Azusa Pacific University announces the addition of women's flag football to its athletics portfolio beginning 2026-27, fast-tracking the sport's introduction by one year. Women's flag football debuts as a club sport in 2026-27, with integration to full intercollegiate competition in 2027-28.This strategic decision reflects APU's commitment to expanding opportunities for female student-athletes while taking advantage of the impressive nationwide growth of women's flag football at the collegiate and high-school levels.

"Adding women's flag football underscores our dedication to creating meaningful athletic pathways for young women," said President Adam J. Morris, PhD. "As interest in the sport surges nationally, we are excited to be among the universities leading this opportunity for student-athletes to grow, compete, and thrive in a Christ-centered community."

The fastest-growing youth sport among American women and girls, flag football has been adopted by dozens of institutions as either a varsity or club-level program with increasing momentum toward national championship competition as reflected by the NCAA's recent approval of flag football as an emerging sport during the association's convention in January. By accelerating its timeline, APU positions itself to recruit early, build sport foundations, and contribute to the sport's development on the West Coast just as the sport heads to its debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

With the addition of flag football, the university has named Bo Beatty '94, MAEd '00 to be the program's first head coach. Beatty is a longtime Cougar and fan favorite, having an association with APU since 1992 when he played football for legendary APU Coach Jim Milhon, followed by a coaching career as an assistant on the Cougar sideline that has spanned four decades.

"It's exciting that APU is one of the first Christian universities in Southern California to start flag football," said Beatty. "Now these pioneers for the sport can receive a top-level Christ-centered education, play God First football, and become future leaders within the sport. This is a huge win for APU and women who have fallen in love with this sport."

Beatty will also continue his role as assistant head coach for APU's men's football program, as Azusa Pacific aims to uniquely integrate its returning men's football program with the launch of women's flag football by creating shared systems of support, streamlined operations, and collaborative training environments. APU hopes to build a unified football ecosystem that maximizes efficiency while honoring the distinct competitive environments of each program. This coordinated approach will foster mentorship, cross-program learning, and a strong sense of community—positioning both teams to thrive as they grow together.

"This addition of flag football strengthens our commitment to providing balanced, holistic athletic experiences," said Athletic Director Gary Pine. "Selecting Bo as the inaugural head coach is an important decision. Few people in the history of APU exemplify the mission and purpose of Cougar athletics better than Bo. He brings passion and excitement to every one of his endeavors, and his success on the high school level will translate well into the women's college game. Simply put, he knows how to win, and more importantly, he is an outstanding and experienced mentor. Athletes love to play for him."

Beatty served the past five seasons as the football co-head coach and defensive coordinator at Bonita High School in La Verne, Calif., where he fashioned a 42-16 record while leading the Bearcats to the CIF playoffs four times and their first conference championship in 25 years. He took the Bonita program from Division 10 to Division 3 in the CIF Southern Section platform and produced five NCAA Division I recruited athletes.
Beatty will immediately begin recruiting student-athletes for the 2026-27 year, while also putting together a coaching staff and game-competition schedule that will establish the foundation of the program.
"We're looking forward to competing against our new conference members Cal Lutheran, Redlands, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and Pomona-Pitzer, as well as other colleges and universities that are adding flag football," Pine added. "I expect the sport to be a spectator favorite on campuses throughout California." 

The launch of women's flag football expands APU's long-standing tradition of excellence in women's athletics, contributing to a legacy that includes 48 national championships and consistent top-20 national finishes in the Learfield Directors' Cup. 

Interested prospective student-athletes can email flagfootball@apu.edu for materials and further information about the program. Visit athletics.apu.edu and follow @apucougars on Instagram and X, and @azuspacificathletics on Facebook for updates.

Azusa Pacific University, one of the West Coast's leading Christian higher education institutions, equips students to become compassionate leaders who impact the world for Christ. More than 330 student-athletes compete across APU's 19 intercollegiate programs, which serve as a model of integrity, student impact, and competitive excellence.