BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan University Athletic Director Mike Wagner announced the addition of women's flag football as the school's 27th sport Thursday, Oct. 10. A national search for the program's inaugural head coach will begin immediately, with the team scheduled to begin competition in the spring of 2026. 

"We are excited to expand our athletic offerings to include women's flag football," Wagner said. "It is one of the fastest growing high school sports in the state and has increased in participation and popularity nationwide ahead of its 2028 olympic debut. This addition positions us to best serve our current and future Titan student-athletes through new and diverse athletic offerings. Titan athletics is committed to building programs that compete for conference and national championships, and being an early sponsor of women's flag football adds to our strong athletic history."

Backed by the NFL, Women's Flag Football is one of the fastest-growing sports across the country with at least 13 states sanctioning it as a high school sport. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced the addition of girl's flag football this past February and will hold the inaugural state finals, Oct. 11-12. More than 100 Illinois high school teams compete in girls flag football, with more than 40 schools set to begin participating in 2026.

In addition to its growth at the high school level, there are now 25+ universities around the country that sponsor women's flag football. Illinois Wesleyan is the third Division III institution in the state of Illinois to add the sport, joining Rockford University and Benedictine University. The sport will be included in the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028 as its popularity expands globally.

Titan flag football will compete at Neis Field. The competition season will span from February to May. Women's collegiate flag football is a 7-on-7 competition that is played on a football field that is 40 yards in width by 80 yards in length. Each team moves offensively by running or passing a football, while the defense tries to "tackle" by pulling flags on the belt of the ball carrier.

A national search for a full-time head coach will begin immediately. Current and prospective students interested in learning more about Illinois Wesleyan flag football are encouraged to fill out the student interest form below. 

Prospective Student Interested Form