Sacramento State to add women's flag football team

Sacramento State is adding women's flag football as an official team, the school announced Monday.

In a statement, Sacramento State said the team will operate as a club sport during the 2026-27 academic year, with plans to make it a full NCAA Division I program in 2027-28.

School leaders pointed to the sport's growing popularity as a reason for adding the team.

"The addition of a women's flag football team is in direct response to demonstrated interest from young women on campus who want to compete on the field as the sport grows in popularity across the state and across the country," Sacramento State athletic director Mark Orr said in a statement.

Flag football is expected to get another boost when it debuts at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"We're not catching up to the growth, we're helping lead it," Sacramento State student Raia Brown said in a statement.

Sacramento State said Brown spearheaded the petition to bring flag football to the school.

A total of 75 colleges across the country have started fielding women's flag football teams, with Sacramento State becoming the eighth in California to do so.

The search for Sacramento State's head flag football coach is expected to begin immediately, the school said.