The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted Wednesday to sanction women’s flag football and boys volleyball as official championship sports.
Women’s flag football will compete in the fall, with the first NCHSAA championship held in late 2026. Boys volleyball will compete in the spring, with the first NCHSAA championship held in May 2027.
Flag football has grown to more than 150 participating schools statewide since a pilot program launched in 2022 with 19 schools. The Carolina Panthers have been a driving force behind the sport’s growth.
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“Today’s decision represents a meaningful investment in the future of our student-athletes and the continued evolution of school-based athletics in North Carolina,” said Que Tucker, NCHSAA Commissioner. “Girls flag football offers an inclusive, fast-paced and highly engaging opportunity for students to compete, connect and grow through sport.”
Boys volleyball has seen increasing participation at the school level throughout North Carolina in recent years.
“This decision formalizes what has been building over the past decade across North Carolina,” said Sarah Conklin, Director of the NC Boys High School Volleyball Association. “Boys volleyball has been steadily growing and has created strong communities, with thousands of high school athletes already playing.”
Additional details regarding implementation timelines, championship formats and sport-specific regulations will be shared with member schools in the coming months.
