EMMITSBURG, Md. (November 7, 2024) – Mount St. Mary's is making history as the first Division I school in the Northeastern United States to sponsor the emerging sport of women's flag football. The sport will become the 26th varsity team for the Mountaineers, with play beginning in the 2025-26 academic year.

The Mount anticipates a roster of approximately 25 student-athletes who play in a 7-on-7 format. The scoring arc is like tackle football, with six points for a touchdown. Extra points are based on yards to gain in a set play (one point for five yards, two for 10) rather than kicking a field goal. Players wear tightly fixed belts with sockets and two pop flags on either side of their hips. 

"I'm excited to add this rapidly growing and accessible women's sport to Mount St. Mary's expansive slate of athletic opportunities for our students," said President Jerry Joyce, Ph.D. "Flag football not only further diversifies our athletic programs but also strengthens our connections with the regional community."

"Today is a great day for Mount St. Mary's University and its growing athletic department," said Director of Athletics Brad Davis. "We have watched women's flag football explode across Maryland and Pennsylvania, and we are very proud to provide a Division I home for high school flag football women's student-athletes in our region. We look forward to being in on the ground floor for the sport at the collegiate level and will embrace our continued role as a leader and advocate for athletic participation."

The Mount will also be at Friday's Maryland high school flag championships at M&T Bank Stadium. Prospective student-athletes should look for the Mount's marketing and admissions table on the concourse located near Gate A.

At the interscholastic level, the game is evolving into a readily available option for high school athletes. Frederick County, where the Mount is located, has been a pioneer for the sport, with all ten schools now fielding a varsity and JV roster. Other Maryland jurisdictions joined in, including all 25 schools in Montgomery County, a dozen in Baltimore City, and six from Washington County. Earlier this year, Pennsylvania agreed to sanction the sport as well, becoming the 13th state to add the sport. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), 42,955 girls participated in flag football during the 2023-2024 school year, more than double from the year before.

The National Football League has been instrumental in funding and supporting the emerging sport. The Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour have provided grant funding and uniforms for each school currently playing in Maryland, working towards it being a state sanctioned sport. The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers have been key supporters in Pennsylvania. When factoring in NFL FLAG leagues, over 700,000 youth – 500,000 being female – are playing the game at one level or another. 

Flag football is the fourth varsity level sport added to the Mount's list this decade, joining men's and women's water polo in 2020 and dance in 2023.

Interested parties, including prospective student-athletes for the first-ever team in 2025-26, who wish further information can email flagfootball@msmary.edu or fill out the recruiting questionnaire.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MOUNT ST. MARY'S FLAG FOOTBALL

Todd Bowles '23, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
"Adding women's flag football is a major move for Mount St. Mary's University. Flag football is exploding across the country, providing new opportunities for women and girls at the youth and high school levels. As an alum of the Mount, I applaud my alma mater for their commitment to providing opportunities at the Division I collegiate level for this emerging sport!"

Troy Vincent, Sr., NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations
"It's exciting to welcome Mount St. Mary's as part of the tremendous flag movement that is sweeping across the country and around the world. Mount St. Mary's is demonstrating visionary leadership in giving young women the opportunity to compete at the highest level and experience the values and benefits offered by the great game of football."

Stephanie Kwok, Vice President, Head of Flag Football, National Football League
"We are thrilled to see Mount St. Mary's announce the addition of flag football as a varsity sport. As the first Division 1 school in the region and only the second overall in the U.S., Mount St. Mary's is helping to lead the way for flag football and provide new opportunities for women to compete at the collegiate level."

Brad Downs, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Baltimore Ravens
"We are excited to witness the expansion of girl's and women's flag football throughout the state of Maryland. We launched the high school program in Frederick County in 2023, our goals were to experience year-over-year growth and increase athletic opportunities for young women in our region. With the sport now reaching student-athletes at the Division I collegiate level, those goals are becoming more of a reality."

Ryan Collins, Sr. '03, Director of Global Sports Marketing, Under Armour, Inc.
"Under Armour is proud to support Mount St. Mary's as they add a women's flag football team, creating new opportunities for athletes to embrace the game at the collegiate level. Under Armour has continued to invest in the sport of football and champion opportunities for women in the sport, from announcing our first flag football global ambassador to providing custom uniforms for female student-athletes to partnering with organizations like USA Football who are equally as passionate about growing the game. Our goal is to establish a pathway that empowers athletes of all ages to participate in football—from youth leagues to professional teams—and to feel supported every step of the way."

Izell Reese, Chief Executive Officer, RCX Sports
"Mount St. Mary's University is making history as one of the first Division I schools to introduce women's flag football, highlighting the sport's growing presence at the highest levels of collegiate athletics. The RCX Sports Foundation is proud to support the university as it creates new opportunities for female student-athletes and sets a strong example as more institutions recognize the value and excitement of flag football."

Kevin Kendro, Frederick County Public Schools Supervisor of Athletics & Extracurricular Activities
"Frederick County Public Schools could not be more excited for the Mount leading the way. Having a collegiate Women's Flag Football program right here in Frederick County is going to be very special. There are going to be a lot of excited high school student-athletes, including our own FCPS student-athletes, who paved the way for high school Girls Flag Football participation across Maryland these past two years. Let's go, Mount Women's Flag Football."


About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, is a leading inventor, marketer, and distributor of branded athletic performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. Designed to empower human performance, Under Armour's innovative products and experiences are engineered to make athletes better. For further information, please visit http://about.underarmour.com.

About RCX Sports
RCX Sports is the official youth sports operator for the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, MLB and USTA. RCX Sports delivers officially licensed uniforms, comprehensive resources and full support, empowering league operators to create the best youth sports experiences in their communities. Committed to enhancing accessibility and inclusivity, RCX Sports creates opportunities for all athletes to play. For more information, visit rcxsports.com.