Hilbert College (NY) is adding a women’s flag football club team for the 2027 spring season, followed by a varsity team for the 2027-28 academic year. The college plans to play scrimmages during the upcoming spring campaign. Tim Seil, Vice President for Student Life and Athletics, had this to say:
“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.”
Hilbert is the first team in the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) to add a club or varsity team. The school’s press release noted the club team will compete in scrimmages against other AMCC schools.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy is adding a women’s flag football program. According to the head coach’s job description, the team will compete at the club level and recruit an inaugural roster for the 2028-29 academic year. The club will transition to a varsity program in “one to two years.”
Salem State University (MA) will also add women’s flag football. Salem State will play as a club team for the 2027-28 academic year and then elevate to the varsity level in the 2028-29 academic year.
Mass Maritime and Salem State are the second and third members of the NCAA Division III Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) to add a club or varsity team. Westfield State University (MA) will compete at the club level for the 2026-27 academic year before transitioning to varsity for the 2027-28 academic year. Anna Maria College (MA) planned to launch a team for the 2026-27 academic year, but the college closed in spring 2026.
MASCAC Commissioner Angela Bauman stated the conference will likely sponsor flag football after the NCAA votes on whether to make flag football a championship sport at the January 2027 Convention.
Southern Arkansas Adding Varsity Team
Southern Arkansas University will add a varsity women’s flag football program beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The university has already begun searching for a coach and hopes to have the inaugural coach hired by January 2027. Steve Browning, Director of Athletics at SAU, stated:
“We are extremely excited to announce the addition of women’s flag football at Southern Arkansas 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.”
Southern Arkansas is the second member in the NCAA Division II Great American Conference to add varsity flag football, following Henderson State University (AR). Henderson State and Southern Arkansas are two of three college flag football teams in Arkansas, and both will begin competing in 2027-28. Hendrix College (NCAA D-III) began competing during the 2025-26 academic year.
NCAA Division II has seen an influx of new varsity women’s flag football programs announced in recent months. In addition to HSU and SAU, 16 other schools will launch varsity teams in 2027-28, including:
Assumption University (MA), Biola University (CA), Daemen University (NY), Eckerd College (FL), Franklin Pierce University (NH), Lincoln Memorial University (TN), Molloy University (NY), North Greenville University (SC), Quincy University (IL), Roosevelt University (IL), Slippery Rock University (PA), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Thomas More University (KY), Tusculum University (TN), the University of Jamestown (ND), and the University of Sioux Falls (SD).
Spring Arbor Adding Varsity Program
Spring Arbor University (MI) will add a varsity women’s flag football program beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The school plans to compete as an independent in its first season. The school also announced the addition of men’s wrestling in the same press release. Ryan Marken, Athletic Director at SAU, said:
“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.”
Spring Arbor is the 4th member of the NAIA’s Crossroads League to add varsity women’s flag football. The University of Saint Francis (IN) began competing in the 2026 spring season, with Indiana Wesleyan University adding a team for the 2026-27 academic year. In 2027-28, Spring Arbor will join Manchester University (IN) as a new program.
The NAIA expects more than 60 varsity programs to compete during the 2026-27 academic year. The association will host its first Championship in spring 2027, with 12 teams competing in a single-elimination bracket.
12 NAIA varsity programs have announced plans to begin competing in the 2027-28 academic year. In addition to Spring Arbor, the 11 other schools launching teams are Bismarck State College (ND), Christian Brothers University (TN), 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), Valley City State University (ND), and Washington Adventist University (MD).
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