Your guide to the biggest players, teams, and stories of the 2025 D-I college season!
January 24, 2025 by Grace Conerly, Felicia Zheng, Laura Osterlund, Bridget Mizener, Edward Stephens and Emilia Scheemaker in Coverage, Preview

Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2025 college ultimate season 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.
A few weeks after the New Years ball drops wrap up, the murmur of the coming college season begins in earnest. By the time it is nearly February, the whirring of the hype machine is hitting a fever pitch. As the first major tournament weekend approaches, we want to make sure you’re fully prepared for another uproarious college season. Like those that came before it, get ready for the ups, the downs, the thrillers, the stars, the new kids, and all of the wonderful things that make it so beloved with the annual College Primer.
Major Storylines

Fighting for Five
#3 UNC Pleiades are in uncharted territory after winning four straight national titles. What is the championship limit? Since we’re talking about college ultimate and not graphing calculus functions, the limit must exist somewhere. Have they already hit it at four? Is filling out all seven stars in their eponymous constellation within the realm of possibility? One thing’s for certain: we’ve reached the limit of our imagination. Since no other team has ever reached these heights, it is hard to picture either potential outcome in terms of the 2025 championship. It’s equally difficult to imagine their continuing to be this good or to imagine their failing after all these years.
The first challenge the Jessi Jones and the rest of the coaching staff will have to deal with is player turnover. Pleiades won their first three titles with with a relatively consistent cast of players, with a few one-year appearances, like Tyler Smith and Bridget Mizener (2021) or Anne Worth and Maya Powell (2022) sprinkled in. In 2024, though, after graduating players like Alex Barnett, Ella Juengst, Sydney Rehder, and Grace Conerly (all of whom had been part of the undefeated three-peat – zero losses across three seasons of play) the championship run seemed in jeopardy. Led by Dawn Culton, though, they came back from the brink of elimination in a miracle of a game to reach the final before handling Stanford.
They don’t have Culton anymore. Given her superstar-level playmaking and leadership, that alone would be reason for serious concern. But Culton is not the only loss: Isabel Myer-Miller, Theresa Yu, and Sarah Combs, all of whom also played a part in all four consecutive ‘chips, have also moved on from college play. Only five players remain from the 2021 championship team: Allison Reilly, Emily Przykucki, Kailyn Lowder, Claudia Dare, and Erica Birdsong. They’re all tremendous players. And they all have a special knowledge that no other player in the division can claim: the experience of winning it all. That said, they are 1.) fewer in number than ever before; and 2.) not Culton. Pleiades will have to lean on newer recruits like one-time transfers Alex Hecht and Macy Hudson, or count on the continued development of younger players like 2024 rookie Bella Russell. The high-level talent is clearly there, but it isn’t yet clear if it will be enough.
The other big reason to lower the odds, of course, is the quality of the competition. Read the next section for details, but #1 Vermont Ruckus, #6 Carleton Syzygy, #2 Colorado Quandary, #4 UBC Thunderbirds, and #5 Oregon Fugue have been recruiting extremely well for the last few seasons. Furthermore, there isn’t a team on the planet with more scrutinized scouting material than Pleiades. That’s how it goes when you’re on top: everyone will fixate on beating you. The shinier side of the coin, however, is the knowledge that there have been a handful of teams each of the last few seasons capable, in theory, of stealing the title from UNC. To date, none of them have. What makes anyone think that they can muster the consistency, drive, and magic that will help them get it done this time around?
Okay, those are the pros and the cons. Our official prognostication? The odds against another Carolina title are becoming more compelling, and the smart gambler should take the field. But those odds, lengthening as they are, aren’t anywhere near insurmountable – and wouldn’t it be nice to fill out an entire fistful of rings?

Challengers: On Your Marks
The D-I women’s challenger class has been expanding by the year. Let’s meet the non-Pleiades teams in the running for gold.
The Top Contenders
#1 Vermont Ruckus – Despite putting together extremely talented rosters the past couple of seasons, Vermont have yet to take home the gold. They’ll be looking to remedy that this year, boosted by another stellar recruiting class, including 2023 D-III DPOTY Alex Rowell and U20 star Willa Morales. There are a lot of reasons to believe this is Vermont’s year. They’re not lacking in star power with Caroline Stone, Mae Browning, and both Pozzys (Emily and Annie) in play, and they are deep enough to put out a line (or more) of All-American caliber players. Ruckus can win the race to the front cone, in the sky, and with their throws. It’ll be hard to find a chink in the Vermont armor. And yet, the higher they climb, the further they fall. Will Vermont collapse at the final hurdles once again?
#2 Colorado Quandary – Colorado have been the closest to taking down the reigning champions over the past few seasons, giving UNC the fight of their lives in the 2024 semifinals and meeting them in the 2023 and 2024 finals. The window has to be closing though, with keystone star Clil Phillips soon to graduate, so there’s no time to waste. Quandary’s quest for the crown will be helped along by superstar cutter and transfer Fiona Cashin, as well as all the Nationals experience they’ve built up after three straight trips to semis. It will need to be enough to push them over the top.
#4 British Columbia Thunderbirds – The Thunderbirds were arguably the most polished team last season, with a confident mien that made them feel nigh untouchable. They weren’t at full strength last Nationals because of an injury to Madison Ong, but expect to see UBC soar again this season. The argument for them is clear: Ong and Mika Kurahashi are a one-two punch that leaves defenses reeling in their wake, and the team as a whole is basically a who’s who of the Canada U24 teams. And yet, 2025 is a high water mark for the division. With competition this intense, the Thunderbirds will need to excel and get a little lucky to take home the title.
#5 Oregon Fugue – College ultimate has been waiting with baited breath for Fugue to reach full strength for a couple of seasons now. Every year they get a little bit better and a little closer to the gold; in 2025, Fugue seem poised to take a big step forward. Trout Weybright is clearly coming into the height of his power after a thrilling club season with Schwa. The whole cast – Syris Linkfield, Acacia Hahn, Michiko Magnant, Thalia Tzetos – are on an upward trajectory that promises to bring Oregon to new heights. Spectators are clearly buying Fugue stock if the staff’s championship picks are any indication. And yet, do they have the resume to do it? As the truism goes, you have to lose the championship before you can win it. Oregon lacks the deep bracket experience most of the other contenders have, which may hurt them down the stretch.
The Chasing Pack
#6 Carleton Syzygy – This season, Syzygy welcomed yet another class of top-of-the-line recruits, including familiar faces from YCC like Kyliah McRoy. These rookies are the icing on top of an already strong returning core with headliners like 2024 Rookie of the Year Chagall Gelfand and BPOTYium player Audrey Parrott. However, it’s not all rainbows in the North Central. Last Nationals, Syzygy showed themselves strategically vulnerable to the machinations of the other top teams, dropping games to UNC and Stanford. Carleton need to consistently win against other contenders before you can bank on their title chances.
#7 Stanford Superfly– There’s nothing better for program longevity than good coaching, and you won’t find better coaches than at Stanford. Robin Davis and Shayla Harris know how to make champions and there is no doubt they will work their magic again this year to turn what is just a good team on paper into a contender on the field. Between that and the Harper Baer/Sage McGinley-Smith/Amelia Hawkins lines they can throw out, they have the pieces to go deep into Memorial Day Weekend again.
#8 Tufts EWO – Something’s brewing in Boston. Lia Schwartz and Emily Kemp back for their last chance at the title. Perhaps the lowest roster turnover of the contenders (although Edi Lam represents a big single-player loss). A big D-III transplant, Amy Tse from Haverford-Bryn Mawr Sneetches, to add a little firepower. Would it be all that surprising for Tufts to, say, lose to Vermont in the regional finals only to turn around and upset them on the way to the gold at Nationals?1

The Biggest Weekend of Them All
Do you love appointment viewing? Do you want to plan your entire calendar around immersive women’s ultimate fandom? And is Memorial Day Weekend too far away? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, the 2025 season has a special for you: the combined Valentine’s Day/Presidents’ Day Weekend is poised (weather permitting) to become the most exciting, most informative, and most action packed regular season weekend in the history of College Women’s Ultimate. That’s because, in a rare alignment, two of the division’s premier annual events will be occurring simultaneously: Queen City Tune-Up on the East Coast, and Presidents’ Day Invite on the West Coast.
Between the two tournaments, fans will get to watch very nearly every single major program in action. The weekend line-up includes [deep breath]: Vermont, Colorado, UNC, UBC, Oregon, Carleton, Stanford, Tufts, UC San Diego, Michigan, Western Washington, BYU, UC Santa Barbara, Utah, Victoria, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, Wisconsin, Northeastern, and Georgia. [Exhale.] If Cal Poly SLO qualify for the last Pres Day slot2, then we have nine of the (preseason) top 10, 18 of the top 20, and 21 of the top 25 jockeying for position, plus programs on the bubble like Colorado State, Texas, Pittsburgh, and William & Mary. It’s going to be an epic feast for the eyes and hearts of fans everywhere.
Drilling down a little bit, the best part could be the end: semis and above. With the eight 2024 quarterfinalists (and, as we see it from our preseason perch, heavy favorites to repeat as quarterfinalists) evenly split between the two tournaments, command of the division is at stake. Vermont, UNC, Carleton, and Tufts will be at Queen City; Colorado, UBC, Oregon, and Stanford will be at Pres Day. Given the quality of the competition, you can ink the champions of both of these summits into your semis expectations come Nationals. And should any of the eight fail to reach the final four of their respective events, you can officially put them on probation as legitimate title contenders. Clear your schedules and set your reminders now for what is sure to be popcorn stuff.

Transfer Portal Intrigue
The transfer portal forever changed football. Look no further than this year’s CFP Championship, which featured the former quarterbacks of blue-chip programs Kansas State and Duke (/s). Transfers are bound to make a similar impact in the women’s division this year, as four important names swapped schools. Now all that’s left is to get some NIL money in the division…
Fiona Cashin: Georgia Athena to Colorado Quandary
Cashin is an absolute bucket and a huge contributing factor to Athena’s recent return to relevance, but mainstream accolades have eluded her as of yet. The story of her graduate season with Colorado is a metaphorical leap from the minors to the big leagues. Cashin was a focal point of recent year top-heavy Athena teams; now, she’ll be sharing the field with the likes of Clil Phillips, Emma Williamson, and Faye Burdick. How she’ll slot into that experienced roster, and adapt her style to the Colorado system, will be interesting to watch. As title favorites, Quandary will also offer Cashin the chance to show out on the biggest stages of her young career. Will this be her Will Howard season, when the ultimate world finally learns her name?3
Tori Gray: Carleton Syzygy to UC San Diego Dragon Coalition
The big name, Joe Burrow event of this year’s portal, Gray has exited the Seattle-Northfield pipeline and headed for the California sunshine. She joins Abbi Shilts and Margot Nissen in San Diego. She’s walking the opposite narrative path from Cashin — a 2024 All-American and DPOTY finalist, Gray is one of most decorated veterans still playing in the division, and she’s leaving a team that hasn’t missed quarters since 2018. UCSD, on the other hand, are still searching for the success of the Elimelech era. Shilts and her young backfield counterpart Nissen formed a potent duo last year, but the team could benefit greatly from a third true star and ace defender, which is exactly what they’ll get in Gray. The question is, just how high can D-Co fly with the addition of Gray — or, reformulating the question, how far can she take them?
Margo Donahue: UC Davis Rogue to Cal Poly SLO SLOMotion
In a Kelce-brothers-at-Cincinnati twist, 2023 Callahan finalist and UC Davis lynchpin Margo Donahue has migrated four hours down the coast to Cal Poly this season, where she joins younger sibling Tucker. The pairing seems to be working well so far: SLOMotion notched wins over Stanford, UCSD, UCSC, Davis, and Cal this fall. It’s great momentum for a Cal Poly program that has never attended Nationals. But the road in the Southwest region is not an easy one, even with the talents of the do-everything elder Donahue at their disposal. If the Donahues can pull off any more of that Kelce comparison, they’re in for a great season.
Amy Tse: Haverford & Bryn Mawr Sneetches to Tufts EWO
Call it an Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton-type move: Tse’s divisional jump from the D-III Sneetches to D-I Tufts is our under-the-radar transfer. Tse is by far the least well-known player on this list to D-I audiences, but that all may change this season if her 5G/9A/14D statline at D-III Nationals is any indication. Time will tell how she’ll be used on Tufts, but there are early signs: she got some love on the 2024 D-III DPOTY ballot, and with her never-stop motor, she’s well-positioned to help cover up the defensive void where Edi Lam used to loom. Those are big shoes to fill… but who knows the places she’ll go4 with EWO this season?
Players to Watch
Some of the players we think will define the 2025 college season.

Emily Pozzy (Vermont)
Emily Pozzy has had her fingerprints all over the past two semifinal runs for Ruckus, but they have not been able to break through to finals or a title. Last season in particular, it felt that they had unfinished business in the bracket when they bowed out in semifinals. With another roster that is loaded with top talent, it will be up to Emily Pozzy and company to make the push to finals. Her length and throwing skill means she can hit any spot on the field seemingly whenever she wants, while her athleticism makes her a dynamic defender. If Ruckus make the push to finals this year, she will undoubtedly be a key contributor.
Mika Kurahashi (UBC)
Mika Kurahashi has been at the leading edge of UBC for years as one of the continent’s premier downfield talents. She seemed to turn a corner in 2024, though. After posting an unbelievable 12-goal, 12-assist stat line against just two (!) turnovers at college Nationals, she took her place among the leading scorers at both the World Ultimate Championships with Team Canada and the Club Championships with Vancouver Red Flag. That should be the new baseline for our expectations: at the very least, Kurahashi will be one of the best players in North America at any level. What does that mean for the college season? While the future makes no promises, the recent total refinement of her entire game offers the Thunderbirds the best chance they’ve ever had to get hold of the championship trophy at the end of the season.
Faye Burdick (Colorado)
Not all BPOTY winners go on to bigger things. We can’t pick ‘em all, and some amount of failures to launch are expected. Some BPOTYs, on the other hand, blast off. Keep an eye on the horizon for Burdick; if her stratospheric trajectory is any indication, an All-American season is not out of the question for one of the most explosive players in the college game. She’s been abroad this fall, but when Burdick rejoins Quandary this spring, it’s all systems go. Her performance will be a major factor in how high Colorado can fly in 2025.
Sage McGinley-Smith (Stanford)
In a year where Superfly are looking to fill some roster gaps, the veteran steadiness of McGinley-Smith is going to be more valuable than ever. She brings the quickness, field awareness, and sheer dominance in the cutter space that Stanford need to make another deep bracket run. The leadership of a playmaker like her will be the difference between reprising their finals spot and fizzling out in quarters. A finisher among the best in the division, McGinley-Smith will once again be at the helm for Stanford this season.
Kat McGuire (Michigan)
It’s quite possible we haven’t talked about Michigan Flywheel star Kat McGuire enough in the college sphere. But after taking her team to College Nationals for the first time since 2018 last year and adding on a club national championship with Ann Arbor Hybrid, McGuire will no doubt have yet another strong college season ahead of her. She’s the type of player who can and will carry her team on her back when needed, with her ever-present speed, skill set, and threat level. There’s no doubt that, just like she was in the last few college, club, and PUL seasons, Kat McGuire will be a force to be reckoned with in 2025.
Rising Stars
Big contributors to their teams who could make waves in the national spotlight for 2025.

Amaya Krutsinger (Western Washington)
There were 11 players who put up offensive double-doubles5 at Nationals last spring. Five of them6 have moved on from college ultimate. Of the remaining six, three (Faye Burdick, Mika Kurahashi, and Kat McGuire) are highlighted as the division’s top stars in the “Players to Watch” section above, one was disqualified from the 2025 “Players to Watch” section because she was featured there in our 2024 Primer, and one (Trout Weybright) was our 2023 Rookie of the Year and is extensively discussed above in the rundown of title contenders. They are deservedly well-known. The last, however, is a name you may not know: Amaya Krutsinger. The reputation of this third-year Chaos leader and one-time Boulder youth star has been somewhat muted since her team has not made too much noise on the national stage. That could well change this year, and Krutsinger, with a tremendous all-around skill set and one of the sharpest killer instincts in the entire country, will be at the center of their push into the spotlight.
Goodness Nwakudu (UC Santa Cruz)
In Nwakudu’s first season of college, she was one of UC Santa Cruz’s premier defenders, often taking matchups like Trout Weybright. The Bay Area high school scene product has quickly risen to be one of Sol’s most productive cutters on the D-line: she finished her first College Championships with a solid 7-goal, 4-assist line. In Sol’s 2025 campaign, she will be one to watch with her exceptional offensive timing and elite defensive ability. Expect Nwakudu’s growth to go hand in hand with Sol’s continuing success.
Kelly Tam (Washington)
What an offseason it has been for Kelly Tam. Few flagged the sophomore as a likely to make the U24 US National Team, but the coaches saw something that fans may seem come to know, too. After a practice player run with Riot, the Seven Hills alum has earned a bigger role with an admittedly deep Element squad. Tam was a solid defender and disc-mover in the backfield for Washington’s D-line in 2024, but should be more prominent this campaign.
Willa Morales (Vermont)
Fresh from the U20 World Junior Ultimate Championships, Willa Morales is the latest in a multi-year run of Ruckus recruits to watch. She went pro with Portland Rising and has no signs of stopping any time soon. Morales can place a disc anywhere on the field, all she needs is the right receiver. With Vermont’s bevy of talented downfielders, we think she’ll get plenty of opportunities. While her throws make her stand out, it will be her intuitive field sense that puts her on another level.
Lucy Mertz (UC Davis)
Last season, UC Davis Rogue fought hard at Southwest Regionals but came up just short of qualifying for Nationals. This year might look different, thanks in no small part to sophomore Lucy Mertz. No stranger to making plays, Mertz will be coming off a Team USA U20 stint where she posted a 6A/10G stat line. Now that she has shaken the college rookie dust off, Mertz will likely be at the helm of the ship, looking to book a trip to Burlington, WA after the team’s two-year drought.

You’re All Underrating…
Tufts EWO
Tufts have built strong teams for years. There’s a reason Brute Squad have pulled in so many players from this program. With a long track record of coaching perhaps only rivaled by Stanford and UNC, they build solid basics and an attitude that won’t quit. With a couple of 2025 U24 National Team selections in Lia Schwartz and Emily Kemp, we know this team is hungry for more than just an honorable mention. They promise to showcase real grit, a steady hand at the wheel on offensive possessions, and lockdown defense like you’ve never seen. Offense might win games, but defense wins championships.
– Emilia Scheemaker
Cal Poly SLO SLOmotion
Someone has to stump for this team, if for no other reason than the plot! Margo Donahue is a certified dog, and though fall results should always be taken with a heaping ladle of salt7, wins over Southwest stalwarts like Stanford and UCSD are intriguing to say the least. I have to believe there’s also some sort of sibling witchcraft / narrative destiny / karmic power at work now that she’s teamed up with sibling Tucker — knock on wood, Cal Poly are going to Nationals for the first time in program history this spring.
– Bridget Mizener
Pennsylvania Venus
Making the bracket in their first Nationals appearance in program history was just the beginning for Venus. What’s next? Quarters? Upset-filled, shocking Cinderella run to semis? We need more chaos in this division and Penn is poised to deliver it with a top line that can stand against any. Grace Maroon’s sophomore season is going to be electric and I’m all in on Venus to shake up the status quo this year.
– Felicia Zheng
Michigan Flywheel
In the interest of honesty, I have to confess I am one of those who believe the top eight teams in our preseason power rankings – aka the 2024 quarterfinalists – are likely to finish, in some order, in the top eight again come May. That said, if I’m placing a bet on any team outside that group in 2025, there’s no doubt it’s Flywheel. They significantly overperformed last year’s preseason outlook8 and, despite the much higher (#11) initial placement in 2025, they could well do so again. Kat McGuire is in the running for Player of the Year, secondary stars ZaZa Capriles, Sophia Harvey, and newly-minted club mixed champion Calliope Cutchins should all be even better than they were a year ago, and recruit Sabrina Mannion arrives as, at minimum, a more-than-capable plug-and-play rookie. While I’m not quite saying I think they’ll burst through to the next level, I genuinely believe there is a lot to like about this Michigan side.
– Edward Stephens
The Current Power Rankings
College D-I Women's Power Rankings:
1 | Vermont |
2 | Colorado |
3 | North Carolina |
4 | British Columbia |
5 | Oregon |
6 | Carleton |
7 | Stanford |
8 | Tufts |
9 | UC San Diego |
10 | Washington |
11 | Michigan |
12 | Western Washington |
13 | BYU |
14 | UC Santa Barbara |
15 | Pennsylvania |
16 | Utah |
17 | Victoria |
18 | UC Santa Cruz |
19 | UC Davis |
20 | Cal Poly SLO |
21 | Notre Dame |
22 | Wisconsin |
23 | Northeastern |
24 | Georgia |
25 | Georgia Tech |
Fulfilling one of Keith’s bold predictions on the way ↩
The final place at the tournament is reserved for the winner of the Presidents’ Day Qualifiers earlier in February, and Cal Poly are the favorites to take it this year. ↩
And don’t look past Colorado’s other transfer portal win, former UC San Diego standout Emma Smith. ↩
See what I did there? ↩
Double-double: Double digit totals for both goals caught and goals assisted. ↩
Dawn Culton, Sarah Combs, Abbie Gillach, Stacy Gaskill, Kennedy Mccarthy ↩
Editor’s note: Consult your physician before consuming more than a pinch of salt. ↩
We failed to rank them in the preseason, then they went on to make the bracket. Whoops! ↩