TAMPA, Fla. —Thomas sits fourth with 56 points and enters the season as the reigning Sun Conference Regular Season Champion after going undefeated in conference play a year ago. Thomas has made multiple deep postseason runs, reaching the NAIA Semifinals in 2024 and 2025 and advancing to the championship game in 2023.

Keiser opens the 2026 Sun Conference flag football season as the preseason favorite, earning 80 points and eight first-place votes in the annual poll of league head coaches.

The Seahawks enter the season as the defending Sun Conference Tournament Champion and have advanced to the NAIA Flag Football Finals in each of the past two seasons.

Warner is voted second in the preseason poll with 69 points and one first-place vote, followed by St. Thomas in third with 66 points and one first-place vote.

Webber International rounds out the top five with 48 points, followed by Life with 40 points. Florida Memorial earned 33 points to place seventh, while Point sits eighth with 26 points.

Reinhardt ranks ninth with 20 points, and Brewton-Parker completes the preseason poll with 10 points in its inaugural season as a program.

The 2026 season marks a milestone year for the sport, as NAIA flag football transitions to Invitational status. A total of 35 teams will compete this spring as the NAIA introduces a qualification-based postseason format, further solidifying flag football's growth and long-term presence on college campuses nationwide.

Non-conference action begins Saturday, February 7, with the first conference action on Thursday, February 19. The 2026 Sun Conference Flag Football Tournament will determine the league's automatic qualifier to the NAIA Invitational and will take place April 23–April 25.