Collegiate Flag Football Gains Momentum with Modern Programs at Gettysburg, Olivet Nazarene and More

The landscape of collegiate athletics is evolving with the rapid growth of women’s flag football. Gettysburg College, Olivet Nazarene University, and several other institutions are adding varsity programs, signaling a significant expansion of opportunities for student-athletes. This surge in popularity follows the NCAA’s addition of flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program in January, sparking a wave of program announcements across all three divisions.

Gettysburg College Pioneers in Division III

Gettysburg College (PA) will become the first institution from the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference to offer varsity women’s flag football, beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The college has initiated a search for a head coach, expected to conclude later this spring. In addition to flag football, Gettysburg is as well adding women’s acrobatics and tumbling and women’s wrestling to its athletic offerings.

President Bob Iuliano emphasized the importance of these additions, stating, “We are pleased to introduce these three new women’s sports and expand opportunities for our student-athletes. Division III athletics are a powerful complement to the transformational education we provide our students, and taken together ready our students for consequential professional and personal lives. As we continue to position Gettysburg College for an extraordinary third century, this is the right moment to broaden our intercollegiate offerings. These additions represent a meaningful commitment to our athletics program and to attracting the most driven competitors—both in and out of the classroom—to our campus community.”

Pennsylvania is rapidly becoming a hub for collegiate flag football, currently leading NCAA Division III with 15 teams, and poised to exceed 20 in the coming years. Other Pennsylvania schools launching programs include Albright College, Elizabethtown College, and Lebanon Valley College.

Olivet Nazarene University Joins the Movement

Olivet Nazarene University (IL) is also adding a varsity women’s flag football program, set to compete starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The university will immediately begin its search for a head coach. Olivet Nazarene is the first NAIA school from Illinois, and the 15th overall in the state, to add the sport.

“We’ve been watching this sport grow for a few years now, and it was clear to us that the time was right,” said Justin Glenn, Olivet Nazarene University Athletic Director. “There are talented young women all over the country looking for a chance to compete in flag football at the college level, and we desire them to know Olivet is ready. We’re excited to build something from the ground up here. We didn’t want to wait on this one. We believe in the sport, we believe in the young women who are going to play it, and frankly, Olivet is the kind of place where a new program can really take off — on the field and in the lives of our student-athletes.”

Olivet Nazarene joins Calumet College of St. Joseph (IN) and Mount Mary University (WI) as members of the NAIA’s Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) to add varsity flag football programs, all beginning competition in 2026-27. Saint Xavier University (IL) is also in the process of searching for a head coach.

NAIA Expansion and Invitational Tournament

The NAIA currently boasts 35 varsity flag football programs competing in the 2026 spring season, with at least 20 more schools planning to add programs for the 2026-27 academic year. The NAIA will host its first invitational tournament in Bradenton, Florida, from May 6-9, 2026, featuring eight teams competing in a double-elimination bracket – four automatic qualifiers and four at-large selections.

Santiago Canyon College Delays Launch

Santiago Canyon College (CA) has announced a delay to its inaugural flag football season, now scheduled for spring 2027. The delay follows the resignation of head coach Kristen Sherman, who recently accepted an assistant coaching position with the Cal Poly Mustangs.