Top Story WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL Women's flag football could get its own NCAA Tournament by 2028 Mitchell Northam USA TODAY May 22, 2026 May 22, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Women’s flag football is on the fast track to championship status.kAm~? %F6D52J[ E96 DA@CE E@@< 2 >62?:?87F= DE6A 7@CH2C5 27E6C C646:G:?8 2 7@C>2= C64@>>6?52E:@? E@ 364@>6 2 492>A:@?D9:A\=6G6= DA@CE[ H9:49 4@F=5 A2G6 E96 H2J 7@C E96 7:CDE @77:4:2= H@>6?’D 7=28 7@@E32== }rpp %@FC?2>6?E 2D 62C=J 2D E96 DAC:?8 @7 a_ag]k^AmkAm%96 }rpp r@>>:EE66 @? p446DD[ ~AA@CEF?:EJ 2?5 x>A24E G@E65 2E :ED DAC:?8 >66E:?8 E@ C64@>>6?5 s:G:D:@?D x[ xx 2?5 xxx DA@?D@C =68:D=2E:@? E@ 255 2 }2E:@?2= r@==68:2E6 u=28 u@@E32== r92>A:@?D9:A] %92E’D E96 D2>6 4@>>:EE66 E92E @G6CD66D E96 }rpp’D t>6C8:?8 $A@CED 7@C (@>6? AC@8C2>[ H9:49 25565 7=28 7@@E32== 324< :? y2?F2CJ]k^Am People are also reading… The SML Chili Festival returns next weekend In need of a forever home: Benson Boone and Sombr Luke Hancock gives insight into Virginia Tech, UVa men's basketball Congressional candidate Joy Powers speaks with Franklin County voters Virginia Tech defense aims to take another step against SMU and Kevin Jennings Franklin County voters reject 1% sales tax for education infrastructure Democrats want special counsel to probe Trump-Epstein ties Criticism grows over Ramaswamy attack ad featuring Amy Acton's mother What NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers are saying about Friday's race at Martinsville Speedway In need of a forever home: Briar and Handsome Charles Diamond Avenue community continues seeking help Historic double-double for Dimaro in Virginia Tech's season-opening win Franklin County nears end of high-speed internet push Five turnovers doom JMU football in second consecutive overtime loss Blue Ridge Folklife Festival returns this Saturday kAmQ%96 4@==686\=6G6= 8C@HE9 :? 7=28 7@@E32== 92D 366? D:8?:7:42?E[” }rpp !C6D:56?E r92C=:6 q2<6C D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E] “p?5 E9:D C64@>>6?52E:@? C67=64ED E92E] (:E9 E96 DA@CE 962565 E@ E96 a_ag ~=J>A:4D[ E96 E:>:?8 4@F=5?VE 36 36EE6C 7@C H@>6? H9@ >:89E ?@E 92G6 925 2 A2E9 E@ 4@>A6E6 2E E96 4@==686 =6G6= 367@C6] %92EVD H@CE9 46=63C2E:?8]Qk^AmkAmu@C 2 DA@CE E@ 8C25F2E6 7C@> E96 t>6C8:?8 $A@CED 7@C (@>6? AC@8C2> E@ 492>A:@?D9:A DE2EFD[ c_ D49@@=D >FDE DA@?D@C :E 2E 2 G2CD:EJ =6G6= 2?5 >66E E96 DA@CEVD >:?:>F> 4@>A6E:E:@? 2?5 A2CE:4:A2?E C6BF:C6>6?ED] $:?46 :E H2D 25565 E@ E96 t>6C8:?8 $A@CED 7@C (@>6? AC@8C2>[ 7=28 7@@E32== 92D 8C@H? =62AD 2?5 3@F?5D 2E E96 4@==68:2E6 =6G6=] }62C=J a_ s:G:D:@? x AC@8C2>D — :?4=F5:?8 @?6 2E E96 !@H6C c =6G6=[ }63C2D<2 — 92G6 2??@F?465 E96:C :?E6?E:@?D E@ =2F?49 E62>D 2E E96 G2CD:EJ =6G6= 3J a_ag]k^Am kAm|@C6 2E E96 s:G:D:@? xx 2?5 xxx =6G6=D — 7C@> E96 pE=2?E:4 t2DE E@ r@?76C6?46 r2C@=:?2D — A=2J65 7F== G2CD:EJ D62D@?D E9:D J62C[ 4@>A=6E6 H:E9 4@?76C6?46 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6D] x? a_af[ E96 s:G:D:@? xx rxpp 2?5 s:G:D:@? x q:8 $@FE9 A=2? E@ A=2J 7F== G2CD:EJ D62D@?D[ 2?5 E96 q:8 `a A=2?D E@ 92G6 D:I E62>D A=2J:?8 H@>6?’D 7=28 7@@E32== 2E E96 G2CD:EJ =6G6= 3J a_ag] prr 4@>>:DD:@?6C y:> !9:==:AD D2:5 =2DE H66< E92E 9:D 4@?76C6?46 :D 92G:?8 “D@>6 4@?G6CD2E:@?D” 23@FE H@>6?’D 7=28 7@@E32==]k^AmkAmx? D9@CE[ H@>6?’D 7=28 7@@E32== H:== 62D:=J 4=62C E96 >:?:>F> }rpp DA@?D@CD9:A @7 c_ D49@@=D] q2<6C D2:5 E92E >@C6 E92? e_ D49@@=D 24C@DD 2== E9C66 5:G:D:@?D DA@?D@C65 :E 2E E96 G2CD:EJ =6G6= E9:D A2DE DAC:?8]k^Am kAmQv:C=D H2?E E@ A=2J] (96?6G6C J@F 8:G6 2446DD 2?5 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 2? 62D:6C H2J E@ A=2J[ E96 36EE6C E96 DF446DD 2?5 ?F>36CD :? A2CE:4:A2E:@? J@F D66[Q D2:5 y24B:6 |4(:==:2>D !2C<6C[ E96 rxpp 4@>>:DD:@?6C 2?5 492:C @7 E96 r@>>:EE66 @? p446DD[ ~AA@CEF?:EJ 2?5 x>A24E] Q%96 J@F?8 H@>6? H9@ 2C6 4FCC6?E=J A=2J:?8 2E @FC :?DE:EFE:@?D[ D@>6 ?6G6C 6G6? E9@F89E 23@FE 36:?8 23=6 E@ A=2J :? 4@==686] }@H E96J 92G6 E96:C @AA@CEF?:EJ]”k^Am kAmt249 }rpp 5:G:D:@? :D 6IA64E65 E@ C6G:6H E96 C64@>>6?52E:@? 2?5 A@E6?E:2==J DA@?D@C 2 AC@A@D2= 3J yF=J ` @7 E9:D J62C] x7 AC@A@D2=D 2C6 DA@?D@C65[ E96 5:G:D:@?D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ G@E6 @? E96> :? y2?F2CJ a_af] p== E9C66 5:G:D:@?D >FDE 2AAC@G6 E96 =68:D=2E:@? E@ 6DE23=:D9 2 492>A:@?D9:A] uF?5:?8 >FDE 2=D@ 36 2AAC@G65 3J E96 2AAC@AC:2E6 7:?2?4:2= @G6CD:89E 4@>>:EE66D]k^Am kAmx7 E9:D E:>6=:?6 DE:4<D[ 2? }rpp 4@>>:EE66 7@C H@>6?’D 7=28 7@@E32== H:== 36 7@C>65 :? y2?F2CJ a_af 2?5 E96 7:CDE E@FC?2>6?E 2?5 492>A:@?D9:A 7@C E96 DA@CE H:== 36 96=5 :? E96 DAC:?8 @7 a_ag]k^AmkAmx? =:6F @7 2? @77:4:2= }rpp %@FC?2>6?E E9:D J62C[ E96 u:6DE2 $A@CED u@F?52E:@? 96=5 :ED @H? ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:A 7@C 7=28 7@@E32==[ :?G:E:?8 D6G6? 4=F3 E62>D 2?5 @?6 G2CD:EJ DBF25] tG6? H:E9 2? }rpp %@FC?2>6?E[ u:6DE2 $A@CED rt~ tC:< |@D6D 9@A6D E92E E96 !9@6?:I 2C62 42? 4@?E:?F6 E@ 9@DE 2 >2CBF66 :?G:E2E:@?2= E@FC?2>6?E E92E 8:G6D H@>6? 2 3@H=\=:<6 6IA6C:6?46]k^Am kAm“~3G:@FD=J[ :7 :E 364@>6D 2? }rpp D2?4E:@?65 492>A:@?D9:A DA@CE[ E96J H:== 92G6 2 H2J E@ 56E6C>:?6 2 492>A:@? 2?5 2== E92E <:?5 @7 DEF77] (6VC6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 86E :? E96 >:55=6 @7 E92E[” |@D6D E@=5 &$p %~sp* $A@CED =2DE >@?E9] “qFE H6 5@ H2?E E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ 6IE6?5 H92E H6 42== 2 V3@H= 82>6 6IA6C:6?46V E@ E96D6 2E9=6E6D] p?5[ J@F <?@H[ 7C2?<=J[ E@ >2<6 :E >@C6 E92? 2 E@FC?2>6?E[ 3FE 2 H2J @7 96=A:?8 E@ D92A6 H92E E96 DA@CE H:== 364@>6]”k^AmkAm&ru H@? E96 u:6DE2 $A@CED 492>A:@?D9:A[ 56762E:?8 u=@C:52 `h\f] x? E96 s:G:D:@? xx C2?<D[ (:?82E6 H@? E96 7:CDE r@?76C6?46 r2C@=:?2DV =628F6 492>A:@?D9:A :? H@>6?’D 7=28 7@@E32== E9:D DAC:?8[ 56762E:?8 u6CCF> r@==686 ba\`c] |2CJ>@F?E C6A62E65 2D E96 492>AD @7 E96 s:G:D:@? xxx pE=2?E:4 t2DE r@?76C6?46 H:E9 2 `a\e H:? @G6C t2DE6C?]k^Am kAm%96D6 E62>D 4@F=5 4@>A6E6 :? 2? }rpp %@FC?2>6?E 3C24<6E :? EH@ J62CD[ ;FDE 29625 @7 E96 ~=J>A:4 563FE @7 H@>6?VD 7=28 7@@E32== 2E E96 a_ag $F>>6C v2>6D :? {@D p?86=6D]k^Am 0 comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Watch Now: Related Video PURPLE & BOLD: How will JMU react to a rare loss? Hokies' Franklin on defensive performance in win at Clemson Hokies' Franklin on defensive performance in win at Clemson Brewers Vs Rays World Series Predictions! Brewers Vs Rays World Series Predictions! JMU football's KJ Flowe on Appalachian State JMU football's KJ Flowe on Appalachian State