Women's Flag Football Coming to Washington College as Next Varsity Sport
Capitalizing on rapid national growth and new Olympic status, the Shorewomen will debut club play this fall ahead of full varsity competition in 2028.
The Washington College Athletics Department is proud to announce the addition of women's flag football to its slate of varsity programs. Women's flag football will begin its club season in the 2026-2027 academic year and will begin competing at the varsity level in the spring of 2028.
The decision to elevate women's flag football to the varsity level comes soon after the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) sanctioned women's flag football as a Championship Sport. By offering flag football at the varsity level, Washington College becomes one of the few institutions in Maryland to provide collegiate opportunities in the sport, creating a pathway for student-athletes who played in high school and wish to continue competing while staying in-state.
With the addition, Washington College becomes part of a growing but still select group of NCAA institutions to offer the sport at a varsity level. Division III hosts the greatest number of participating schools for the sport after it was officially labeled as an Emerging Sport by the NCAA in January earlier this year. In May, it was announced that women's flag football has received a formal recommendation from the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact to become a championship sport. If all three divisions agree to sponsor the championship in January 2027, the first women's flag football national championship would be in spring of 2028.
Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics, Thad Moore, stated, “One of the pillars of Washington's Athletic Department's strategic plan is expanding programs that align with the department's goals and mission. With women's flag football recently announced as an Olympic sport for the 2028 Games and the NCAA Division III designation of the sport as an emerging sport, adding this varsity program is a natural fit.”
The College remains confident that it will successfully recruit and field a competitive team while creating another valuable opportunity for future Shorewomen.
“As opportunities for girls and women to compete in this sport continue to grow nationwide, we're thrilled to welcome these student-athletes to Goose Nation, a place they can achieve excellence and growth on the field and off,” expressed Vice President for Student Affairs, Sarah Feyerherm.
If you are a prospective student-athlete interested in learning more about Women's Flag Football at Washington College, please reach out to Jack Despeaux at jdespeaux2FREEwashcoll.
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About Washington College:
Washington College, Maryland's premier liberal arts college, enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduates from more than 39 states and territories and 23 nations. Washington is known for outstanding academics in more than 50 academic programs. With an emphasis on experiential learning opportunities across the disciplines, ranging from internships and research to international study and civic engagement, Washington prepares students for successful careers and lives after graduation. The College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing as well as the 5,000-acre River and Field Campus, which provides unique research opportunities for students and faculty. Additionally, the recently launched Warehime School of Business at Washington College is redefining business education by blending strategy and economics with a global liberal arts perspective. Launching this fall, Warehime empowers bold thinkers to lead across industries through a curriculum rooted in purpose, world languages, and hands-on experience. Learn more at www.washcoll.edu.