EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Long Island University women's flag football team has joined the ECAC Women's Flag Football League, the Eastern College Athletic Conference announced. The newly formed league will begin competition during the spring 2026 semester and features 15 colleges and universities, making it the largest women's flag football conference at the collegiate level.

The ECAC women's flag football conference was formed via a groundbreaking $1-million grant from the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation, directed by New York Jets Owner and Chairman Woody Johnson.

"We're honored to represent LIU as we take this exciting step into the ECAC," said head coach Jimmy Barbarise. "Joining this conference elevates our program, challenges our athletes, and reflects our commitment to growing women's flag football at the highest collegiate level. We're ready to compete, learn, and continue building something special here at LIU."

Gameplay will feature the seven-on-seven format of flag football. The season will kickoff with a media day at MetLife Stadium in February, followed by a USA Football Talent ID Camp the following day. Regular season games will be played February through April on campus sites, culminating in the championship game at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center during the first weekend of May in 2026. Beginning in 2027, the championship game will be held at MetLife Stadium.

"The ECAC is thrilled to be partnering with the New York Jets and the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation to provide a premium intercollegiate flag football league for hundreds of young women athletes interested in pursuing their athletics dreams," said Dan Coonan, ECAC Commissioner. "We couldn't be happier to be selected for this partnership. With 88 years of experience sponsoring first-rate intercollegiate athletic competition, we believe we are uniquely suited to bring this bold initiative to life. Our sincere thanks to Woody Johnson, the Jets, and the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation for their transformative vision and generous commitment to advancing this emerging sport. We can't wait to get started."

As part of the Jets and BWJF commitment, each school will receive a grant to offset costs associated with fielding a flag football team.

"Empowering young women through football has always been central to our mission," said Johnson. "Partnering with the ECAC to launch this league creates a clear pathway for student-athletes to compete, grow, and lead—on the field and beyond.

"The Jets ECAC Women's Flag Football League builds on the success of our high school girls' flag program, which opened doors for thousands of athletes across the region. Now, we're taking the next step: collegiate play, Olympic dreams, and a future professional league."

The following schools have also committed to competing in the ECAC Women's Flag Football League:

Allegheny College
Caldwell University
Dominican University.
Eastern University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Franciscan University
Kean University
Mercy University
Mercyhurst University
Montclair State University
Mount St. Mary's University
Union College
Penn State Schuylkill           
Sweet Briar College