Sacramento State to add women's flag football as varsity sport

The Sacramento State Hornets, nearing their debut as an FBS football member with the Mid-American Conference, is set to add women's flag football as a future varsity sport offering.

The university announced the move on Monday morning, with flag football expected to gain full NCAA status for the 2027-28 season after a transition year as a club team in 2026-27. Flag football will join 21 other sports currently offered by Sacramento State.

"We are ecstatic to announce the addition of a women's flag football team," Sac State athletic director Mark Orr said via press release. "At Sacramento State, we are inspired to provide opportunities for our current and prospective students to fulfill their goals and pursue their passions while enrolled at our institution. 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." 

The NCAA recently identified flag football as an "Emerging Sport for Women" in January, saying at least 40 members would need to field a team for a championship to be considered. As of publication, the Hornets will be the eighth team in California, and the 75th across the country to host either an NCAA or club level flag football team.

Fellow MAC members Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green also announced their intention to add the sport starting in 2026-27, with BGSU adding a club team in February 2026 and EMU announcing their intent to join the NCAA as soon as 2027-28. Buffalo also has a club-level flag football team, which has participated in the sport since 2023.

Sacramento State will undergo a national search for the head coach starting this summer.