Overview

• The Atlantic East Conference is the first NCAA conference to sponsor women's flag football as a varsity sport, with its inaugural season beginning this Friday.
• Seven schools, including Marymount, Immaculata, and Neumann, will compete this season, with additional schools joining in 2026.
• The NFL has played a key role in supporting the sport's growth, providing funding, resources, and promoting flag football as an inclusive opportunity for women.
• Flag football is part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, a critical step toward becoming an NCAA-sanctioned championship sport.
• The sport is rapidly growing nationwide, with high school participation doubling in the past year and its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics anticipated to further boost visibility.