Rounding out the last of our fall college awards.
January 21, 2022 by Fiona "Scotti" Nugent and Mags Colvett in Awards with 0 comments
Ultiworld’s 2021 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members.
Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. While the 2021 college season certainly wasn’t typical with its quick course through a fall Series to a first-ever December College Championships, we still want to celebrate and honor the tremendous performances we saw.
Ultiworld is pleased to announce our annual D-III All-American Teams. These players were selected for their overall performance in the 2021 college season. Please join us in honoring the best college players of the year.
- Player of the Year
- Offensive Player of the Year Award
- Defensive Player of the Year Award
- Breakout Player of the Year Award
- Rookie of the Year Award
- Coach of the Year Award
- All-American First Team
- All-American Second Team
D-III Women’s 2021 All-American Second Team
Sophie Havranek (Occidental)
Coming in seeded no.9 and finishing 5th, Occidental WAC’s success would not have been possible without our BPOTY, Sophie Havranek. With lockdown defense that let no easy throws off, Havranek was seemingly able to cover the entire field. Able to quickly convert to offense, Occidental handlers looked to Havranek in both the deep space and with quick under cuts. With 5 recorded assists and 6 goals, Havranek was crucially involved in each play Occidental made in the bracket. Only a junior, it is easy to see Sophia Havranek continuing her dominance on the field going into next year.
Emily Hall (Carleton)
The box scores for Carleton Eclipse tell the story of a well-balanced team with plenty of throwing and receiving options to spread the statistical wealth around; most overall stat categories have three or four names clustered at the top within a point of each other, rather than any single standout block-getter or goal-scorer doing most of the work. While senior Emily Hall’s contributions place her among her team’s top assist-makers at the tournament, she stands out for her versatility and capacity to break out bold throws that shred opponents’ defensive schemes — all without compromising the reliability that makes her an essential piece of the well-oiled Carleton machine.
Victoria Davis (Richmond)
Richmond may not have been in play in the championship bracket, but that didn’t stop graduate standout Victoria Davis from coming back to Norco with a fiery passion. Throwing an unreal 34 — yes, 34 — recorded assists and scoring 5 goals herself, Davis solidified herself as a no-doubt All-American. From pool play, Davis’ intensity was clear. Leading her team with her experience, Davis dictated the offensive flow of each point. Although Richmond’s finish wasn’t what they hoped, younger players will be able to look up to Victoria Davis as an example of stellar offense and bring back her Red Hot intensity in the spring.
Sidra Pierson (Middlebury)
In an offense that likes its deep shots, senior Sidra Pierson was often the player whose foot speed extended the field and aerial prowess turned visionary throws into game-sealing goals. Pierson’s no “wait around until you can cut deep and catch it in the end zone” cutter, though — she threw her share of assists on the weekend, too, and her defensive work against Portland in the final secured important points for Middlebury before they ran away with the game entirely. With athleticism and panache to spare, she both shines and fits right in on a sparkling Pranksters roster, and it’s a testament to the depth of their talent this year that she comes in this second set of All-Americans.
Jessica Tiller (Truman State)
TSUnami’s offense was run through runner-up OPOTY Jessica Tiller, who proved herself as versatile as they come. Able to thwart defensive threats and best her matchups in speed and in the air, Tiller continually found the disc in her hands and knew exactly where to put it. Truman State’s specialty stood out early in pool play, as Tiller put up crossfield flick huck after crossfield flick huck to teammates who were wide open in the opposite endzone corner. This signature move racked up 8 assists for Tiller throughout bracket play, and she was able to score 3 goals herself, as her chemistry with handler Lauren Wiggins was undeniable.
Mimi Tran (Richmond)
Watching Richmond’s Donovan nominee play is like watching a highlight reel. With superb athleticism, Mimi Tran was everywhere — making handblocks on the mark, laying out to score, and skying matchups to catch floaty, otherwise contested discs. The Red Hots’ offense relied on Tran, with cutters looking to her for quick resets and handlers looking to her as she streaked downfield. Racking up 15 goals and 13 assists, Tran was tireless, but played each point with a collected calm that comes with experience and confidence with a disc. Although we won’t be able to see Mimi Tran continue her dominance with Richmond, it is easy to be excited about what show she’ll put on in the club scene.
Kamryn You Mak (Middlebury)
It’s rare to see a pure specialist make one of our All-American teams. It’s a true testament to Kamryn You Mak’s impact on defense that she has earned this second-team spot despite only playing defensive points. Our DPOTY was a menace to opponents all weekend, getting blocks in a variety of ways. Whether shutting a handler down in matchup defense or swooping in from the wing of Middlebury’s zone, You Mak was making her presence felt. If You Mak’s contributions on the offensive side of the disc develop to match her defense, she’ll be a unanimous first-teamer in no time.
