FERRUM COLLEGE FLAG FOOTBALL RECRUIT FORM

FERRUM, Virginia – Ferrum College has begun recruiting athletes for its women's flag football program, expected to begin competition during the 2025-26 school year. Ferrum will be making its voyage into the NCAA Division II ranks in 2025-26, competing as a member of Conference Carolinas.

The college has established a recruiting form, through which women interested may contact the Athletic Department. LINK

Ferrum's home flag football games will be played at W.B. Adams Stadium, which is equipped with a turf field and a seating capacity of 5,500 fans. The field is adjacent to the Hank Norton Center, the College's main athletic complex. Penn-Roediger Field (soccer), Panther Field (baseball) and the Vickie Van Kleeck Complex (softball) all surround the stadium.

Conference Carolinas announced on July 2, 2024 the addition of women's flag football as a conference-sponsored sport starting in 2025-26 and Ferrum College will joining the league as one of the six institutions in the inaugural season.

"We're excited to begin recruiting young women to be the pioneers for Ferrum's flag football team," said Director of Athletics Cleive Adams. "The group that will comprise Ferrum's inaugural team will also be part of the first NCAA Division I or II conference across the nation to usher flag football in as a new NCAA women's sport."

Conference Carolinas is the first NCAA Division I or II conference to sponsor women's flag football, and second NCAA conference, joining Division III's Atlantic East. Conference Carolina member Emmanuel University, who has already announced the addition of women's flag football, will be joined by Chowan, new member Ferrum, King University, Lees-McRae College and University Mount Olive. Inaugural competition will take place in the spring of 2026.

At the high school level, 11 states currently sanction women's flag football, including Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida while North Carolina has pilot programs and South Carolina has shown interest. Over the last five years, participation in high school girls flag football has grown by nearly 15 percent and nearly 18 percent for ages 6-17. Women's flag football is expected to be considered by the NCAA as an emerging sport in the next year.

The average women's flag football roster size is around 25 players that will compete in 7-on-7 games. A contest will consist of four 12-minute quarters on a field that is 80x40 yards. The offense has four downs to cross each 20-yard line for a first down with an option to punt at third down. If unsuccessful, teams surrender possession to their opponent. Teams score six points for a touchdown and can gain an extra one or two points for a set play from the five- or 10-yard lines. Players will wear tightly fixed flag belts with sockets and two pop flags on either side of their hips.

The NFL is a huge supporter of the growth of flag football. Numerous NFL facilities and stadiums have been utilized for competitions and clinics while several players have attended and engaged with athletes to grow the sport.  Across the country this past year, more than 700,000 youth took part in NFL FLAG leagues, with nearly 500,000 of those athletes being female, and 11 states have now sanctioned girls flag football as championship sports, thanks to the work of the NFL and RCX Sports, the official operator of NFL FLAG.

"This is a pivotal moment in women's college flag football," said Stephanie Kwok, NFL Vice President of Flag Football. "As the first NCAA Division II conference to sponsor women's flag football, Conference Carolina is demonstrating the popularity of this fast-growing sport and playing a key role in expanding the pathways for women to play at an elite level."