LONG BEACH, CA — As flag football gains momentum nationwide, it also grows at Long Beach State’s campus.
Following the 2026 NCAA Convention earlier this year in Washington, D.C., the NCAA added flag football to its Emerging Sports For Women Program. This designation marked a milestone for woman’s sports at the collegiate level, opening its doors for programs like Long Beach State to grow towards varsity recognition.
The Women’s Flag Football Club at LBSU has seen the growth firsthand. Quarterback and Outreach Officer Clarie Parnell said that her journey with the sport started at a young age and now it has come full circle at the collegiate level.
“I’ve been playing football my entire life at recess in elementary school and in Friday Night Lights leagues,” Parnell said. “For me, it’s like a dream come true seeing women’s flag football really take off at the collegiate level, because that’s been the dream ever since I was little.”
The club has steadily increased its presence on campus, drawing students who are eager for competitive play and the chance to showcase their athletic skills in a sport that is experiencing growth.
Head Coach Eil Kruger said the team is optimistic for the future of women’s flag football as it continues to gain recognition at the collegiate level: “We are hoping for that varsity level team here in 2027-2028. All we need is a bit more support and I’m excited,” Kruger said.
The Rules of NCAA on how a team can become Varsity level:
As Flag football’s emerges in NCAA women’s sports it provides a pathway toward varsity recognition and eventual national competition. Each university that sponsors women’s flag football at the varsity level moves the sport closer to the NCAA benchmark that requires to establish an official national championship.
To earn full NCCA championship status, a sport must meet two key benchmarks:
1. At least 40 NCAA schools must sponsor the sport at a varsity level.
2. Minimum contest and Participation requires to ensure a fair and competitive play, including:
- Contests: A minimum of 12 games against other four-year varsity.
- Club Expectation: Up to three games against a four-year university collegiate club teams makes count towards the 12- game minimum
- On-Field Rules; Games are 5 on 5 with 20-minute halftimes
- Roster Size: Each team must have enough players to fill a full offense and defense with at least for on the field to avoid a forfeit.
The University of Nebraska recently announced it will become the first Power Conference school to add women’s flag football as a varsity sport, with competition expected to begin in spring 2028.
Long Beach State Athletic Department says there are currently no discussion about adding women’s flag football at the varsity level. In a statement provided to BTVN, Roger Krik LBSU Athletic Director of Communications said, “As a department, we’re committed to providing the highest possible level of continuing support for all of our existing 19 Division I programs, both financially and holistically.”
The team hopes that growing interest on campus can bring a national momentum that will help it achieve varsity status in the coming years, providing stronger recruitment opportunities and official coaching support and potential scholarships resources.
The team meets every Tuesdays from 5:00 pm to 7:00pm on the baseball outfield located southeast of the pyramid. They also meet every Friday 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the archery field next to the LBSU complex softball field.
