PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – October 25, 2024 — St. Joseph's University, New York (SJNY) has announced the introduction of a Women's Flag Football program, starting in spring 2025.
With this announcement, St. Joseph's becomes the first institution in the Skyline Conference to launch a women's flag football program and increases the number of varsity sports programs on the Long Island Campus to 18.
"Flag football is rapidly growing at the high school level, especially in Section XI, making St. Joseph's an ideal choice for female student-athletes seeking opportunities to play at the collegiate level," said Melody Cope, director of athletics for St. Joseph's Long Island Campus. "St. Joseph's believes this initiative expands athletic opportunities for female students and reflects the University's commitment to supporting emerging sports."
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), nearly 500,000 female youths participated in NFL flag football leagues in the past year. Additionally, 13 U.S. states have now sanctioned girls' flag football as a championship sport, with New York doing so in February 2022, coinciding with National Girls' and Women in Sports Day. The state held its first girls' flag football championship in June 2024 after several years as a pilot program.
"This is an exciting time to announce this addition to St. Joseph's athletic offerings," said Skyline Conference Commissioner Melissa Reilly. "Girl's and women's flag football is exploding and by adding this program, St. Joseph's is creating more opportunities for young women to compete in intercollegiate athletics. We are dedicated to assisting in their efforts and commend St. Joseph's for being pioneers in this area."
For more information about Women's Flag Football at SJNY, visit our FAQs page
HERE. Prospective students can also fill out a student-athlete recruitment form
HERE.
For more information about SJNY, visit
sjny.edu.
St. Joseph's University, New York has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the University provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through its Brooklyn, Long Island and Online campuses, the University offers degrees in more than 100 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.
