Citrus College Athletics to add women's flag football

Flag football, one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, will soon be coming to Citrus College.

In May, the college finalized plans to create a women's flag football team for the spring 2027 season. The move is expected to increase female student enrollment and provide equitable athletic opportunities in alignment with Title IX.

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"Flag football is rapidly growing in popularity throughout our region," said Junior Domingo, dean of kinesiology, health and athletics at Citrus College. "It became clear that adding a competitive women's flag football team was a win-win for prospective students and the entire campus community."

The sport, which will gain even more prominence when it debuts at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, began as a recreational game for American soldiers during World War II, the Olympics organization said. In recent years, the sport has grown exponentially, due in part to support from the NFL and the addition of more than 1,600 teams for young athletes across all 50 states.

By adding a team, which will complement the men's football team, Citrus College will join several other local community colleges – including Cypress College, East Los Angeles College and Irvine Valley College – who plan to compete during the 2026-2027 academic year. Many local four-year colleges and universities have also begun offering the sport, providing a clear transfer and scholarship pathway for student-athletes.

Based on California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) and other collegiate standards for 7-on-7 play, the new program will aim to build a robust roster to ensure depth and practice quality. Current active roster sizes for flag football teams typically range between 20 and 25 student-athletes.

Given the number of local feeder high schools with flag football programs, the college is confident it will be able to attract enough participants. To compete at the 3C2A level, student-athletes will be required to maintain the same eligibility standards as other sports, including carrying a full-time courseload and staying on track to graduate.

"We are thrilled to add women's flag football to our outstanding athletics program, which gives hundreds of students an opportunity to shine each year across 16 sports," said Dr. Greg Schulz, superintendent/president of Citrus College. "I am confident this program will be a resounding success and a model for others in Southern California."

More details about the program will be released in the coming months. For more information about the college's athletics program, visit citrusowls.com.