Graceland Kicks Off Women's Flag Football Program

University becomes one of the first Iowa NAIA universities to add women's flag football as an emerging sport

by Georgia Seagraves

Lamoni, IA (03/25/2022) — Women's flag football is taking the field as Graceland University's newest intercollegiate sport. Graceland becomes one of the first Iowa NAIA schools to offer this emerging sport. The NAIA added women's flag football as an emerging collegiate sport in spring 2021 with the support of the NFL and Reigning Champs Experiences. There are over 11,000 high school women's flag football programs in the United States and fifteen colleges/universities after just one year at the NAIA level.

"Developing the women's flag football program at Graceland is a testament to our commitment to the future. This sport will create new scholarship opportunities for women across the nation and I am excited to see where this program takes us," said President Patricia H. Draves.

Women's collegiate flag football fields seven players per team at a time on a football field 40 yards in width and 80 yards in length, similar to high school 8-person competitive football. Teams move offensively by either passing or running the football, while "tackling" is performed by pulling a flag from the belt of the ball carrier.

Graceland University Athletic Director Brady McKillip said, "Graceland athletics is excited expand its horizons and welcome a new competitive sport to our program. As with our other sports, we look forward to the high-quality character and caliber of athlete that this sport will bring to our university."