LA PLUME, Pa. - Keystone College announced today that it is adding women's flag football to its lineup of intercollegiate and conference sponsored sports. The United East Conference released a statement earlier today to announce the anticipated addition of women's flag football as a conference-sponsored sport starting in 2025-26.

The United East, which boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions, becomes just the second Division III conference to announce its sponsorship of women's flag football and the fourth conference among all divisions in the NCAA. In addition to Keystone, the league will have at least four other member institutions participating at the club level in Spring 2025, including Gallaudet University, Lancaster Bible College, Penn College, and Rosemont College. The sport is then expected to move to the varsity level for Spring 2026.

In the conference's statement, United East Commissioner Stephanie Dutton shared, "There is undoubted momentum and growth in women's flag football and we are extremely excited to begin sponsoring this sport in the United East. The interest and engagement in women's flag football is exploding in our conference's geographic footprint and we are eager to begin offering young women the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level."

Keystone Director of Athletics Kacy Manning added, "This is a wonderful opportunity for Keystone College to get on board with women's flag football at this early stage. Just over a month ago, the PIAA officially announced its sanctioning of girl's flag football. Keystone was eager to share this news as we continue to build on the momentum of the PIAA's announcement and the broader national movement of women's flag football. We are grateful for the work that Commissioner Dutton and her team put into this and we are excited to move this initiative forward."

The conference's addition of women's flag football has been coordinated with the National Football League (NFL) and RCX Sports Foundation. "The RCX Sports Foundation is excited to partner alongside the NFL and United East Conference to introduce women's flag football in spring 2025, supporting our mission to create greater accessibility and inclusivity in sports," said RCX Sports Foundation CEO Izell Reese. "We're enthusiastic about the continued growth of women's flag through this partnership."

The NFL is a huge supporter of the growth of flag football. Numerous NFL facilities and stadiums have been utilized for competitions and clinics while several players have attended and engaged with athletes to grow the sport. In the recent press release by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), both the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers joined the PIAA in making the official announcement in that press release.

Manning said that it is anticipated that the team will host its home games on the College's turf field in La Plume. Additional details on the coaching staff and upcoming schedule will follow in a future statement.

About Keystone College 

As part of the Northeastern Pennsylvania community, Keystone College is part of a vibrant and diverse area. Nearly 1100 students come to our beautiful campus from nearby states such as New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, as well as nationally and internationally.

In a relatively short period of time, Keystone College has advanced from being an excellent junior college that granted associate degrees to a fully accredited and highly respected institution, offering associate, bachelor's and master's degrees.

About the United East

The United East Conference is home to 15 member institutions which compete at the highest level of NCAA Division III athletics. Founded in 2004 as the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), the United East has seen its membership evolve to one that now emcompasses schools in Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

In addition to ranging from urban to rural campuses, the United East prides itself on being one of the most diverse conference in Division III. It is comprised of both public and private schools as well as faith-based institutions, technical colleges and the largest deaf and hard-of-hearing institution in the United States.

The 15 core members consist of Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College.