College of Saint Benedict Launches Women’s Flag Football Program

(KNSI) – The College of Saint Benedict announced Monday it will launch a women’s flag football program this spring, becoming the latest Minnesota institution to embrace one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports.

The Bennies will compete in the Midwest College Women’s Flag Football League beginning in 2026, joining seven other schools that participated in the league’s inaugural season, including Augsburg, Concordia-Moorhead, Bethel, Gustavus Adolphus, Northwestern (Minnesota), Augustana (South Dakota) and Wisconsin-Stout.

The program launches through a partnership with the Minnesota Vikings, who have invested more than $1 million since 2022 to grow girls’ and women’s flag football at the high school and college levels across the Midwest.

The program has already generated significant buzz on campus. At a September involvement fair, 25 first-year students expressed interest in joining the team.

The college is searching for a head coach to lead the inaugural squad.

Flag football has become the nation’s fastest-growing emerging high school sport. As of summer 2025, 17 states have sanctioned girls’ flag football at the high school level, while 17 others are in pilot program stages. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

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