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New England's first for D-III women's flag football: Eastern Warriors

Inaugural team will play on brand-new turf field

by Michael Vesci and Michael Rouleau

Willimantic, CT (09/14/2026) — Women's flag football is among the fastest-growing collegiate sports in the United States, being named to the NCAA's Emerging Sports for Women program in 2026. This athletic year, more than 100 schools across the country will be fielding varsity teams, but the program at Eastern Connecticut State University stands out from the crowd.

Aside from being the first D-III school in New England with a varsity program, the newly minted team will play on a brand-new artificial turf field - one of the nation's first designated facilities for the emerging NCAA sport.

The 80-yard-long, 79,550-square-foot synthetic field was completed this August at the Mansfield Athletic Outdoor Complex. Its markings are primarily configured for flag football, but the field - furnished with a new scoreboard and bleachers and adorned with the Warriors' new athletics insignia - will also host the University's club rugby teams for men and women.

"Our student-athletes deserve the very best, and this investment reflects our commitment to providing them with the facilities, resources and opportunities to succeed," said Eastern President Karim Ismaili. "Our inaugural varsity flag football team is a group of trailblazers. They are building something new at Eastern while helping shape the future of this emerging sport. I can't wait to see what they accomplish on this field, in the classroom, and throughout our community."

Heading into fall 2026, Eastern is the only New England school with a D-III program - the first in the Little East Conference - and one of only three varsity programs in Connecticut, the other two being D-II programs at Post University and University of Bridgeport.

The team is led by Head Coach Andy Crane, a former professional football player in the Arena League and member of the New York Jets front office.

"This new field shows our commitment to women's flag football as we help to set the bar for the sport," said Crane. "It is amazing to see how much the sport has grown in the last several years nationally and the potential it has to only get bigger and better in years to come, and Eastern will be at the forefront."

For its inaugural season, the Warriors have recruited players from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, and welcomed transfers from as far away as South Carolina and the Midwest. Most of the roster is made up of first-year students, but many bring years of high school and travel flag football experience. Some arrive at Eastern as state champions or recipients of player-of-the-year honors.

"Even though we're a very young team, we'll be a very dangerous team in year one," said Crane.

Among the young team is upperclassman Mariah Hill, a criminology major from West Hartford.

"There are not many opportunities to get a shot to do something like this," she said of pioneering a new athletic program. "It's a new sport, it's growing fast, and it's important to me. As a senior, I feel lucky to be here and be a part of this, and I am excited for the season to start."

Women's flag football is Eastern's 21st varsity program and 12th for women, following the addition of women's golf last fall.

"The addition of women's flag football and the opportunity to begin a new tradition on this new home field reflects the progressive and positive energy across Eastern," said Athletic Director Jason Mlodzianowski. "The program is well positioned as we prepare for its inaugural season, and we are excited to see what can be accomplished this spring and in the years ahead."

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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