The Atlantic Conference East launched its first university female flag football season this spring, making it the first NCAA conference to do so and the growing optimism that flag football will ultimately be recognized by NCAA as an official championship sport.
“It is certainly the hope that he would continue to grow at the NCAA level and that the NCAA will sponsor it,” said Rebecca Mullen, interim commissioner of the East Conference of the Atlantic of Division III, in an interview with ESPN. “Seeing him continue to grow and admitting himself is really a unique opportunity.”
This decision comes with heavy aid from the NFL, which identified the growth of the game thanks to Football Flag as a priority.
The NFL – thanks to its Football Drapeau, RCX Sports – has provided initial funding to start the launch of the East Atlantic, in addition to providing advice on rules and organization. THE Philadelphia EaglesWho sponsors their own football league for girls and has been intimately involved in the effort to officially sanction flag football as a sport in high school at the level of the state, organizes the Atlantic East media day for Football Flag on Monday to celebrate the launch of the season.
“We congratulate the Atlantic East for having marked history as the first NCAA conference to present football female flag as an official university sport,” said Julie Hirshey, vice-president of community relations. “It is a marked moment. … Opportunities like this promote a more inclusive experience in the field and empower young female athletes of all ages and from all horizons to continue their sports dreams at the college level.”
The Atlantic East launched Football of Flag as a club sport in 2024, and it passes to a full university sport with a regular season and eliminatory series this spring. The inaugural season begins on Friday and will understand seven schools: Centenary University, Eastern University, Holy Family University, Immaculata University, Marymount University, Neumann University and Penn State Schuykill. Marymount University won the championship in the club season tournament held in 2024.
Although the schools of Division III do not offer sports scholarships, the NFL – through RCX Sports Foundation – presented the international female football scholarship program for the flag in 2023, allowing international players to frequent a school based in the United States which offers Football flag as university sport. The NFL was also involved in successful efforts to make Football Drapeau an Olympic sport in 2028.
Flag Football is currently in the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, a key designation before becoming a sport sanctioned by the NCAA – once in the program, a sport must have at least 40 schools sponsoring sport at university level to be taken into account for championship status.
“I am delighted with support and growth in all areas of other schools, and other conferences that really buy to give sports of women the great opportunity it deserves,” Mullen in ESPN told.
According to the National Federation of Secondary Schools, around 500,000 girls aged 6 to 17 played football flag in 2023, which has been an increase of 63% since 2019, making it one of the fastest sports in the United States. The NFL has more than 750,000 participants in its NFL Flag Football League Nationwide, and the 32 franchises sponsor their own league.