Bridgewater College adding women’s flag football as varsity sport in 2026

Bridgewater College is adding women’s flag football as a varsity sport, with the program set to begin competition in the 2026-2027 academic sports year, the school announced on Monday.

“Bridgewater College has always been a leader in affordability, access and opportunities for our students, and we are very excited to step forward as a leader in the Shenandoah Valley by launching women’s flag football and expanding the winning culture of our athletic program,” Bridgewater College President David Bushman said.

“With the sport’s tremendous growth across Virginia and the enthusiastic participation we see in local youth leagues, the time is right to bring this dynamic sport to BC. We look forward to offering this emerging sport and inspiring the next generation of female student-athletes in our community and beyond,” Bushman said.

There are more than 200 women’s flag football teams at colleges and universities across the country, according to WomensCollegeFlagFootball.com, with club teams at 32 D1 schools – including UVA, Radford and Norfolk State.

At the D3 level, ODAC members Hollins and Virginia Wesleyan currently sponsor the sport, and along with Bridgewater, Guilford will be adding it for the 2026-2027 academic sports year.

The ODAC is taking steps toward recognizing the competition with several other schools considering adding flag football in the near future.

“Bridgewater College’s addition of flag football as a varsity sport marks another exciting step forward for both the ODAC and the Division III landscape,” ODAC commissioner Brad Bankston said. “As more ODAC institutions elevate the sport, this continued growth – combined with the national momentum surrounding women’s flag football – positions the conference to sponsor a championship in the not-too-distant future. We’re thrilled to see Bridgewater, and our fellow ODAC members, leading the way in expanding opportunities for female student-athletes across our region.”

A big push toward the growth of the sport is coming from the NFL, which is helping fund women’s flag football at the grassroots level. Seventeen states now have varsity high school girls’ flag football programs, and flag football is growing in the DMV with the support of the region’s NFL team, the Washington Commanders.

“Watching women’s flag football gain traction at the collegiate level marks an exciting milestone for the sport,” said Dan Levy, director of youth football in the Washington Commanders front office. “Bridgewater College’s commitment reflects that momentum, and we’re grateful to work alongside programs like theirs to create even more athletic and academic opportunities for young women, especially in the DMV and all throughout Virginia.”

”We are excited about providing another athletic opportunity for women at Bridgewater,” said Curt Kendall, the athletics director at Bridgewater College. “We feel this program can be competitive from the start, and we encourage female high school student-athletes in the region to become a part of our first women’s flag football team.”

For more information on women’s flag football at Bridgewater, complete the inquiry form here.