EMMITSBURG, Md. (April 2, 2025) – Mount St. Mary's flag football has accepted a bid to join Conference Carolinas for its inaugural season of 2025-26. The Mountaineers are one of three schools to participate in the league as affiliate members, along with Mars Hill and Wingate.
 
Conference Carolinas was the first Division I or II league to sponsor the sport, announcing the sport sponsorship back in July. They now will have 11 members when the league starts.
 
"Conference Carolinas is thrilled with the additions of Mars Hill, Mount St. Mary's and Wingate to our women's flag football conference bringing our sponsorship to 11 institutions," Commissioner Chris Colvin said. "Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the southeast region and we are excited to lead the way in the NCAA."

"Mount St. Mary's is very appreciative of the Conference Carolinas membership for accepting us for associate membership for women's flag football," Mount St. Mary's Director of Athletics Brad Davis said. "We are proud and excited to align with a forward-thinking conference that will provide unprecedented opportunities in the collegiate landscape for women's flag football student-athletes. We look forward to competing next spring!"
 
At the time of the announcement, six schools – Chowan, Emmanuel, Ferrum, King, Lees-McRae, and Mount Olive – signed on the participate. Since then, Barton College and Erskine College also jumped on board.
 
The above listed schools are in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.
 
At the high school level, the number of participants in girls flag football more than doubled from the 2022-23 school year to 2023-24. A total of 42,955 girls participated in flag football in 2023-24 compared to 20,875 the previous year – a 105 percent increase. Also, there has been a 173 percent increase from the 15,716 participants in 2021-22.

The NCAA Committee of Women's Athletics has recommended to each of the three divisions that women's flag football be recognized as emerging sport. Each division will consider that recommendation in the coming months.

Mount St. Mary's became the first NCAA Division I program in the Northeast to endorse flag football as a varsity sport on November 7, 2024. Sandi James took on head coaching duties in December and is in the process of assembling the inaugural roster.