GMercyU Adds Women's Flag Football to Athletics Program

 

Gwynedd Mercy University is expanding its athletics program with the addition of women's flag football as a varsity sport. The University has launched a nationwide search for the program’s inaugural head coach, with competition set to begin in spring 2027.

Women’s flag football is exploding. The NCAA added it to the Emerging Sports for Women program in January 2026, and it will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. We look forward to kicking off Griffin flag football this spring.
-Keith Mondillo, Director of Athletics 

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. In 2023, approximately 500,000 girls ages 6-17 played the sport. And the growth is expected to continue as flag football advances toward NCAA championship status following its addition to the Emerging Sports for Women program. An initiative established in 1994 to help close the participation gap between men’s and women’s sports, the Emerging Sports for Women program has resulted in several NCAA championship sports, including rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling, beach volleyball and women’s wrestling.

The Griffins will begin competition in spring 2027, alongside the University’s new men’s volleyball program. GMercyU will compete in the Atlantic East Conference (AEC), whose women’s flag football participants include Centenary University (N.J.), Eastern University, Immaculata University, Marymount University, Marywood University, Neumann University, Penn State Schuylkill, Chestnut Hill College and Holy Family University.

“Our athletics program gives student-athletes the opportunity to pursue excellence both academically and competitively,” said Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD, President of Gwynedd Mercy University. “We are eager to welcome the young women who will make history as members of our inaugural flag football team.”