MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College Director of Athletics
Jeremiah Hoffmann announced today the addition of Women's Flag Football as the college's 21st varsity sport.
"We are proud to welcome Women's Flag Football as the newest sport offering in Warriors Athletics," said Hoffmann. "This addition reflects our ongoing commitment to expanding opportunities for female student-athletes and providing experiences that develop leadership, teamwork, and competitive excellence. Women's Flag Football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and by bringing it to WLC, we're creating another pathway for talented women to compete, and make a lasting impact both on and off the field. We look forward to the excitement this program will bring to our campus and to the bright future ahead for our student-athletes."
Women's Flag Football will make Wisconsin Lutheran the 10th college or university in the state of Wisconsin to sponsor the sport and the first NCAA member institution in the Milwaukee area to do so. The Warriors will also become the sixth member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference to offer Women's Flag Football at the varsity level.
The rapid growth of the sport nationally has fueled its expansion at the collegiate level. Women's Flag Football was officially added to the NCAA's Emerging Sports for Women program at the 2026 NCAA Convention and is on track to become a full NCAA championship sport by 2028. As many as 60 colleges and universities could sponsor the sport as early as spring 2026, underscoring the momentum behind its adoption.
Beyond the collegiate landscape, Women's Flag Football continues to gain prominence worldwide. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and is currently sanctioned at the high school level in 17 states, creating a growing pipeline of student-athletes prepared to compete at the next level.
Women's Flag Football is played in a fast-paced 7-on-7 format, with average team rosters of approximately 25 players. Games consist of four 12-minute quarters played on a field measuring 80 yards long by 40 yards wide. Offenses have four downs to advance the ball across each 20-yard zone for a first down, with the option to punt on third down. Failure to advance results in a change of possession. Teams score six points for a touchdown and may attempt a one- or two-point conversion from five or 10 yards out. Unlike traditional tackle football, there are no field goals or point-after kicks. Instead of tackling, players wear flag belts with two pop-flags attached at the hips, and a play is ruled dead when a flag is pulled.
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