Conway, Arkansas – The first college in Arkansas to offer a varsity women’s flag football program is Hendrix College.
Last Thursday, the university declared that starting in 2025–2026, women’s flag football will be added to its list of intercollegiate sports programs.
The inclusion of women’s flag football, according to Dr. Karen Petersen, president of Hendrix College, “allows us to offer another life-changing athletic experience for young women.” As a father of a collegiate football player, I can attest to the importance of leadership and collaboration skills developed on the field. I’m thrilled that Hendrix College will take the lead in developing women’s flag football early on.
Before moving up to varsity status in the spring of 2027, the women’s flag football program is scheduled to play at the club level in the spring of 2026.
The program will have a developmental phase to enable student-athletes to participate before competing at the varsity level the following season, according to school officials, if it begins as a club sport.
Amy Weaver, director of athletics at Hendrix College, stated, “Our athletic department strives to provide our student-athletes a transformative experience.” “We can keep giving our young ladies amazing chances to play collegiate football with the inclusion of women’s flag football, which is in line with our goal of encouraging more accessibility and inclusivity in sports. Being the first institution or university in a state with such a strong football heritage to broaden the sport’s appeal and contribute to the growth of women’s flag football makes us proud.”
Women’s flag football programs are now offered by seven institutions in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and 24 programs in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
According to Hendrix administrators, the school is thought to be the third NCAA Division III school in the southwestern and southeast regions of the United States to offer the sport. They follow Concordia University in Texas and Huntingdon College in Alabama.
Currently a member of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), Hendrix plans to transfer to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in 2025–2026 after the 2024–2025 season.
According to SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry, “I am very excited about the prospects of women’s flag football eventually becoming a conference-sponsored sport.” “We’ve had a groundswell of interest since our Presidents Council met last spring and with Concordia and now Hendrix on board, I feel it is only a matter of time before others join in.”
“The SCAC remains committed to providing equitable opportunities for all our students, and I can soon envision the day when we are handing a trophy to our first conference women’s flag football team champion.”
