The Department of Athletics for both the Brooklyn and Long Island campuses announced the introduction of a Women’s Flag Football program, starting in spring 2025.
“We are beyond excited to be able to offer this new opportunity for our female student-athletes at St. Joseph’s,” said Megan Valentine, director of athletics and recreation for St. Joseph’s Brooklyn Campus. “Flag football is the fastest-growing emerging high school sport, and it is vitally important that we provide opportunities for high school girls to continue competing at the next level.”
With this announcement, St. Joseph’s becomes the first institution in the Skyline Conference to launch a women’s flag football program.
“Flag football is rapidly growing at the high school level, especially in Section XI, making St. Joseph’s an ideal choice for female student-athletes seeking opportunities to play at the collegiate level,” said Melody Cope, director of athletics for St. Joseph’s Long Island Campus. “St. Joseph’s believes this initiative expands athletic opportunities for female students and reflects the University’s commitment to supporting emerging sports.”
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), nearly 500,000 female youths participated in NFL flag football leagues in the past year. Additionally, 13 U.S. states have now sanctioned girls’ flag football as a championship sport, with New York doing so in February 2022, coinciding with National Girls’ and Women in Sports Day. The state held its first girls’ flag football championship in June 2024 after several years as a pilot program.
Flag football is played on an 80×40 yard field and features four quarters, each lasting 12 minutes. Teams generally have 25 players, though there are no current official roster caps, and the games are played in a seven-on-seven format. Flag football, for both men and women, has been recognized as an Olympic sport by the International Olympic Committee and will debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
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