A Landmark Moment for Women’s Flag Football And For Huntingdon

MONTGOMERY, Ala.- It goes without question that the legislative session at the annual NCAA Convention serves as the leading source of conversation for athletic departments across the nation leading up to and after the votes are cast. That being said, Women's Sports as a whole secured a major "win" with the addition of Flag Football to the Emerging Sports for Women Program. Among those who are celebrating, Huntingdon College sits near the top.

Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. The sport's momentum includes being added as a sport for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Huntingdon, now in a second season of sponsoring the varsity-level sport, sits among the leaders in advancing the sport at the collegiate level. 

"Welcoming women's flag football into the Emerging Sports for Women is a meaningful step toward expanding access, equity and opportunity," said Jacqie McWilliams, commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and chair of the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact. "This sport has already sparked passion nationwide, and now countless young women will see a path that once didn't exist. We celebrate the programs leading the way and look forward to the transformative impact they will have on the future of collegiate athletics."

"Now that women's flag football is an NCAA emerging sport, we can look forward to consistent competition versus NCAA teams," shared Huntingdon Associate AD and SWA Courtney Harville. "Huntingdon has been on the forefront of women's flag football at the NCAA level, and I am excited to see how we continue to carve our place in the history of this sport in the NCAA. I am very excited for Coach Rowe and our young program."

When asked about what this moment means for her program specifically, Head Coach Angela Rowe was excitedly stated that "It is refreshing to see young women being acknowledged for their talent and skills on this stage. I'm excited for all the young ladies in this program as they are setting a strong foundation for the future of the sport while being a big part of its history."

Director of Athletics Eric Levanda shined a light on Huntingdon's place at the forefront of the sport at the NCAA level, saying "I am excited for Coach Rowe and our young program and I'm thankful our administration supported our sponsorship of the sport early on.  We have student-athletes here at Huntingdon that will have an opportunity to be pioneers for their sport within the NCAA.  That alone defines the significance of this addition."

Once in the Emerging Sports for Women program, a sport must have a minimum of 40 schools sponsoring the sport at the varsity level and meet minimum contest and participation requirements to be considered for NCAA championship status. Flag football's immediate addition to the program means schools sponsoring the sport in the 2026 spring season can count toward the 40-school threshold required to establish a National Collegiate Championship if they meet minimum requirements. More details about legislative next steps are available in this document. As of summer 2025, NCAA sports sponsorship data showed that at least 40 NCAA schools planned to sponsor flag football at the varsity level in the 2025-26 academic year. Additional tracking from sport leaders anticipates as many as 60 schools could participate in spring 2026. The NCAA expects sponsorship to continue to increase.

Entering their second season competing off the heels of this news, Huntingdon Women's Flag Football is prepared to continue leading the way for the sport as it sets its sights for NCAA Championship Status. The Hawks kick off their season on the road, traveling to face off with Brewton-Parker on February 12th. Gametime is set for 4:00 PM CT.

Visit www.ncaa.org for more information.