The NFL's ongoing efforts to promote flag football have led to an NCAA conference making women's flag football a varsity sport for the first time.

The Minnesota Vikings announced Monday they are partnering with six NCAA school in the Midwest to launch a collegiate women's flag football league. Augustana University (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)

The six participating colleges are Northwestern-St. Paul, Bethel, Wisconsin-Stout, Gustavus Adolphus, Augustana and Concordia-Moorhead.

Lincoln Financial Field has hosted many historical events, but on Monday, it made history as the venue for a landmark moment in women’s flag football. The Atlantic East Conference hosted a media day for the inaugural season of women’s flag football,

The participating schools are Augustana University, Concordia College Moorhead, Gustavus Adolphus College, Bethel University, the University of Northwestern St. Paul and the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

The University of Wisconsin Stout is getting girls on the gridiron this spring with support from an NFL team. The school is launching a new women's flag football team. This will be the first college in Wisconsin to have one.

The growth of flag football in Minnesota took another significant step in the right direction this week.

The Vikings and the NFL are partnering with six NCAA schools in and near Minnesota to launch the women's flag football league.

The Atlantic East Conference is launching its first varsity women's flag football season this spring, making it the first NCAA conference to do so and increasing optimism that flag football will ultimately be recognized by the NCAA as an official championship sport.