11/12/2026 9:35:00 AM | Women's Flag Football
Mustangs among four Division I varsity programs in eight-team national field
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly women’s flag football will compete in the second annual Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley, the only national college flag football event featuring Division I universities, April 10-11 at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona.
The Mustangs join an eight-team field that brings together four of the nation’s top club programs and four Division I varsity programs in their inaugural seasons. Cal Poly, the first school in California to add Division I women’s flag football, is joined by fellow first-year varsity programs Eastern Michigan, UT Arlington and Nebraska, the only Power Four school to sponsor the sport. Defending champion UCF returns with 2026 semifinalists Arizona State, Florida and Georgia.
“We’re incredibly excited to compete in the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic and represent Cal Poly at such a prestigious event,” Cal Poly Women's Flag Football Head Coach Rod Sherman said. “As a program in its early stages, opportunities like this are incredibly meaningful as we work to build something special and establish a tradition of excellence. Women’s flag football is growing at an incredible pace, and we’re proud to be part of a movement that is creating opportunities for the next generation of female athletes.”
Cal Poly’s roster features Team USA national team members Maci Joncich and Ashlea Klam, who won silver with the U.S. this summer. Klam is also the first professional flag football ambassador for TMRW Sports and the upcoming Premier Flag League. Brenna Ramirez, a former co-captain of the USA 17U Girls Flag National Team, is also on the roster.
The two-day, 7-on-7 tournament opens with two rounds of pool play to set seeding, followed by bracket play on the second day, culminating in the championship game. The inaugural event in April 2026 ended with UCF defeating Florida, 19-7, in a title game televised live on ESPNU.
The tournament comes at a pivotal time for the sport. Women’s flag football was named an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in January 2026, and NCAA member schools will vote at the January 2027 NCAA Convention on whether to make it an official championship sport. If approved, the first NCAA championship is projected for spring 2028, the same year flag football makes its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games.
For more on the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic, visit FiestaSportsFoundation.org/FlagFootball.
