Women’s Flag Football Joins ECAC, Receives NFL Backing

Sacred Heart’s newly created flag football club team reaps benefits from New York Jets and Betty Wold Johnson Foundation grant

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University’s newly formed women’s flag football club has been invited to compete in the Eastern College Athletics Conference (ECAC), the first intercollegiate women’s flag football league of its kind
• The league is backed by the New York Jets and a $1 million grant from the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation, aimed at expanding opportunities for women in the sport
• According to the ECAC, the investment will create the largest collegiate women’s flag football league in the nation, launching in spring 2026

Sacred Heart University’s women’s flag football club team recently received an invitation to participate in the Eastern College Athletics Conference’s (ECAC) flag football league, which is backed by the New York Jets and a $1 million Betty Wold Johnson Foundation grant.

The SHU team formed in September of 2025 and includes approximately 30 members. In December, the ECAC announced the formation of its intercollegiate women’s flag football league and the large financial contribution. “This investment, directed by Woody Johnson, New York Jets owner, will fund the creation of the largest collegiate women’s flag football league in the nation, launching in spring 2026,” states an ECAC press release.

The Betty Wold Johnson Foundation is dedicated to honoring the legacy of Betty Wold Johnson—a visionary philanthropist and matriarch of the Johnson family. “The initiative underscores the Johnson family’s and New York Jets’ unwavering commitment to expanding access and opportunity for women in the sport,” the press release adds.

Ray Mencio, executive director of campus life at SHU, saw flag football’s popularity rise among high school students and was familiar with the NFL’s support of the sport. He decided to jump on the trend and offer it at the start of the 2025 fall semester.

After the ECAC made the announcement in December, Mencio reached out to the league to determine if SHU’s team could join. Lo and behold, Mencio was thrilled to announce to the team members that they are now a part of the ECAC, will be competing in the spring 2026 season and will also benefit from the grant.

“This league is the pioneers,” Mencio said. “I told the team, ‘You are truly the Pioneers and setting the model for collegiate flag football.”

The ECAC flag football league is the first of its kind, and students are thrilled to be part of it. “We officially launched flag football at Sacred Heart this school year, and I was at the first practice and have been there ever since,” said Dayna Mercogliano, a 21-year-old from Staten Island, NY. “I love playing flag football at SHU because it has become a community of girls who get together each week and play the sport they love. We have players who have been playing since they were little, some who only played powder puff and some who never played at all, but everyone comes together and gives it their all.”

Mercogliano started playing flag football 15 years ago and never thought it would reach the level it is at now. When she learned about the league and the grant, she was excited and optimistic for the future. “The grant will allow us to get practice gear and uniforms, funds for transportation when we have away games, and some new equipment,” she said.

Hailey Marucheau, 18, of Staten Island, said “getting new and proper gear always adds a little more confidence and enthusiasm to your performance.

Like Mercogliano, Marucheau started playing flag football at a young age. “I have been playing flag football since the fourth grade and to be a part of its evolution over the years has been an honor,” said the sports communication & media major. “I joined the team because I wanted to continue playing the game I love, but I never expected it to blow up this way. I am beyond grateful and excited. This team has created such a close and special bond in such a short amount of time, and we have all learned so much from our amazing coaches and each other. I can’t wait to see what this holds for our team and girls playing flag football in general.”

Makayla Bloom, 18, of Waterbury, said she loves the intensity of the sport. “Flag football and the game of football itself is made on the energy of the team,” Bloom said. “We have gotten so close because we understand that. We also feed off of each other to become better players and teammates. The level of intensity is something that I feel makes me a better player.”

Bloom was overjoyed when she learned about the league and the grant. “This is something that is monumental for the sport, and the fact that I am a part of it is truly amazing. I think access to this grant will allow the team to showcase and develop our talents,” she said.

Victoria Zurawski, 19, of Newton, NJ, is a lifelong Jets and football fan. “To have the support of a real NFL team, especially the New York Jets, means everything to me. My love for watching football is what inspired me to join SHU’s flag football team,” she said.

“The backing of an NFL team opens so many doors for women and their individual futures in flag football,” Zurawski continued. “Personally, before I began playing for SHU’s flag football team, I would have never imagined that I could play football at the college level while also being supported by the team I’ve spent so many years rooting for. This opportunity, and the backing of NFL teams, gives young girls and women the chance to visualize themselves achieving goals that weren’t possible before, and I am grateful to be one of these women.”

On February 27, the SHU team will travel to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (where the Jets and New York Giants play) for a media day. The event is a way to highlight and recognize the women’s teams in the conference before they showcase their talents on the field.

“The ECAC media day is such a cool event that we get to be a part of, and I know it’s an experience that our whole team is looking forward to,” Zurawski said.

To learn more about SHU’s women’s flag football team, visit its website.