Eastern Adds New England’s First Division III Women’s Flag Football Program

Will Trzaski | News Editor

Eastern Connecticut State University will introduce varsity women’s flag football in the Spring of 2027, becoming the first NCAA Division III school in New England to offer the sport.

The program, announced Sept. 14, will also be the first varsity women’s flag football team in the Little East Conference. Its arrival comes as the sport expands at the collegiate level and more schools establish opportunities for women to compete.

According to Eastern’s announcement, more than 100 schools were expected to field varsity women’s flag football teams during the 2026-27 academic year. The NCAA added the sport to its Emerging Sports for Women program in 2026, reflecting its growing presence in collegiate athletics.

The sport could also be moving toward a larger role in NCAA competition. In May, the NCAA announced that its Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact had recommended adding a national flag football championship. The proposal still requires approval from the relevant NCAA divisions and financial oversight committees, with the first official championship projected for Spring 2028 if approved.

Eastern’s addition comes amid a surge Connecticut’s flag football scene. A CT Insider report published in April found that 20 high schools had signed up for the state’s 2026 CIAC tournament, doubling the number from the previous year. The report also identified Eastern and the University of Bridgeport as programs expected to join the collegiate ranks in 2027

Eastern’s team will play at the Mansfield Athletic Outdoor Complex, where an 80-yard artificial turf was completed back in August. The 79,550-square-foot facility includes official flag football markings, a scoreboard and bleachers. The university’s men’s and women’s club rugby teams will also call the new field home.

The inaugural roster draws players from Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, along with transfer students from South Carolina and the Midwest. Eastern reported that most players are first-year students, several of whom bring previous high school or travel flag football experience. Some have also earned state championships or player-of-the-year honors.

Head Coach Andy Crane will head the team in its first season. A former Arena League football player, Crane also worked in the New York Jets’ front office. In the university’s announcement, he praised the growth of the sport and Eastern’s opportunity to contribute to its development.

The roster also includes Mariah Hill, a senior criminology major from West Hartford. Hill told the university she was fortunate to help establish the program during her final year at Eastern.

Women’s flag football will become Eastern’s 21st varsity sport and its 12th women’s varsity program overall. The university added women’s golf in the Fall of 2025.

As the Warriors prepare for their inaugural season, the program will provide Eastern another varsity sport while placing the university among the schools expanding women’s flag football at the collegiate level.

Sources:

“Rising Tide of Connecticut High School Girls Flag Football Spreading up to the College Ranks.” CT Insider, 20 Apr. 2026, https://www.ctinsider.com/gametimect/football/article/girls-flag-football-ciac-ccc-post-university-22199524.php.

National Collegiate Athletic Association. “Flag Football Moves toward NCAA Championship Status.” NCAA.org, 19 May 2026, https://www.ncaa.org/news/media-center-flag-football-moves-toward-ncaa-championship-status/.

Vesci, Michael, and Michael Rouleau. “New England’s First for D-III Women’s Flag Football: Eastern Warriors.” Eastern Connecticut State University, 14 Sept. 2026, https://www.easternct.edu/news/_stories-and-releases/2026/09-september/new-englands-first-for-d-iii-womens-flag-football-eastern-warriors.html.