while Utica will join in 2027-28.
New York has 36 confirmed club and varsity flag football programs playing or launching in the next two years. New York is tied with Pennsylvania for the second-most, behind California. Over 110 new club and varsity teams are launching in the 2026-27 academic year, including more than 30 NCAA Division III programs. One of those new teams from New York announced that it will compete in a growing NCAA conference next year.
William Smith to Join ECAC
Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY) announced it will compete in the NCAA multi-division Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) beginning with its first season in the 2026-27 academic year. Women's teams at HWS compete as the William Smith Herons.
HWS announced it would add a varsity flag football program in October 2025. At the time, the Herons were the only team from the NCAA Division III Liberty League to add a program. Later in October, fellow conference member Union College (NY) announced the addition of varsity flag football. Both teams will have their inaugural season in spring 2027 as members of the ECAC.
Currently, 22 programs are lined up to compete in the ECAC in the coming years. For the spring 2026 season, 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) will take part in the inaugural ECAC season.
For spring 2027, Caldwell University (NJ), Dominican University New York, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Sweet Briar College (VA), Union College (NY), and William Smith (NY) will compete in the ECAC, bringing the league to 21 teams. Binghamton University hopes to compete in the ECAC when the school launches a varsity team in the 2027-28 academic year. Binghamton would be the 22nd team in 2028, if there are no further additions or defections.
Bowling Green, High Point, and UConn Club Teams to Compete in Club-Specific Leagues
Bowling Green State University (OH) will compete in the restructured National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) women's flag football league during the 2026-27 academic year. Bowling Green played its first club season this spring, competing against teams from Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The Falcons went 6-4 this season, including a 2-1 record at the Wittenberg Jamboree on Saturday, April 25.
High Point University (NC) and the University of Connecticut women's flag football club teams will compete in the National Club Football Association (NCFA) during the 2026-27 academic year. HPU and UCon join Grand Canyon University (AZ), Syracuse University (NY), and the University of Oklahoma in the NCFA for the 2026-27 academic year. The NCFA plans to add more teams for the next academic year.
High Point announced the addition of a women's flag football club team at the end of March. Although HPU is a member of the NCAA Division I Big South Conference, the school was not listed among the five conference members that plan to compete at the varsity level in spring 2028. High Point could elevate the club to varsity status in the future, although there have been no indications from the school that such a move will occur.
The NCFA is joining a growing list of events for collegiate flag football club teams. The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), National Collegiate Flag Football League (NCFFL), National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), and Women's Collegiate Flag Football League (WCFFL) also offer opportunities for club teams. NIRSA is currently revamping its structure to include a dedicated women's flag football league in the 2026-27 academic year. The organization is expected to provide additional details on the new structure in the next two weeks.