The following story was published by NPR Illinois on Dec. 3, 2025.
The University of Illinois Springfield has announced a new addition to its sports team. The school will launch a women's flag football program starting play in the spring of 2027. It's the 18th varsity sport for the Division II school.
"We have watched the interest in this sport grow rapidly in the nation, in our state and in this region, and now look forward to providing an opportunity for women with a passion for flag football to continue to play the sport in college while earning a premier education in Central Illinois," said Mike Hermann, Director of Athletics.