Sacramento State is set to add a women's flag football team for the 2026‑27 academic year, initially operating as a club sport before transitioning to full NCAA Division I status by the 2027‑28 season.
The effort was spearheaded by student Raia Brown, who organized a campus petition that highlighted the surge in interest among female students and the broader national rise of the sport.
A National Surge in Women's Flag Football
Across the country, 75 institutions have already fielded women's flag football teams, and Sacramento State will become the eighth college in California to offer the sport, underscoring its growing foothold in collegiate athletics.
Athletic officials say the search for a head coach will commence immediately, signaling the university’s commitment to building a competitive program from the outset.
The timing aligns with the sport’s debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a milestone expected to further accelerate visibility and participation in women's flag football.