Knox College has announced the addition of women’s flag football as a varsity sport, expanding athletics opportunities for student-athletes and joining the growing trend of flag football at the college level.
Prairie Fire Women’s Flag Football will begin competition as a club sport in fall 2026, with spring 2027 play, then transition to full varsity status during the 2027-28 academic year. An anonymous donor has provided start-up funds to launch the program, allowing Knox to build intentionally while welcoming students interested in a new, competitive opportunity.
Athletic Director Justin Newell said the addition aligns with the college’s priorities.
“Adding Women’s Flag Football aligns with Knox’s institutional priorities around academic excellence, access, gender equity, and thoughtful athletics expansion, while also responding to clear interest from prospective students and families seeking innovative athletic pathways at the collegiate level,” Newell said.
Knox will join Midwest Conference teams Illinois, Beloit, Ripon, and Cornell Colleges in sponsoring women’s flag football, creating new conference competition and emerging rivalries.
The announcement coincides with the January 16 NCAA vote to officially include flag football in the Emerging Sports for Women program, supporting long-term growth of women’s athletics nationwide.
Jacqie McWilliams, commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and chair of the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact, said: “Welcoming women’s flag football into the Emerging Sports for Women is a meaningful step toward expanding access, equity and opportunity. This sport has already sparked passion nationwide, and now countless young women will see a path that once didn’t exist. We celebrate the programs leading the way and look forward to the transformative impact they will have on the future of collegiate athletics.”
Prospective student-athletes interested in joining Knox Women’s Flag Football are encouraged to complete the interest questionnaire on the college’s website.
