Kingsville – Texas A&M University-Kingsville is adding Women's Flag Football as its newest varsity sport, Javelina Athletics announced on Tuesday.

The program joins the department's 13 other varsity sports and is expected to begin competition in Spring 2028. Texas A&M-Kingsville will be among the first universities in Texas to offer Women's Flag Football as an official varsity sport, further positioning Javelina Athletics at the forefront of the rapidly growing sport.

"Women's Flag Football is rapidly growing in popularity, and football has long held a unique place in South Texas culture," said University President Dr. Robert Vela. "The addition of women's Flag Football to our storied Javelina Athletics program creates new opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level while helping lead this exciting new chapter in sport's future."

"We are excited to add women's flag football to the Texas A&M University-Kingsville athletics program and provide another avenue for student-athletes to compete and succeed," said Michael Salinas, Executive Director of Athletics. "The remarkable growth of the sport has created new pathways for female student-athletes, and we are proud to help lead that momentum in South Texas. We look forward to building a competitive program that reflects the passion, determination, and excellence that define our university."

Named an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in January 2026, flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country and is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. The sport also recently received a formal recommendation to become an NCAA championship sport. The NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact voted during its spring meeting to recommend that Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to establish a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship.

Three NCAA Division II conferences have added Women's Flag Football as a conference-sponsored sport: the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

Stay up to date on all Texas A&M-Kingsville athletics news by following @JavelinaSports on social media or visiting JavelinaAthletics.com.