Franklin College (IN) will add a women’s flag football club team for the 2027 spring season and elevate to varsity status for the 2027-28 academic year. The school confirmed the details in an email to Collegiate Flag Football.
Franklin will be the first team from the NCAA Division III Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) to compete in flag football. In June, Manchester University (IN) announced it would begin competing in the 2027-28 academic year. However, Manchester later announced it will join the NAIA’s Crossroads League in 2027-28.
11 schools in Indiana have announced the addition of women’s flag football club or varsity programs: Calumet College of St. Joseph (NAIA), Franklin (NCAA D-III), Indiana Tech (NAIA), Indiana University (D-I Club), Indiana Wesleyan University (NAIA), Manchester University (NAIA), Purdue University Fort Wayne (D-I Club), Purdue University Northwest (D-II), Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (NAIA), University of Saint Francis (NAIA), and Valparaiso University (D-I Club).
Lincoln Memorial University (TN) will add a varsity women’s flag football team beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The school will begin the search for a coach in the coming weeks. Travis Muncy, Lincoln Memorial’s athletic director, stated:
“We are excited to bring women’s flag football to Lincoln Memorial University. Adding this program creates another opportunity for student-athletes to compete, grow and represent the Railsplitters. We are excited to be part of the momentum behind this sport and look forward to building a program that will become an important part of LMU Athletics.”
LMU is the fifth school in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference to add a varsity program. Mars Hill College (NC), Newberry College (SC), and Wingate University (NC) compete in the D-II Conference Carolinas as affiliate members. Carson-Newman University (TN) will launch a program in the 2026-27 academic year and will compete as an independent program. The South Atlantic could sponsor flag football in the future if one more school adds flag football, or if the conference adds an affiliate member.
Eight schools in Tennessee have announced the addition of flag football: Carson-Newman (NCAA D-II), Cumberland University (NAIA), Freed-Hardeman University (NAIA), Jackson State Community College (NJCAA), King University (NCAA D-II), Lincoln Memorial (NCAA D-II), Milligan University (NAIA), and the University of Tennessee Southern (NAIA).
Mount St. Mary’s Won’t Compete in Conference Carolinas
Mount St. Mary’s University (MD) will not compete as an affiliate member in the NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas. Mount St. Mary’s is no longer listed on the Conference Carolinas page for the 2027 flag football championship. The school is still expected to compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) in spring 2027.
Conference Carolinas has 11 schools expected to compete next season. The 9 returning teams from 2026 are Barton College (NC), Chowan University (NC), Emmanuel University (GA), Ferrum College (VA), King University (TN), Lees-McRae College (NC), Mars Hill University (NC), the University of Mount Olive (NC), and Wingate University (NC). The two new schools previously announced for 2027 were Erskine College (SC) and Newberry College (SC).
Erskine is not listed on the Carolinas championship page, but will be part of the conference schedule for spring 2027. North Greenville University (SC) will add a varsity team in the 2027-28 academic year to give the Carolinas 12 flag football members, assuming no further changes to flag football membership.
Mount St. Mary’s is a full member of the NCAA Division I Metro Conference (previously the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference or MAAC), which does not sponsor women’s flag football. The Mountaineers are the only institution to offer varsity flag football, while Canisius University (NY) and Niagara University (NY) both offer club programs.
