Hobart and William Smith Colleges will launch women’s flag football as their newest varsity sport, with the Herons set to take the field in spring 2027.
Athletic Director Brian Miller announced the move on Tuesday, calling it an important step in expanding athletic opportunities for women. A search is underway for the program’s first head coach, who will begin building the inaugural roster once hired.
“We are excited to expand our athletic opportunities for women with the addition of flag football,” Miller said. “As with all of our Heron teams, we expect our flag football program to add to that rich legacy of champions, while fostering and empowering a new generation of leaders.”
HWS has partnered with NFL Flag and the Buffalo Bills in shaping the program. Flag football, one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, will debut as an Olympic event in 2028 and is sanctioned for girls at the high school level in New York and 16 other states. More than 200 New York high schools are expected to field teams by 2026, including 39 in Section V.
Nearly 70 colleges nationwide now sponsor women’s flag football, with several upstate New York schools—including Brockport, Elmira, Geneseo, Hartwick, and Russell Sage—already in place. William Smith will become the first Liberty League member to sponsor the sport.
At the NCAA level, flag football is under consideration for the Emerging Sports for Women program, with a vote scheduled for January 2026.
The Herons’ flag football team will play its home games on McCooey Field, with rosters of about 25 athletes competing 7-on-7 in four 12-minute quarters.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
