FAIRFIELD — Sacred Heart University’s women’s flag football club team has been invited to participate in the Eastern College Athletics Conference’s (ECAC) flag football league backed by NFL’s New York Jets and a $1 million Betty Wold Johnson Foundation grant.
The SHU team, which formed in September 2025 and includes about 30 members, will join the ECAC league that will kick off this spring in a 7-on7 player format. 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,” according to an ECAC statement.
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 foundation announced.
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.
“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. “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.
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 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.
SHU will compete from February to April with 10 other ECAC colleges. (Four other colleges will not begin play until 2027.) They include:
- Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
- Caldwell University*, Caldwell, NJ
- Dominican University*, Orangeburg, NY
- Eastern University St., Davids, PA
- Fairleigh Dickinson*, Teaneck, NJ
- Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH
- Kean University, Union, NJ
- Long Island University, Brookville, NY
- Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY
- Mercyhurst University, Erie, PA
- Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
- Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, MD
- Union College, Schenectady, NY
- Penn State Schuylkill Schuylkill, Haven, PA
“Empowering young women through football has always been central to our mission,” said Woody Johnson, New York Jets owner and chair. “Partnering with the ECAC to launch this league creates a clear pathway for student-athletes to compete, grow, and lead—on the field and beyond.
“The Jets ECAC Women’s Flag Football League builds on the success of our high school girls’ flag program, which opened doors for thousands of athletes across the region. Now, we’re taking the next step: collegiate play, Olympic dreams, and a future professional league.”
The season will kick off with a Media Day Feb. 27 at MetLife Stadium in February, followed by a USA Football Talent ID Camp the following day. Regular season games will be played February through April on campus sites, culminating in the championship game at MetLife Stadium during the first weekend in May.
“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,” said Victoria Zurawski, 19, of Newton, NJ, who is a SHU player.
