The Betty Wold Johnson Foundation announced Tuesday a groundbreaking $1 million grant to the Eastern College Athletic Conference to fund the country’s largest collegiate women’s flag football league.
The investment was directed by New York Jets owner Woody Johnson for a league scheduled to launch in Spring 2026.
Gameplay will feature the 7-on-7 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 MetLife Stadium* during the first weekend in May.
Johnson explained the future outlook.
“Empowering young women through football has always been central to our mission,” he said. “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.”
As part of the Jets and BWJF commitment, each school will receive a grant to offset costs associated with fielding a flag football team. The following schools have committed to playing in the Jets ECAC Women’s Flag Football League:
- Allegheny College (Meadville, PA)
- Caldwell University* (Caldwell, NJ)
- Dominican University* (Orangeburg, NY)
- Eastern University (St. Davids, PA)
- Fairleigh Dickinson* (Teaneck, NJ)
- Franciscan University (Steubenville, OH)
- Kean University (Union, NJ)
- Long Island University (Brookville, NY)
- Mercy University (Dobbs Ferry, NY)
- Mercyhurst University (Erie, PA)
- Montclair State University (Montclair, NJ)
- Mount St. Mary’s University (Emmitsburg, MD)
- Union College* (Schenectady, NY)
- Penn State Schuylkill (Schuylkill Haven, PA)
- Sweet Briar College* (Sweet Briar, VA)
ECAC Commissioner Dan Coonan was thankful for the partnership.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Jets linebacker Quincy Williams was also thrilled for the league.
“Launching the largest collegiate women’s flag football league is a game-changing moment that will create opportunities that inspire and elevate the game,” he said. The programs the Jets have launched in the UK and Ireland have shown how much passion and talent exists for this sport worldwide. Now women will have the chance to experience what college football gave so many of us—competition, community, and growth.”
* Will begin game play in Spring of 2027
* The 2026 championship game will be played at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center due to the 2026 World Cup.
