Some shakeups heading into Regionals.
September 23, 2021 by Ultiworld in Rankings with 0 comments
Each week, we’ll post an updated edition of our Power Rankings here on the front page to facilitate discussion in the comments and help us share each week’s rankings via social media. The most up-to-date version can always be found on our permanent rankings page.
Our 2021 Club Power Rankings are presented by ARIA Discs, who believes ultimate is more than a sport — it’s a community. You can join ARIA to change the world through ultimate.
Club Mixed Power Rankings:
| Rank | Team | Change | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dropped from rankings: Madison NOISE (24), Huntsville Space Force (25) | |||
| 1 | Washington DC Space Heater | +1 | 2 |
| 2 | Seattle BFG | +2 | 4 |
| 3 | Seattle Mixtape | -2 | 1 |
| 4 | Fort Collins shame. | -1 | 3 |
| 5 | Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust | - | 5 |
| 6 | Philadelphia AMP | - | 6 |
| 7 | Durham Toro | - | 7 |
| 8 | Boston Slow | +2 | 10 |
| 9 | Ann Arbor Hybrid | +2 | 11 |
| 10 | Boston Sprocket | +2 | 12 |
| 11 | Seattle Sorta | +2 | 13 |
| 12 | Cleveland Crocs | +2 | 14 |
| 13 | Arizona Lawless | -5 | 8 |
| 14 | San Francisco Mischief | -5 | 9 |
| 15 | Seattle Birdfruit | - | 15 |
| 16 | Columbus Cocktails | - | 16 |
| 17 | Dallas Public Enemy | - | 17 |
| 18 | Chicago U54 Ultimate | +1 | 19 |
| 19 | New York XIST | -1 | 18 |
| 20 | Washington DC Rally | - | 20 |
| 21 | Nashville ‘Shine | - | 21 |
| 22 | Los Angeles Lotus | - | |
| 23 | San Francisco Polar Bears | - | |
| 24 | Oregon Administrators | -2 | 22 |
| 25 | Montana MOONDOG | -2 | 23 |
Mixed Discussion
- There’s no way around it: the mixed Power Rankings are a total mess right now. Surprise Sectional upsets contradicting all earlier evidence as well as the incredible depth of good but not great teams means almost every spot on the board is open to debate. It starts at the very top, where Washington DC Space Heater reclaims the #1 spot after a two-week hiatus, thanks to Seattle BFG upsetting crosstown rivals and former #1 Mixtape in the Washington/BC Sectional final to rejigger the Top 4.
- What should we make of Arizona Lawless and San Francisco Mischief? Two consensus Top 10 teams heading into the Series, both finished third at their respective Sectional tournaments — and in so doing, may have put themselves on a collision course for an early matchup at Regionals. Without over-reacting too much, they each drop five spots this week and seem equally likely to rebound or drop further depending on their Regionals performance in Norco. Just when you think Southwest mixed could be relatively straightforward…
- The Southwest Sectionals champs, Los Angeles Lotus and San Francisco Polar Bears, enter the rankings this week at #22 and #23 respectively. Both have mixed results this season, but will head to Regionals in a good position to claim a Nationals bid and show they belong in the top half of this board.
- Also moving up a spot this week is Chicago U54 Ultimate. In their first action of the season, the veteran squad blew away the competition at Central Plains Sectionals. A one-bid Great Lakes Regionals is going to be a blast to watch unfold for neutral fans.
- Yo-yoing out of the Top 25 this week to make space for the Southwest Sectionals winners are Madison NOISE and Huntsville Space Force, as both teams have been in and out of the back end of these rankings for a while. Strong performances from either at their respective Regionals — even if they don’t walk away with bids — could be enough to ensure they end up in the Power Rankings at the close of the season.
Club Women's Power Rankings:
| Rank | Team | Change | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dropped from rankings: Seattle END (25) | |||
| 1 | San Francisco Fury | - | 1 |
| 2 | Denver Molly Brown | - | 2 |
| 3 | Boston Brute Squad | - | 3 |
| 4 | Raleigh Phoenix | - | 4 |
| 5 | Portland Schwa | - | 5 |
| 6 | Vancouver Traffic | - | 6 |
| 7 | Columbus Rival | +2 | 9 |
| 8 | Chicago Nemesis | +2 | 10 |
| 9 | Washington DC Grit | +2 | 11 |
| 10 | Boston Siege | +2 | 12 |
| 11 | New York BENT | +2 | 13 |
| 12 | Pittsburgh Parcha | +2 | 14 |
| 13 | Seattle Riot | -6 | 7 |
| 14 | Oakland LOL | +4 | 18 |
| 15 | San Francisco Nightlock | -7 | 8 |
| 16 | San Diego Wildfire | +4 | 20 |
| 17 | Minneapolis Pop | -2 | 15 |
| 18 | Virginia Rebellion | -2 | 16 |
| 19 | Denver Small Batch | -2 | 17 |
| 20 | Florida Tabby Rosa | -1 | 19 |
| 21 | Albany Rebel Rebel | - | 21 |
| 22 | Seattle Underground | - | |
| 23 | St. Louis Stellar | -1 | 22 |
| 24 | Madison Heist | -1 | 23 |
| 25 | Atlanta Ozone | -1 | 24 |
Women’s Discussion
- Truly, we are in unprecedented times for the women’s Power Rankings. Seattle Riot, who prior to opening this season at #7 had never sat lower than #4 on our board in the history of our Top 25, opened their 2021 account by losing to traditional crosstown little sister Underground at Sectionals. Seeing the longtime powerhouse and two-time defending world champs sitting at #13 — and they could entirely justifiably be much lower — just about breaks our brains. We’ll see how they rebound at Regionals.
- As was the case in mixed, Sectional events in California shook up the Women’s Top 25 as well. Oakland LOL move up four spots to #14 after knocking off Bay Area rivals Nightlock, as do #16 San Diego Wildfire who stomped their way to a SoCal title. As usual, these three look ready to battle for just two bids to Nationals.
- With their Sectionals win, Seattle Underground return to our Power Rankings for the first time since dropping out in mid-August. At #22, they push out Seattle END, whose brief cameo looks likely to be their last this season after going winless at Sectionals.
Club Men's Power Rankings:
| Rank | Team | Change | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Sockeye | - | 1 |
| 2 | Chicago Machine | - | 2 |
| 3 | San Francisco Revolver | - | 3 |
| 4 | Raleigh Ring of Fire | - | 4 |
| 5 | Atlanta Chain Lightning | - | 5 |
| 6 | Washington DC Truck Stop | - | 6 |
| 7 | Portland Rhino Slam! | - | 7 |
| 8 | Minneapolis Sub Zero | - | 8 |
| 9 | Denver Johnny Bravo | - | 9 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh Temper | - | 10 |
| 11 | New York PoNY | - | 11 |
| 12 | SoCal Condors | - | 12 |
| 13 | Austin Doublewide | - | 13 |
| 14 | Boulder Lotus | - | 14 |
| 15 | Boston Dig | - | 15 |
| 16 | Amherst Sprout | - | 16 |
| 17 | Virginia Vault | - | 17 |
| 18 | Madison Mad Men | - | 18 |
| 19 | Utah Killjoys | - | 19 |
| 20 | Seattle Emerald City | - | 20 |
| 21 | Tennessee Tanasi | - | 21 |
| 22 | Raleigh-Durham United | - | 22 |
| 23 | New Jersey Garden State Ultimate | - | 23 |
| 24 | Philadelphia Phoenix FC | - | 24 |
| 25 | Philadelphia Phantom | - | 25 |
Men’s Discussion
- For all the movement in Mixed and Women’s divisions this week, the men’s rankings were calm as can be. #22 Raleigh-Durham United was the only ranked team to pick up a loss this weekend, finishing third at North Carolina Sectionals. With both teams already qualified for Regionals, they dropped a placement game to The Expendables in a rematch from pool play that RDU had won.
