UCLA And USC Established Women’s Flag Football Clubs
Students founded collegiate teams in 2025 as the sport prepares for its debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Football
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In 2025, students Tenley Hill and Alia Pasternak founded women’s flag football club teams at UCLA and USC, respectively. The programs aim to offer a structured, varsity-like experience for athletes looking to continue playing after high school.
Why it matters
The formation of these clubs follows a rapid surge in high school participation and aligns with the professionalization of the sport through a new collegiate league formed by NIRSA and the NFL.
Participation among high school girls grew from 15,000 to over 100,000 in five years, reflecting a massive shift in interest. The Los Angeles Chargers supported this momentum in spring 2026 by donating $10,000 to both the UCLA and USC club programs.
The players
Tenley Hill
She is the student leader who founded the women's flag football team at UCLA in 2025.
Alia Pasternak
She is the student who founded the women's flag football team at USC in 2025.
Los Angeles Chargers
This NFL franchise provided financial support to local collegiate club programs in 2026.
NIRSA
This organization has promoted collegiate recreation for 75 years and is currently partnering with the NFL to formalize flag football leagues.
The details
Students established the clubs by recruiting officers, securing funding, and hosting tryouts while organizing leagues through shared resources and digital scheduling tools. The Los Angeles Chargers facilitated competitive play by hosting a game between the two rivals in El Segundo.
Timeline
Fall 2025: Hill began UCLA flag football club inquiries.
Spring 2026: Chargers donated $10,000 to UCLA and USC clubs.
January 2027: Flag football season begins in Las Vegas.
April 2027: National flag football championship tournament.
2028: Flag football included in Los Angeles Olympic program.
Season Trajectory
These club teams signal a shift toward formalized collegiate pathways that mirror traditional varsity sports structures. This development establishes a pipeline for talent that will likely influence the competitive landscape of flag football as it nears its inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games.
The establishment of these clubs creates immediate opportunities for student-athletes to compete in a sanctioned collegiate environment. The upcoming 2027 season will serve as a critical proving ground for players aiming to transition into the nascent national league structure.
The takeaway
The rapid growth of collegiate flag football demonstrates how grassroots student leadership can quickly reshape sport offerings at major universities. Students interested in the sport should monitor their campus recreation departments for upcoming trial and registration dates.
What happens next
A collegiate flag football season is scheduled to begin in Las Vegas in January 2027, followed by a national championship tournament hosted by NIRSA in April 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the local landscape of the sport on the Los Angeles Football page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Bernardino Sun.
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