Several Colleges Announce New Women's Flag Football Programs

Hilbert College is adding a women’s flag football club team for the 2027 spring season, according to an announcement from the institution.

The New York college intends to follow the club’s debut with a full varsity program for the 2027-28 academic year. This move makes Hilbert the first school in the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) to introduce either a club or varsity flag football team.

The expansion reflects a trend across multiple athletic divisions as schools respond to the sport's rapid rise in popularity. Hilbert plans to use the upcoming spring campaign to participate in scrimmages against other schools within the AMCC.

“We are thrilled to add Women’s Flag Football to our sport offerings at Hilbert. The rapid growth of the sport, combined with the upcoming addition of our new turf field, creates a tremendous opportunity to build a competitive program and further enhance the student-athlete experience for current and future Hawks,” said Tim Seil, Vice President for Student Life and Athletics.

Expansion across Massachusetts collegiate programs

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) is seeing similar shifts in its athletic programs. Massachusetts Maritime Academy will launch a women’s flag football program at the club level, with plans to recruit an inaugural roster for the 2028-29 academic year. According to a job description for the head coach, the academy expects to transition the club into a varsity program within one to two years.

Salem State University is also joining the movement, planning to compete as a club team during the 2027-28 academic year before elevating to varsity status in 2028-29. These additions make Mass Maritime and Salem State the second and third members of the MASCAC to incorporate the sport. Westfield State University is scheduled to compete at the club level for the 2026-27 academic year before moving to varsity in 2027-28.

The official conference stance remains tied to national regulatory decisions. MASCAC Commissioner Angela Bauman told Collegiate Flag Football that the conference will likely sponsor flag football after the NCAA votes on whether to make it a championship sport during the January 2027 Convention.

The regional momentum faced a setback when Anna Maria College in Massachusetts, which had planned to launch a team for the 2026-27 academic year, closed its doors in the spring of 2026.

Growth in Division II and the NAIA

The momentum is not limited to Division III. Southern Arkansas University has announced it will add a varsity women’s flag football program starting in the 2027-28 academic year. The university has already initiated a search for a coach, with the goal of making an inaugural hire by January 2027.

In Arkansas, Southern Arkansas will join Henderson State University as one of three college flag football teams in the state, with both programs set to begin competition in 2027-28. Henderson State is the first of two schools in the NCAA Division II Great American Conference to add the sport.

The following table outlines the varsity additions announced for the 2027-28 academic year across various NCAA Division II institutions:

Region/State	University Name
Massachusetts	Assumption University
California	Biola University
New York	Daemen University
New York	Molloy University
Florida	Eckerd College
New Hampshire	Franklin Pierce University
Tennessee	Lincoln Memorial University
Tennessee	Tusculum University
South Carolina	North Greenville University
Illinois	Quincy University
Illinois	Roosevelt University
Pennsylvania	Slippery Rock University
Texas	Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kentucky	Thomas More University
North Dakota	University of Jamestown
South Dakota	University of Sioux Falls

Spring Arbor University in Michigan is also entering the varsity arena for the 2027-28 academic year, initially competing as an independent. The university’s athletic department is also adding men’s wrestling in the same period.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Women’s Flag Football and Men’s Wrestling to the Spring Arbor University athletic department. The addition of these two sports represents an exciting step forward in the growth of our department and creates new opportunities for student-athletes to be part of the SAU community,” said Ryan Marken, Spring Arbor University Athletic Director.

The NAIA is seeing a massive influx of interest, with more than 60 varsity programs expected to compete during the 2026-27 academic year. The association is set to host its first Championship in the spring of 2027, featuring a 12-team single-elimination bracket.

Twelve additional NAIA varsity programs have announced plans to begin competing in 2027-28, including Bismarck State College, Christian Brothers University, Culver-Stockton College, Dickinson State University, Faulkner University, Indiana Tech, Manchester University, Rochester Christian University, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Valley City State University, and Washington Adventist University.

“This is a sport that is experiencing tremendous growth across the country, and we believe it will be a great addition to our athletic department. Most importantly, it gives more young women the opportunity to continue playing a sport they love while earning their college degree,” said Steve Browning, Southern Arkansas University Director of Athletics.