The University of Illinois Springfield is expanding its athletics program by adding women's flag football as the school's 18th varsity sport. UIS is the second NCAA Division II program in Illinois to announce plans to sponsor the sport. The program is slated to begin recruiting student-athletes for the fall of 2026 ahead of an inaugural spring 2027 season. 

"We have watched the interest in this sport grow rapidly in the nation, in our state and in this region, and now look forward to providing an opportunity for women with a passion for flag football to continue to play the sport in college while earning a premier education in Central Illinois," said Mike Hermann, Director of Athletics.

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports at both the high school and collegiate levels. In Illinois, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) added girls flag football in fall 2024, and after just two seasons, 224 schools now compete in the sport. Nationally, more than 69,000 high school girls play flag football, and 21 states piloted the sport at the high school level this year.

UIS will immediately begin the search for a head coach to lead the program and recruit student-athletes. Prospective players can fill out this form, and questions can be directed to Nicole Hager at nhage01s@uis.edu.

Home Games
UIS plans to host home games at Scheels Sports Park in Springfield, providing a central, accessible venue for fans and families to enjoy the new program.

About the Sport and Its Growth
In Illinois, six colleges and universities are sponsoring women's flag football in spring 2026, with additional programs on track to launch on a similar timeline. UIS will be the second NCAA Division II school in Illinois and the second in the GLVC to sponsor the sport, following Lewis University's recent announcement.

NCAA members will vote on including women's flag football as an Emerging Sport for Women, a key step toward establishing it as a championship sport. The proposal will be considered by all three NCAA divisions in early 2026.

"The growth of flag football will be exciting to watch in the NCAA as women's sports continue to generate more visibility and opportunities for female student-athletes to excel academically and athletically," said Ragean Hill, chair of the Committee on Women's Athletics and executive associate athletics director at Charlotte. "The Committee on Women's Athletics wants to thank RCX Sports Foundation and USA Football for submitting the application. CWA looks forward to flag football being added to the Emerging Sports for Women program and watching the sport's exciting journey to NCAA championship status in the future." 

Flag football is already contested at the NAIA and NJCAA levels and is slated to be part of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 

Flag football continues to grow at both the high school and collegiate levels, creating opportunities for student-athletes, increasing visibility for women's sports, and offering an exciting, fast-paced game for fans.