The biggest highlights of the last 10 Club Nationals.
October 14, 2024 by Lindsay Soo and Keith Raynor in Video with 0 comments
We getting close to the first pull of the USA Ultimate club National Championships. Our anticipation has us longing for the superplays of yesteryear. We are looking back at 10 of the best highlights from the last 10 years of Nationals.
Here they are in historical order.
2013 Claire Desmond
2013 – Claire Desmond Layout Block
Back in 2013, San Francisco Fury was still the unquestioned class of the game, so their semifinal matchup against Showdown felt a bit David vs. Goliath. But despite Showdown giving Fury a tough pool play game, the Bay Area club ran away with the semi, punctuated by this smothering layout block by superstar Claire Desmond.
2014 Cam Bailey
2014 – Cam Bailey Layout Block to Assist from the Ground
Cam Bailey may have recently retired from Mixtape, but back in 2014, he was just a flashy figure for the Seattle up-and-comer. They bashed through to the final with signature flair, perhaps with no moment more memorable than Bailey’s block-and-seated-assist.
2015 Gwen Ambler
2015 – Gwen Ambler Layout Block
Another legend of the game making a tremendously athletic play look routine.
2016 Nick Stuart
2016 – Nick Stuart Layout Goal
The Sockeye big man showed off the speed and the hands on this deep strike against Revolver in pool play in 2016. It’s no wonder he was one of the men’s division’s most feared deep threats.
2017 Jesse Shofner
2017 – Jesse Shofner Layout Block
Speaking of feared deep threats, Sandy Jorgensen is one of the game’s greatest to ever do it. But the potential Hall of Famer couldn’t find a way to get this one past the explosive Jesse Shofner, who once again showed height isn’t the end all, be all in the deep space.
2018 Tyler Monroe
2018 – Tyler Monroe Sky and Spike
Way before they were the efficient dink-and-dunk offense, Truck was making use of Tyler Monroe’s size and aerial skills. Although this play might not be iconic if it weren’t for the contributions of Markham Shofner, who briefly rides Monroe’s back in celebration. Giddy up, TyMon.
2019 Von Alanguilan
2019 – Von Alanguilan Layout Block
One of the modern media eras most iconic plays, Von Alanguilan blindsided Matt Rehder, the rest of Sockeye, Ian Toner & Evan Lepler, and the entire viewing audience with this splashy two-handed interception to save a score in the closing points of a national final.
2021 Mary Rippe
2021 – Mary Rippe Layout Block
Phoenix and Fury played one of the most tremendous semifinals of recent memory, and Mary Rippe’s layout block, just barely getting a piece of the disc, and the ensuing fist-pump afterwards, are both emblematic of how close and how intense it was.
2022 Christian Boxley
2022 – Christian Boxley Layout Catch
Christian Boxley’s ascendancy to being one of the most highly regarded players in the world happened fast. So do many of his big plays. We get a little time to enjoy his quickness and grit on this one, where he tracked down Andrew Roy’s huck for a goal in their final against Johnny Bravo.
2023 Lily Trautmann
2023 – Lily Trautmann Layout Handblock
German import Lily Trautmann was a key part of Brute Squad’s surprisingly 2023 title run. Their championship was anchored by signature Brute defense, signified by Trautman’s layout point block in the final.
Bonus 2015 Khalif El-Salaam
Just a little something extra from Khalif.
