UNA athletic program set to add 3 new sports in 2026

The University of North Alabama made a big announcement this week regarding the school’s athletics department. The Lions will add women’s flag football and expand its men’s and women’s cross country programs into distance-based indoor and outdoor track teams.

This expands the athletic department to 19 programs.

New sports at UNA

The addition of distance-based men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track programs will create four new opportunities while leveraging the existing cross country programs. UNA’s launch will consist of a phased entry to growing the program with an initial emphasis on distance runners.

Joining in on one of the fastest growing sports in the country, women’s flag football received an NCAA emerging sport recommendation earlier this year as the fledgling women’s sport experiences rapid growth in Alabama.

UNA becomes the second Division I school in Alabama to add women’s flag football, joining Alabama State who announced the sport in 2024-25.

This marks the first sport expansion for UNA since 2018 — the first year of the Division I era. The Lions added women’s golf and beach volleyball that season, who now enter their eighth year of competition.

Flag football

With proven growth in the sport, UNA’s new flag football program is uniquely positioned to join the movement. The Cox Creek Sports Complex has already hosted both soccer and flag football events and will be available to the program right away.

The sport is projected to provide over 25 new opportunities for female student-athletes to compete the Division I level.

A national search for the program’s first head coach will begin this fall.

“With the addition of women’s flag football, UNA is not just expanding — we’re leading. We’re at the forefront of a rapidly growing sport in our region, and this move continues our trajectory of innovation, opportunity and competitive excellence.”

Dr. Josh Looney, UNA Director of Athletics

Track & field

The track program is expected to create more than 40 more opportunities for student-athletes to compete for UNA at the Division I level.
 
Current UNA cross country coach, Connor Callahan, will lead the new track programs in addition to his current role.

“The expansion of track will open more roster spots in a time when schools are cutting spots. This expansion is going to have a significant impact on the future of our team and this athletic department. This is an incredible opportunity for current and future Lions.”

Connor Callahan, UNA track coach

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