Ultiworld’s 2022 Throw Of The Year Bracket (Round 1)

Help decide the best recorded throw of 2022.

January 30, 2023 by Ultiworld in Awards, Opinion with 0 comments

Ultiworld’s 2022 Throw of the Year bracket is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.

One of our most popular series to begin each year, it’s time to look back at last year and let our readers decide some of the top plays of the year from 2022.

We watched many hours of game footage and asked for help from the community to hunt down the hucks, breaks, bombs, dimes, and everything else. This was a big year for ultimate with more than enough options to fill up this bracket, so even some worthy candidates were left behind.

We have a new system to select the victor for 2022: a voting triumvirate of the community at large, our staff, and our subscribers. Over the next week, we’re inviting you, the Ultiworld readers, to vote for your favorite of the finalists selected. It’ll be best of three in those categories to decide the winner.

Check out all of the nominees and vote below, then check back to see which clips advance for another opportunity to participate. The first round of voting starts now and closes on February 1 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Matchup 1: Cardenas vs. Gaskill

Valeria Cardenas – Team Colombia (World Games)

Valeria Cardenas

2022 Women’s Club Player of the Year impressed on the world stage with her powerful and creative throws, including this scoober in the semifinals of the World Games versus Team USA. Adam Ruffner says it best: Valeria is a wizard.

Stacy Gaskill – Colorado Quandary (USAU College)

Stacy Gaskill

You’ve seen great pulls, but have you ever seen 10 great pulls in a row that shut out the opposing team to mount a comeback win in the quarterfinals of D-I College Nationals? Now you have.

 

Matchup 2: Kimura vs. Fennig

Lauren Kimura – Toronto 6ixers (USAU Club)

Lauren Kimura

With ice in her veins, Kimura completes an incredibly difficult, pin-point accurate, same third huck for the universe point win over Flipside at this year’s Club Championships.

Robyn Fennig – Madison NOISE (USAU Club)

Robyn Fennig

Mixed Player of the Year Robyn Fennig has always been known for her big throws and this year was no exception. This flick huck on universe point vs. BFG advanced Madison NOISE to their second straight club semifinal. 

 

Matchup 3: Walczak vs. Lo

Levke Walczk – Boston Brute Squad (USAU Club)

Levke Walczak

One of the breakout stars of 2022 comes up with a massive 65+ yard backhand huck from a standstill in the semifinal of the Club Championships.

Tracey Lo – Indy Red (PUL)

Tracey Lo

Tracey Lo shows us power, precision, and pizzazz with this cross-field flick that drops perfectly into her receiver’s hands during this wind-stricken regular season PUL game.

 

Matchup 4: Cardenas  vs. Hsu

Valeria Cardenas – Denver Molly Brown (USAU Club)

Valeria Cardenas

Cardenas, truly a master with the disc, makes the bracket for another throw: this time a powerful standstill forehand huck in the finals of the Pro Championships. Unsurprisingly, this is not the first time she’s made this bracket twice.

Cheryl Hsu – Seattle Tempest (WUL)

Cheryl Hsu

Cheryl Hsu impresses with a huge flick covering the massive field at the inaugural WUL/AUDL mixed showcase this November.

 

Matchup 5: Mickle vs. Izquierdo

Jimmy Mickle (Flick) – New York PoNY (USAU Club)

Jimmy Mickle

Shockingly, Jimmy Mickle has never made the Throw of the Year Bracket. This year, he makes it twice. Mickle uses power and finesse to rocket this cross-field flick 80 yards, landing it perfectly in the lap of Harper Garvey for a goal in the Club Championships semifinal.

Kevin Izquierdo – Team Shake (Color Of Ultimate)

Kevin Izquierdo

In the WUCC Color of Ultimate Showcase game, Kevin Izquierdo launches a towering  hammer from half field with incredible accuracy that lands it directly in the back corner of the end zone.

Matchup 6: Tulett vs. Froude

Tom Tulett – Team Australia (World Games)

Tom Tulett

Tom Tulett rocked the international stage at the World Games this year. He had many impressive hammers this year, both in the club season and for the Crocs, but none were better than this hammer assist from half field in the final vs. USA.

Jay Froude – Colorado Summit (AUDL)

Jay Froude

Back against the wall and no where to go, Jay Froude puts up a shot that was not a Hail Mary, but a perfectly placed cross-field forehand blade to the end zone to get Summit out of a sticky situation.

Matchup 7: Mickle vs. Bergmeier

Jimmy Mickle (Backhand) – New York PoNY (USAU Club)

Jimmy Mickle

Not only is Mickle here twice, but he has two throws from the same game. This time backhand, this time upwind, still perfect placement for the receiver.

Bret Bergmeier – Minnesota Windchill (AUDL)

Bret Bergmeier

Bret Bergmeier shows off cat-like reflexes to perform an in-field buzzer beater greatest in this regular season AUDL matchup vs. the Mechanix. Shoutout to his teammates Marty Adams and Dylan DeClerck for the extra mac and bid to get the goal.

Matchup 8: Atkins vs. Wilder

Alex Atkins – Colorado Mamabird (USAU College)

Alex Atkins

We’ve seen some sweet no-look passes (last year’s finalist Elijah Long in the AUDL final, honorable mention Khalif El-Salaam at the WUCC final) but how often have you seen look-away hucks? Alex Atkins uses a head fake to move the defense and launches an impressive backhand blade over a zone in pool play vs. Minnesota at the D-I college championships.

Carson Wilder – Dallas Legion (AUDL)

Carson Wilder

The AUDL is known for its big throws and Carson Wilder makes it extra fun with this huge scoober assist vs. their Texas rival, Austin Sol.