Long Island University Adds Flag Football

The Long Island University Sharks (NY) will add women's flag football beginning with the 2025-26 academic year. LIU is the fourth NCAA Division I team to add the varsity sport following Alabama State (AL), Mercyhurst (PA), and Mount St. Mary's (MD). At least 23 additional Division I schools sponsor women's flag football as a club sport.

LIU is the second team from the Northeast Conference to add women's flag football. Mercyhurst announced in December 2024 that it will add a flag football team and start competing in 2025-26. Wingate University (NC) also announced it will add women's flag football last week. Over 70 teams are expected to start up for the 2026 season, in addition to the more than 100 current club and varsity teams competing in 2025.

In February, the NCAA recommended that flag football join the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program that provides a pathway to becoming a championship sport. All three divisions could end up sponsoring a championship sport in the future but require a minimum of 40 schools at the varsity level. Flag football will also make its Olympic debut in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.