D-I College Regionals 2024: Weekend 1 Preview (Women’s Div.)

The bids have been allocated, now it's time to see who will claim the 20 coveted spots to Nationals. First up: GL, ME, NC, OV, SC, SE, and SW!

April 26, 2024 by Jenna Weiner, Bridget Mizener, Grace Conerly, Laura Osterlund and Felicia Zheng in Preview with 0 comments

Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2024 college ultimate season are 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.

There are few more exciting portions of the ultimate calendar than spring College Regionals. For some, these events will be the culmination of a season — or even college career — while for others it’s just another step on their path toward the College Championships over Memorial Day weekend. Count on plenty of dramatic action and unexpected results along the way as every team fights to ensure they fall into the latter group.

Seven regions will take to the fields this weekend across the country to decide their representatives heading to Madison, while the final three will field teams the following weekend. We’ve got you covered on the storylines to watch, the expected contender tiers, and players who could make a difference in ending or extending their team’s seasons!

Great Lakes

• Schedule & Results
• Location: Zeeland, MI
• Number of Bids: 1
• Excitement Level: 
• Expected Qualifiers: Michigan
• In the Hunt: Notre Dame, Chicago

It would be surprising to see a team other than #12 Michigan Flywheel qualify for Nationals, but not impossible. Nevertheless, any challenger will have to beat a Flywheel team that is only gaining momentum. The theme of Flywheel’s season has been consistent improvement. After an OK showing at Queen City Tune Up, Flywheel bounced back and dominated at Commonwealth Cup, only losing (albeit losing big) to top ten team, #10 Tufts Ewo. At ECI in their final regular season tournament of the year, Flywheel were again able to improve, going 5-2 with their only losses coming to #4 UNC Pleiades and Tufts. In particular, they were able to play Tufts within three, which is a marked improvement from Commonwealth (-8 result for them). On top of that, Flywheel also got a look at their top challenger Notre Dame at Conferences, where they bested them 7-3. Furthermore, with do-it-all cutter Kat McGuire and standout handler Calliope Cutchins leading the O-line, all signs point towards Michigan comfortably claiming the sole bid out of the Great Lakes. 

Although Michigan are the clear favorites, it wouldn’t be college regionals without a hungry cast of teams ready to earn the bid. #21 Notre Dame Echo, in particular, had a promising season, at times in a position to earn a second bid for the region. Unfortunately, their late season tournament selection might’ve been their undoing in the algorithm.¹ Nevertheless, Echo’s high tempo and athletic play could carry them past Michigan if they can get hot and Flywheel play poorly. Sophomores Lily Hobday and Claire Hackl anchor the backfield, while Cara Tinson and Elena Dansdill crush downfield. They haven’t been able to beat Michigan in their two previous meetings this season, but maybe third time’s the charm for this resilient Notre Dame squad. 

Chicago Supernova are another team in the hunt looking to play spoiler. Their regular season results are deceiving as they had many players abroad, who have since returned for the Series. This could be a blessing and/or a curse for Supernova. Other teams haven’t seen them at full strength, but they also might suffer from a lack of chemistry. Only time will tell how high Supernova can fly, but teams would be foolish to look past Chicago. 

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Kat McGuire (Michigan) – McGuire is a veteran hybrid with a wealth of high level ultimate experience. Her leadership on and off the field pushed Michigan to new heights this year. Expect her to dominate Great Lakes Regionals. 

Constanza Capriles (Michigan) – The athletic Michigan player can frustrate any cutter with her tight defense and will be especially key in a regional final against any team (but probably Notre Dame).

Lily Hobday (Notre Dame) – Notre Dame’s high tempo offense relies heavily on Hobday’s ability to get open and throw aggressively downfield. Expect her to be around the disc and drive Notre Dame’s offensive success. 

Gloria Adeola (Chicago) – If Supernova plan to make a real run at the bid, they are going to need to make some plays. Enter Adeola: sticky hands, height, and a flair for the big moments. She should have some magic to help push Chicago forward.

Metro East

• Schedule & Results
• Location: Middletown, NY
• Number of Bids: 1
• Excitement Level: 
• Expected Qualifiers: SUNY Binghamton
• In the Hunt: Yale, Connecticut, Columbia, Cornell, Ottawa

After three straight trips to Nationals for SUNY-Binghamton, not to mention a solid spring, there’s every reason to think Jolie Krebs and company will be back this May. All signs point to an extension of their streak and claiming another Metro East title — though Yale Ramona might have something to say about that.

The case for Bing can be summed up in one word: Krebs. There aren’t all that many WUC tryout-caliber players in the college division, and not even all those have Krebs’ killer mentality and unrestricted green light. The supporting cast around her excel in their roles too: Danielle Dattler is clearly a leader for the D-line, and veteran Melissa Torchio is a complement for Krebs behind the disc. 

They’ve assembled a solid resume, going undefeated against regional competition all year, though the games were tight at times: 11-8 over Columbia and 10-9 over Cornell at ECI, and 10-9 over Yale at Commonwealth Cup. It’s worth keeping in mind, though, that all but the Columbia game were in consolation. The score lines at Western NY Conferences, on the other hand, carry a bit more weight: there they annihilated the competition. They’ll be riding that momentum into this weekend.

The one regional foe Bing haven’t played recently is Yale. Ramona are a well-coached unit running a unique offense, but found themselves in the loss column frequently this season as they challenged themselves at high-level tournaments. After playing Bing to universe at Commonwealth, Ramona took some lumps at ECI, including a 15-2 loss to Wisconsin — but they were without the indomitable Wilhelmina Graff that weekend, so those results aren’t as dire as they seem. To say she’s the heart and soul of the team would be an understatement; she’s their do-everything thrower with a winning mentality that the team depends on.

Even with her, the Metro East will be a tough task for Ramona. Yes, they came within a goal of Binghamton early in the season, but it’s not the on-field stuff that’s their toughest obstacle. They weren’t able to get over the hump against Big Bear last year despite being the top seed,² and have fallen to them in the Metro East final for three straight years. The program has never won the region, and getting past Krebs now, at perhaps the height of her powers, is as tall an order psychologically as practically. If Ramona are to get the job done, they’ll need a game-breaking performance from Graff as well as a plan to limit the impact of players not named Krebs — and most importantly, the belief that this year can be their year.

Behind the Big Two are a cohort of teams looking to play spoiler: Connecticut, Columbia, and Cornell. All three played Binghamton close this year, and will be hoping those thin margins can resolve in their favor when it counts — though conference results indicate that when Yale and SUNY Binghamton come to play, they’re in a league of their own. Traditional Canadian wild card, Ottawa, managed to upset Cornell at Conferences while playing with only seven players, so their prospects with a full roster give hope they can pull off an upset or two.

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Jolie Krebs (SUNY-Binghamton) – What hasn’t been said about Krebs at this point? Look no further than her Herculean performance against Carnegie Mellon this year to understand the weight she carries for Big Bear. When she doesn’t want to be denied, she can’t be denied. Expect her to be in takeover mode this weekend.

Wilhelmina Graff (Yale) – The difference between Yale’s results at Commonwealth Cup and East Coast Invite is so wide you can barely see across the chasm. The explanation? At ECI, Ramona was missing Graff. She’s the clear anchor for Ramona; her disc skills are key, but her mere presence as a leader might mean even more.

Carmen Lo (Connecticut) – This year’s UConn squad has a deep group of experienced vets, and Lo is one of the headliners. She’s a dogged defender and her transition from cutter to handler this year speaks to her skill behind the disc.

 

North Central

• Schedule & Results
• Location: Des Moines, IA
• Number of Bids: 1
• Excitement Level: 
• Expected Qualifiers: Carleton
• In the Hunt: Wisconsin, Minnesota

It’s a different year but the same story: the North Central only has one bid, and it will most likely go to #3 Carleton Syzygy. Because, much like Thanos in Avengers Endgame, Syzygy are inevitable. How inevitable, you ask? Nine out of the last 10 regional titles inevitable.³ That’s a near-total eclipse, and we expect the darkness to linger longer for the rest of the region.

After all, Syzygy are the only team at Regionals to beat upper-level Nationals-caliber teams in 2024. Not to mention the fact that they’re the team who broke UNC Pleiades’ winning streak. The top-to-bottom depth of their roster is also a testament to this. Tori Gray, Naomi Fina, and Mia Beeman-Weber all look as strong as we expected. To round things out, rookie Chagall Gelfand fits in nicely and Shanti Chier is having a breakout season.

But no region is complete without several teams hungry for an upset. Here are the ones looking to challenge Syzygy to get the singular coveted bid to Nationals. 

Wisconsin Bella Donna definitely have their eyes on the prize. The top end of their roster contains talented players, such as Sydney French, Hannah Nygard, and Mimi Marino. But where they fall short is the amount of rookies who are new to the team. Factor in their shaky results from Queen City Tune Up, Northwest Challenge, and East Coast Invite, and it’s hard to see a recipe for success this season. Then again, perhaps all of that intense battle-testing will come alive at the perfect moment.

Third in line in the North Central are Minnesota Matrix. Inexperience could keep them, like Wisconsin, from truly peaking as they have more new players this season than returners. Against most regional-level competition over the course of the season, they’ve played well. However, they fell short against anything with a higher caliber, including Syzygy at Conferences. Call it training for 2025. 

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Tori Gray (Carleton) – Over the past few years, Tori Gray has been fueling, charging up to become one of the best players in the division. She’s one of the biggest playmakers on the team at the moment,⁴ and one of the most shot-calling players on the field at any given time.

Naomi Fina (Carleton) – Another pick from Syzygy, Naomi Fina is another one of the best players⁵ on the field at any given time. Borderline unguardable, Fina is one player not many teams have an answer to. Did I mention she’s a top stat-getter and will always find a way to get the job done? 

Sydney French (Wisconsin) – Sydney French is an absolute defensive menace and one of the most experienced rookies around!⁶ Always hunting for the disc, French delivers big plays for her team and has the knowledge and confidence to put in the work on offense when she inevitably gets the block.

Isabel Demo (Minnesota) – Another year, another strong campaign from Demo. The reliable centerpiece of the Matrix attack gets a wealth of touches and can control the offense skillfully. Conditions are rarely picturesque at North Central Regionals, but Demo is comfortable fighting both strong defenders and unpleasant weather, all from the seat of the underdog.

 

Ohio Valley

• Schedule & Results
• Location: Columbus, OH
• Number of Bids: 1
• Excitement Level:
• Expected Qualifiers: UPenn
• In the Hunt: Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Ohio

Throughout the regular season, #19 University of Pennsylvania Venus, #20 University of Pittsburgh Danger, and Ohio State Fever battled it out with each other for regional supremacy –  all three having at least one loss to one another. They all also spent their regular season vying to stay inside the bid earning cutline, and up until the end, two bids looked like a real possibility. Unfortunately, one bid was all she wrote for the Ohio Valley. 

In this region, the no.1 seed is a hot commodity. Venus earned it with the best regular season performance, highlighted by a universe point 9-8 loss to #7 Tufts Ewo. Aside from an early season loss to Ohio State, they were perfect against inter-region competition and are the favorites to win and qualify. Expect veteran handler Dagny Lott and freshman standout Grace Maroon to lead the charge for Penn. 

However, Venus are not without challengers, namely Pittsburgh Danger, who seek a return to Nationals after a shocking loss last year to the Carnegie Mellon Money Mellons. In their last meeting at Conferences, Venus were able to pull out the win 12-9. Nevertheless, a three-point difference is readily made up with a couple of clutch plays from the capable Danger depth. Danger’s win over #11 Washington Element at Stanford Invite shows the ceiling for this team, but their up-and-down regular season leaves question marks around whether they can string together enough good games in a row to make it out of the region.

Other challengers include Ohio State and Ohio Stacked Cats. Up until this point, Fever were on the upswing as a program, but a 1-2 conference record leaves much to be desired. Their most recent meetings with Venus, Danger, and the Stacked Cats were all losses, but by a combined margin of four points. While they certainly don’t have the upper hand in the matchups, it would not be shocking to see them take the bid to Nationals if they can get hot. 

Ohio Stacked Cats are another team who could play spoiler. They didn’t have, strictly speaking, great regular season results, their most impressive game being a universe point loss to Pittsburgh at Commonwealth Cup. But that doesn’t matter if they can put it together when it counts – and their 3-0 record at Conferences indicates they could. 

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Grace Maroon (UPenn) – It often takes a few seasons for standout youth players to translate their game to college. But in the case of Maroon, her impact has been immediate. An athletic cutter that plays bigger than her height, her presence downfield gives the Venus offense a new potency. 

Helen Wu (Pittsburgh) – Pitt’s path back to Nationals will be hard. In order to stay fresh for the game-to-go, it’s imperative they play efficiently. They will rely on veteran handler and defensive presence Helen Wu, whose throwing skill is top-tier in the region.

HG Morrison (Ohio State) – One constant in Morrison’s game is effort. But in the past seasons, they’ve expanded their skillset to include punishing throws and clutch timing. In order to make it back to Nationals, the whole Fever roster must play well; look to Morrison to lead that charge. 

Cora Turney (Ohio) – If Ohio have a chance to make Nationals, it will be on the backs of Turney and Aaliyah Edwards. Turney is a do-it-all player for Ohio, anchoring the backfield and hunting for blocks on defense.

 

South Central

• Schedule & Results
• Location: Austin, TX
• Number of Bids: 2
• Excitement Level:
• Expected Qualifiers: Colorado, Colorado State
• In the Hunt: UT Dallas, WashU, Texas

After a banner year that saw the South Central claim three bids for the first time since 2017, a regression to a two-bid mean sees #7 Colorado Quandary and #15 Colorado State Hell’s Belles as the region’s two bid-earners. While back-to-back national finalists Quandary will be heavy favorites to capture the regional title for a fourth year running, Hell’s Belles are perhaps a more surprising prospect as they try to make a third straight appearance at Nationals. They’ll have to hold off a trio of solid contenders in UT-Dallas Whiplash, WashU Iron Horse, and Texas Melee, but odds are on both Centennial State squads clearing those hurdles without too much issue.

Have Colorado had the best season by their lofty recent standards? Not exactly, since taking a pair of losses at each of their regular season tournaments is not typically the definition of exceptional for Quandary. But are they still head and shoulders above the rest of their regional competition? Without question, as evidenced by the pair of top-10 players leading the charge in Clil Phillips and Stacy Gaskill. Alongside a deep and talented supporting cast that includes the likes of Emma Williamson, Abbie Gillach, and Alison Brzostowicz — and with a blowout 15-6 Conferences win over Colorado State in their back pockets — there’s little reason to think Quandary won’t capture yet another South Central crown.

It was a tale of two tournaments for Hell’s Belles during the regular season. A disappointing three-win showing at Presidents’ Day was followed by an undefeated run to the Centex title, which was enough to vault them into the bid picture. Colorado State’s place as a probable Nationals qualifier shouldn’t be a surprise, though. With a solid core of contributors, the Fort Collins crew have been able to sustain their level over the past three seasons after making their Nationals debut in 2022. Grace Brown is the team’s primary distributor, racking up 21 assists at the 2023 College Championships, though she has plenty of support with Char Bokhof, Cice Kim, and Willow Purvis all stepping up at different points this season. With only in-region losses to Colorado and a pair of solid wins over Texas at Centex, Hell’s Belles should have enough to make it a trio of Nationals appearances after this weekend.

Beyond the top two, there is some combined upset potential. UT-Dallas haven’t quite put together the sizzling one-loss regular season that marked their 2023 rise, and as a result have fallen back to the pack. They are, however, Nationals-experienced in a way they weren’t last season – and that makes them dangerous. Speaking of experienced, WashU brings a load of seniors to try to bust through to Madison, headlined by Casey Ellyson, Isabel Singer, and Olivia Gerregano. Iron Horse are punchy and unafraid, key ingredients in the recipe for an upset.

Former South Central stalwarts Texas Melee are the final team with any real hope of contention. Their ranking would have us believe the Nationals slump that began a few years ago remains in effect. A closer look at the results table, however, shows a program on the come up. They’ve played respectably well against Colorado State, smashed WashU in Centex consolation, and played UT-Dallas to universe. Nationals-bound or no, that’s some spice for this weekend’s South Central chili.

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Emma Williamson (Colorado) – Since Quandary graduated 2023 standouts Bailey Shigley and Saioa Lostra, Williamson has taken on a huge amount of the throwing load. Her combination of creativity and power has been more than up to the task.

Willow Purvis (Colorado State) – A first-year standout in 2023, Purvis is set to level-up this postseason to even loftier heights. At her best she’s a blazing downfield target for the disc-slinging Grace Brown.

Allison Chang (UT-Dallas) – Alongside the now-graduated Kimmy Wilson, Chang was the engine behind Whiplash’s push to Nationals in 2023. If they are going to repeat their trip to the Big Dance, they’ll need something like that Natties line (10G/7A/7B) this weekend in Austin.

 

Southeast

• Schedule & Results
• Location: Decatur, AL
• Number of Bids: 1
• Excitement Level: 
• Expected Qualifiers: Georgia
• In the Hunt: UCF, Georgia Tech, UAH, Tennessee

For the last four years, #22 Georgia Athena have been the presumptive favorites in the Southeast. This year, that status is even more solidified: their young talent has another year of experience, and they’ve played good games against Nationals-caliber competition. That said, the undefeated, though relatively untested, Central Florida Sirens await — and sparks could fly if and when they collide.

Last year we wondered if any team in the Southeast would figure out how to limit then-freshman star handler Quincy Booth. Spoiler: they didn’t. Now she’s a year older, a year wiser, and all the more unstoppable. It’s almost unfair that she’s paired with a sparkplug receiver and do-everything athlete downfield in Fiona Cashin. It’s a combination that, on its own, can get you far in college ultimate. But Athena have a team behind them, including veteran handler Mia Bongcaron and captain Sami Chambers, which helps distribute the load. 

Thus far, Georgia have had the spring we’ve come to expect from Athena units of late: strong performances early in weekends where they test good teams (a 12-10 win over Michigan at Queen City, a 14-10 loss to Tufts at Commonwealth Cup) and some unwatchable Sunday games once their legs give out (13-5 and 9-8 losses to Michigan and Ohio State, respectively, at Commonwealth). That being said, no team scored more nine goals against them all weekend at Conferences — they can find the juice when it counts.

Not to relegate the remaining teams to also-ran status — the games haven’t been played yet! — but the resumes of the hopefuls in the region don’t hold a candle to Athena’s. Yes, Georgia Tech Wreck, Central Florida, Tennessee BOS, and Alabama-Huntsville Terror are a combined 79-16 this season, but they’ve played just three ranked opponents all year, all losses.⁷ That amount of connectivity is so inadequate that we don’t really have a good idea where these teams land. 

So, making case for the field involves a bit of work. UCF probably have the strongest argument: they’re 26-0, and I’ll let you peruse the absurd point diff they’ve rung up. It’s quite the accomplishment, especially considering the Sirens often practice with the open team because they can’t always get numbers.⁸ But they just don’t have the data points against Athena-level competition; their best win is probably over D-III #2 Colorado College Zenith at Centex. But hey — teams don’t stay undefeated by accident. If UCF can get hot and Athena get a case of the Sundays, the Sirens have an outside chance to keep the loss column clean for one more weekend.

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Quincy Booth (Georgia) – It’s hard to believe Booth is just a sophomore. Her cocktail of game-breaking length and lefty throwing prowess is a package that college defenses (rightly) fear — after all, it gave club defenders pause last summer during her time on Ozone. She’s also more mobile than defenders anticipate. All in? She’s a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Fiona Cashin (Georgia) – Cashin is the veteran player every college team needs. Not only is she relentlessly high-effort on the field — she’s a dogged defender and lays out at the drop of a hat — but she sets a fundamentally sound example and serves as a clear model for her young Athena squad.

Lindsey Evans (Central Florida) – When teams only take 11 players to tournaments, you can be sure there are some grinders on the roster. Evans is the latest to fit that mold for the Sirens. Her presence behind the disc is essential to the UCF offense, point after point.

Emma Patterson (Tennessee) – Skilled volume throwers are worth their weight in gold in the college division. Patterson shoulders a lot of that load for Big Orange Screw after several years on the team, especially now that her 2023 backfield partner Macy Hudson is at North Carolina.

Sara Mog (UAH) – Mog is a former U24 tryout invitee with Club Nationals experience on Space Force — that’s a lot of important big-time reps. Between her disc skills and that resume, she plays a lot bigger than her listed 5’2” as a handler for Terror.

 

Southwest

• Schedule & Results
• Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
• Number of Bids: 4
• Excitement Level: 
• Expected Qualifiers: Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego
• In the Hunt: UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, Cal Poly SLO

The Southwest region looks like it’s going to be spicy. What’s new there? With four bids back on the line for the second time in three seasons, there will be opportunities. But this is all old hat for the denizens of the Southwest, who have arrived at their Regional Championship knowing there were three or more tickets to Nationals up for grabs for nearly 10 consecutive years.⁹ There’s plenty of backdoor bracket experience to go around.

That said, the region’s most dominant programs have to feel pretty comfortable with some margin for error to buttress their attempts to qualify. #6 Stanford Superfly and #8 UC Santa Barbara Burning Skirts look well clear of the field, and #13 UC San Diego Dragon Coalition are the only other team to win the region since California Pie Queens did it back in 2012.

Stanford are the clear favorites, led by much of the talented crew that captured the Southwest crown last year. They’ve gone undefeated in intraregion play, including wins over the entire cast of teams chasing them; they haven’t lost to another Southwest team since 2022(!). What few doubts there are about Superfly are attached to their ability to finish in the division’s top four at Nationals; they haven’t quite earned the wins that inspire confidence there. But at Regionals? The resume is sterling.

While the Power Rankings don’t separate UCSB from Stanford by much, their record is spottier. They’ve split results with both UCSD and #16 UC Santa Cruz Sol this regular season. While this renders them vulnerable to drop a spot or two, there is a wealth of talent to offer assurance that they can extend their qualification streak to six.

D-Co, meanwhile, have been pinned just outside of the elite tiers of the division, taking a lot of close losses to the teams ranked above them. They haven’t been convincing against the primary group of Southwest challengers, either, although they have won more than they’ve lost. A disappointing fifth-place finish at Regionals in 2023 — they missed Nationals entirely — will provide ample motivation, and they can afford to flub a game with a fourth bid in play.

The thrill of the Southwest will likely come from the game of musical chairs we will see for the fourth bid. For much of the season, UCSC looked the most in-rhythm of the competitors, led by Goodness Nwakudu, Monica O’Brien Saez, and rookie phenom Rachel Chang, but they faltered in a 10-7 loss to #23 UC Davis Rogue at NorCal Conferences. They’ll rematch in pool play. Meanwhile, Cal Poly SLO SLO Motion finished the season tied in the USAU rankings with Davis, a few spots outside the bid cutoff, in large part thanks to an explosive Stanford Invite performance where they beat both #11 Washington Element and #17 Victoria Vikes.¹⁰ That indicates a high ceiling, but SLO Motion are also are the ninth seed after a shocking Conferences loss to USC Hellions of Troy, so they are a wild card. Betsy Siegal, Georgia Cardosa, and the California Pie Queens should not be overlooked, and Mya Mitchell, Sabrina Belkin, and UCLA BLU have certainly been through the school of hard knocks this season.

If reading through that last paragraph felt crazy, just imagine how actually playing through the Byzantine backdoor pathways will feel for the teams involved.

Players Who Could Make a Difference

Sophie Havranek (UC Santa Barbara) – Capable of presenting a defensive challenge and then anchoring offensive possessions, Havranek’s experience and toughness give UCSB a reliable source of potential breaks. If they can keep the O-line fresh, they have a chance to knock off Stanford and to fend off their challengers.

Monica O’Brien Saez (UC Santa Cruz) – Rookie Rachel Chang has drawn a lot of attention, and O’Brien-Saez has benefitted from better matchups and having an elite thrower to set up her scoring opportunities. If she’s winning her matchups, Sol’s prospects go up significantly.

Abbi Shilts (UC San Diego) – Shilts’ reputation precedes her, but she wears that responsibility well. She’s had plenty of reps as a focal point to be comfortable in that position, and the fact is D-Co need their star player to maintain that high level of play if they want to deliver at Regionals.

Charis Gray (Cal Poly SLO) – What version of SLO will show up to host the best of the Southwest? Particularly on Sunday, SLO will need Gray’s field vision and throwing to help navigate the region’s many zone looks in the backdoor bracket.

Betsy Siegal (California) – You’re not having déjà vu; Siegal retakes a position on this list as a player on whom the region’s fortunes could pivot. After a very difficult regular season, NorCal Conferences was Cal’s first showing with a winning record. Siegal’s offensive leadership is paramount if the Pie Queens want to play spoiler.

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1. By failing to “blow out” Florida State at Tally Classic, they dropped in the rankings. The difference between having the game thrown out versus having it count against them was a single goal. ↩

2. losing in the final 12-11 ↩

3. Shout-out Wisconsin 2016! ↩

4. See the fact that she threw the game-winning assist to beat UNC ↩

5. And yet some might say still underrated ↩

6. Two years playing on Milwaukee Monarchs, two years on NOISE, with one WUCC appearance, and Master’s Nationals MVP on Drag’n Rust, all in her first three years of playing Ultimate ↩

7. Wreck lost 13-4 and 10-5 to UPenn and Brown; Tennessee lost 15-9 to Georgia at Conferences. ↩

8. Their Conferences roster was 11-strong. ↩

9. The exception was a two-bid aberration way back in 2015. ↩

10. Current rankings; they were #7 and #12, respectively, at the time. ↩