Nebraska Athletics Announce 25th Varsity Sport

There is going to be a 25th Nebraska Cornhusker varsity team.

The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced on Friday the addition of women's flag football. This coincides with the NCAA’s approval of women’s flag football as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women.

Flag football will be the 15th women's team on campus. There are also 10 men's teams. The last program to be added at Nebraska was beach volleyball in 2013.

Today marks a major milestone in the history of women’s sports at Nebraska.@HuskerFlagFB will officially become NU’s 25th varsity sport, with its inaugural competitive season beginning in 2028.

ℹ️🏈 Full details » https://t.co/14i1kbIApk pic.twitter.com/9ksfhpMxjM
— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) January 16, 2026

Nebraska is the first Power Four Conference school to announce the addition of women’s flag football.

The Huskers will play their inaugural competitive flag football season in the spring of 2028, with the season consisting of at least 12 games from January to May. Nebraska will immediately begin the process of searching for a head coach and building a roster this spring, with plans to have a coach hired by summer and recruit a roster of approximately 15 players by the start of the fall 2026 semester.

"This is a banner day for Nebraska Athletics and for women’s sports," Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. "In a time of uncertainty and change in college athletics, creating new participation opportunities continues Nebraska’s rich history of elevating women’s athletics.

"Flag football is one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports and has exploded in popularity at the youth, high school and collegiate level. There is also great synergy in our first season in 2028, aligning with the inclusion of flag football at the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles."

Midland takes on a UNL club team in flag football during the Husker Games at Memorial Stadium. | Nebraska Athletics

As of last summer, NCAA sponsorship data showed that at least 40 NCAA schools planned to sponsor in the 2025-26 academic year.

"Congratulations to the University of Nebraska and the NCAA for taking this significant step in support of women’s flag football," said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti. "We are happy to see Nebraska provide additional opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level."

Flag football will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. Recently, NFL clubs voted to financially support the development and launch of a professional flag football league. Flag football is now offered at a high school level in 38 states.

Nebraska softball signee Lucy Thompson was recognized as the Colorado High School Female Athlete of the Year and was selected to be part of the NFL Flag Football Girls High School Showcase. The game will be televised live on ESPN as a lead-in to the Pro Bowl Games on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

"The University of Nebraska’s launch of a women’s flag football team marks a groundbreaking moment for collegiate athletics," said Troy Vincent Sr., NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. "As the first Power Four Division I program to embrace this opportunity, the University of Nebraska and Athletic Director Troy Dannen are true pioneers in elevating flag football to even greater heights.

"Their leadership sends a powerful message about the future of the sport and the limitless possibilities for young women to compete at the highest level."

Nebraska hosted a women’s flag exhibition game last spring as part of the Husker Games weekend, with a group of intramural athletes from UNL taking on Midland University’s varsity flag football team.

As for other particulars regarding Nebraska's newest sport, the site for home games is still to be determined. The plan is to have 15 scholarships available this next academic year (2026-27) and expand that to 20 in year two and then 25 in year three, which is when the first season will take place.

After the exhibition took place at the Husker Games, it was rumored that the Huskers would be adding it as a varsity sport in the near future. Other options that have been discussed by Husker fans and media include wrestling, ice hockey, field hockey, and lacrosse.

Women's sports at Nebraska have combined for 16 of the department's 29 national titles. Those championships have come from bowling (1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2021), volleyball (1995, 2000, 2006, 2015, 2017), and indoor track & field (1982, 1983, 1984).

Nebraska currently competes in 10 men's championships and 13 women's championships. Beach volleyball is the 14th women's varsity sport, but it does not compete in the postseason.

Men's Varsity Sports

Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Tennis
Indoor Track & Field
Outdoor Track & Field
Wrestling

Women's Varsity Sports

Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Bowling
Cross Country
Golf
Gymnastics
Rifle
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Indoor Track & Field
Outdoor Track & Field
Volleyball

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