John Carroll University has announced the addition of Women’s Flag Football as the university’s 26th varsity sport. This comes as the third women’s varsity sport added in the past four years, complementing Women’s Wrestling and Field Hockey. Other Division III schools in Ohio that offer Women’s Flag Football include Baldwin Wallace, Mount Union, Wittenberg, and Heidelberg.
The new addition comes after a historic athletic season for the men’s football team. This past year, the Blue Streak football team made history, making it to the NCAA semifinal for the third time in program history. Quarterback Nick Semptimphelter led the Blue Streaks to an unforgettable charge, going down in history with a completion percentage of 77.9%, an NCAA record across all NCAA divisions. JCU also set another NCAA record across all divisions for completion percentage in a season with 77.16%, breaking the 2008 Texas record of 76.7%. Wide receiver Tyren Montgomery, an All-American selection, also found plenty of success, becoming the first player in JCU history to be invited to the Senior Bowl. Montgomery has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, taking place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
While the men’s team again has high hopes for the upcoming season, the women of JCU are looking to cement their own legacy in Blue Streak history. Currently, flag football is offered in 29 states, with 69,000 high schoolers participating in the 2024-25 season. In Ohio, 121 schools currently offer the sport. With competition set to start in Spring 2027, led by coach Felicia Teeter, Vice President of Athletics Brian Polian ‘97 is ecstatic about the new addition. Polian said, “Women’s Flag Football is one of the fastest-growing sports across the nation. High school athletic associations throughout the country have been sanctioning it, including here in Ohio. The time was right for the Blue Streaks to establish this program and provide young women the opportunity to compete on our campus.”
Coach Felicia Teeter will also serve as the Running Backs Coach for JCU Football. Prior to John Carroll, Teeter brought Women’s Flag Football programs to life at Bethel University and Pratt Community College in Kansas. Teeter spoke about her new role as a Blue Streak coach, saying, “I’m very excited to help bring Women’s Flag Football to John Carroll. The tradition of football here is extremely special, and adding the flag program allows us to share that with a new group of athletes. I look forward to mentoring and developing them while also demonstrating to them that they can have a future in football.”
President-Elect Carolyn Sorg also shared her enthusiasm, saying, “Women’s flag football creates new opportunities for students to lead, compete, and grow at John Carroll. We’re excited to welcome these student-athletes into the Blue Streak community and see how they will shape the next generation of our football program.”
Interested students should fill out the form and reach out by email to [email protected]. An informational meeting will also be held on May 1 at 5 pm in the AWE Meeting Room.
