After the NCAA voted to add flag football to the ‘Emerging Sport for Women’ program in January and the sport was given a formal recommendation for championship status, dozens of colleges have announced new women’s flag football programs.
This week, Saint Joseph’s College became the first school in the state of Maine to sponsor women’s flag football at the varsity level, and Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., announced its first women’s flag football program, along with a female head coach.
According to Go Monks, the women’s flag football team at Saint Joseph’s College will be the first varsity collegiate flag football program in the state, and the team’s competition schedule is set to begin in the spring of 2028. During the 2026-27 school year, Saint Joseph’s will focus on recruiting, staffing, and funding the new program.
"This is an exciting day for Saint Joseph's College and for the future of women's athletics in Maine," said co-director of athletics Will Sanborn. "Women's flag football has experienced tremendous growth across the country in recent years, and we believe that momentum will continue. After carefully evaluating the landscape and the opportunities available to prospective student-athletes, we felt this was the right time to invest in the sport and establish a program that can thrive for years to come."
Related: Game Changers: NCAA Votes to Add Flag Football to Emerging Sports for Women
At Knox College, Akyia Baker is making history as the Prairie Fire program’s first female head coach. According to WGIL, the women’s flag football program will compete as a club team in spring 2027 and be promoted to a varsity sport in 2028.
“The chance to be a part of a sport that is growing so fast right now was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up,” Baker said. “I wanted a role where I could step up, lead, and build a program from the ground up here at Knox.”
Baker previously served as assistant coach and program coordinator at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Ind., and she led the flag football program there to a 9-3 overall record.
