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Virginia Wesleyan University to add Women’s Flag Football for Spring of 2026
Recruiting to begin immediately
University News | February 3, 2025
Virginia Wesleyan University will add women's flag football in the Spring of 2026, according to Andrea Hoover-Erbig, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Recruiting will begin immediately. Women's flag football will be the university's 26th athletic program. 
"We are excited to offer opportunities for women to participate in flag football at the collegiate level," Hoover-Erbig said. "This sport is growing exponentially across the country, and along with a couple of other institutions, we look forward to leading the way in the Commonwealth of Virginia." The Marlins will compete on Birdsong Field, a lighted synthetic turf field. Constructed in 2015, the field is home of men's and women's lacrosse, field hockey, and the URec (intramurals) program.
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of young women playing high school football, particularly flag football, continues to climb. Women's Flag Football is an increasingly popular sport that has exploded worldwide to more than 20 million participants in over 100 countries — including about 500,000 girls under the age of 17 in the U.S., a 63 percent increase from the number who played in 2019.
In 2024-25, over 20 institutions in the NCAA added women's flag football, twenty-four institutions participated in the NAIA, and 12 participated in the NJCAA. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics is reviewing an application to make women's flag football an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women. Flag football is played in a seven-on-seven format. A contest consists of four 12-minute quarters on a field that is 80 x 40 yards. Each team's offense has four downs to cross each 20-yard line for a first down with an option to punt on third down. If unsuccessful, teams surrender possession to their opponent.
For more information on being part of the Virginia Wesleyan University Women's Flag Football team please contact Rachel Wilson, rawilson@vwu.edu.