The Marymount Saints captured the first-ever Jets ECAC Women's Flag Football Championship with a thrilling 37-26 win over the Franciscan Barons in Sunday afternoon's title game at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. The Saints earned the honor of lifting "The Betty," a trophy celebrating the legacy of philanthropist Betty Wold Johnson and her enduring commitment to education, service, and community impact.

Marymount QB Jesenia Velez, a Staten Island native who attended James Madison HS and played for a Jets sponsored PSAL team, was named tournament MVP. She amassed 253 yards from scrimmage and 6 TDs – 2 each passing, receiving and running.

"This is what we trained for, and we came and we showed up," Velez said. "We worked so hard to get to this point and we executed the entire weekend."

After going 10-2 in the regular season, Marymount entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Saints tripped up Eastern, the No. 4 seed, 13-12 in the semifinals before their 11-point victory over Franciscan. The Barons, who downed No. 8 seeded Mount St. Mary's 25-12 and then pulled off a stunner with an upset of No. 1 seeded Montclair State 13-0, were led by HC Connor Arila. The former West Virgina wideout played collegiately with Jets QB Geno Smith.

"I'm pumped for my guy Connor," Smith said. " We had a special relationship as teammates at West Virginia, and to reconnect at the Jets as he coaches in the largest women's college flag league in the country is especially meaningful to me. This sport deserves to be shared with everyone, and I'm proud to be part of an organization that's creating a pathway for women at every level."

The two-day championship tournament, supported by Johnson & Johnson, marked the conclusion of the Jets ECAC Women's Flag Football League's inaugural season, which launched in March following a $1 million commitment from the Betty Wold Johnson

Foundation. The playoffs featured the league's top eight teams competing in quarterfinal, semifinal, and championship matchups on the Jets practice fields.

"This championship showcased the very best of the inaugural season of ECAC Women's Flag Football with high-level competition, outstanding student-athletes, and programs that continue to elevate the sport," said Dan Coonan, ECAC Commissioner. "We are incredibly grateful to Woody Johnson, the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation, and the New York Jets for their leadership and vision in bringing this league to athletes."

The championship tournament brought all the ECAC action to Florham Park, with hundreds of fans following the games in person and via livestream on newyorkjets.com and the official Jets App.

"What we are seeing with girls and women's flag football is unprecedented growth, and the New York Jets have been at the forefront of that momentum," said Callie Brownson, USA Football senior director of high performance & national team operations and Jets Flag Advisor. "The ECAC Women's Flag Football League is creating more meaningful collegiate opportunities and helping raise the competitive standard of the game, while giving athletes a clear pathway to continue playing and developing at the highest levels."

The Jets ECAC Women's Flag Football League consisted of 15 founding programs across seven states, representing one of the largest collegiate women's flag football leagues in the country. After a successful 2026 season, the league is expected to expand in 2027, further strengthening its position as a premier platform for women's collegiate flag football.

"This championship represents much more than the conclusion of a season as it reflects the Jets long-standing commitment to growing girls flag football at every level," said Jesse Linder, Jets vice president of community relations. "From taking initiative with the PSAL, launching the first High School Girl's Flag Football League in New Jersey, and now making an impact on the collegiate stage with the ECAC, we have established a clear and sustainable pathway for young women to continue playing the game they love."