(REDDING, Calif.) - Simpson University announced today in a press conference that it will be adding a women's flag football program beginning in the Fall of 2025 with competition to start in the Spring of 2026.

Simpson University becomes the first college or university (2-year or 4-year) to launch women's flag football in Northern California and just the 5th in the Western United States. 

This marks the beginning of the Red Hawks' 23rd athletics program as it magnifies the competition and playing opportunities for female student-athletes at the collegiate level.  

"Women's flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the country, especially at the high school level," Athletic Director Rob Harley says, "And we want to give those student-athletes an opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. Over 10,000 high school flag football student-athletes competed last year in California and 2.4 million girls play flag football nationally every year and now they have the option to continue their playing career at Simpson University." 

Flag Football is a growing sport throughout the country as the number of participants skyrocketed in 2023 and has recently become a sanctioned NAIA sport with currently 17 schools around the nation sporting a team.  

"The launch of women's flag football at the collegiate level is a monumental step forward for the growth of women's sports," Senior Women's Leader Robin Frohlich states. "It not only opens doors for female student-athletes to compete, lead, and inspire, but it also signals a broader commitment to equity and opportunity in athletics."

Simpson University will begin a national search for the program's first head coach and the Red Hawks will hit the turf for the first time in the Spring of 2026.