In a groundbreaking move for collegiate athletics, the Nebraska Athletic Department has officially announced the addition of women's flag football as a new varsity sport. This exciting development comes on the heels of the NCAA's recent approval of women's flag football, which was confirmed just this week. With this inclusion, Nebraska now proudly boasts 25 intercollegiate athletic programs—15 dedicated to women's sports and 10 to men's sports. Notably, the Huskers are the very first school from the Power Four conference to incorporate women's flag football into their offerings.
The inaugural competitive season for the flag football program is set to kick off in the spring of 2028, running from January through May. As part of the department's preparations, officials intend to hire a dedicated coach by the summer of 2026 and aim to assemble a roster of approximately 15 players before the fall semester begins in 2026.
"Today marks a significant milestone for Nebraska Athletics and women’s sports as a whole," expressed Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen. "In these times of change and unpredictability within college athletics, it is crucial that we continue to create new opportunities for participation, furthering Nebraska's commendable legacy of promoting women's sports. Flag football is among the fastest-growing sports in the United States, witnessing a remarkable surge in popularity across youth, high school, and collegiate levels. Adding to the excitement, our debut season in 2028 coincides perfectly with the inclusion of flag football in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles."
It's worth noting that flag football is the first new sport to be introduced at Nebraska since beach volleyball made its debut in the spring of 2013. In 2025, the university hosted a women's flag exhibition game during the Husker Games spring event and organized a flag football camp for girls in 2024, further demonstrating their commitment to expanding opportunities for female athletes.
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