Virginia Wesleyan Launches First Area College Flag Football Team

The university is the first in Hampton Roads to field a varsity flag football squad.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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Virginia Wesleyan University has become the first college in the Hampton Roads region to establish a varsity flag football team, joining just three other schools in the state with such a program. The new team will compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and is part of a growing trend of colleges adding flag football as a varsity sport option.

Why it matters

The introduction of a flag football team at Virginia Wesleyan represents an expansion of athletic opportunities for students and aligns the university with a rapidly growing sport at the collegiate level. Flag football provides an alternative to traditional tackle football that can appeal to a wider range of participants.

The details

Virginia Wesleyan's flag football team will compete in the NAIA, the same athletic association as the university's other varsity sports. The team will play a schedule of games against other NAIA programs from across the country that have added flag football. The Marlins' new squad is just the fourth varsity flag football team in the state of Virginia, joining programs at Longwood University, Radford University, and Liberty University.

  • Virginia Wesleyan announced the addition of flag football as a varsity sport in January 2026.
  • The Marlins' first season of varsity flag football competition will begin in Fall 2026.

The players

Virginia Wesleyan University

A private liberal arts university located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to be the first in the Hampton Roads region to offer flag football as a varsity sport. It's a growing trend in college athletics, and we think it will be a great addition to our program.”

— Dr. Scott Miller, President, Virginia Wesleyan University (pilotonline.com)

What’s next

Virginia Wesleyan will hold open tryouts for the new flag football team in the spring of 2026 ahead of the inaugural season.

The takeaway

The launch of a varsity flag football team at Virginia Wesleyan reflects the sport's increasing popularity at the collegiate level and provides new athletic opportunities for students in the Hampton Roads region.