Ultiworld’s 2024 Throw Of The Year Bracket (Round 1)

Round 1 of Throw of the Year starts now!

March 14, 2025 by Ultiworld in Awards, Opinion

Ultiworld’s 2024 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 2024.

Our subscriber culled and seeded the initial nomination list down to the final sixteen (eight from MMP and eight from FMP) in this article. Now it’s time for the wider public to decide which play is the best of the best! Round 1 starts now and closes on Tuesday, March 18 at noon Eastern.

 

 

Female-Matching Players

Matchup 1: Cárdenas vs. Wilde

Valeria Cárdenas (Backhand) – Colombia Women’s (WFDF WUC)

Valeria Cardenas

Would it even be Throw of the Year without Vale? This one came under pressure, with the reset cut off and trapped on the sideline. But then Cárdenas spotted Cartagena going and absolutely cannoned a backhand a country mile.

Keziah Wilde – Middlebury Pranksters (USAU College)

Keziah Wilde

Throwing far is one thing, but doing it around the defense is another. Wilde stepped out for a lovely forehand break that also was placed where only the receiver could reach it.

Matchup 2: Schwartz vs. Dos Santos

Lia Schwartz – Boston Brute Squad (USAU Club)

Lia Schwartz

Making waves as one of the best players in college this season, the warnings were there this past club season. Schwartz unleashed this backhand that flattened out enough to keep the bubble between the lines.

Brit Dos Santos – Canada Women’s (WFDF WUC)

Brit Dos Santos

The first duo ever featured in this bracket? BDS sized up a well-taken IO backhand out to Beaudry, tailing perfectly away from one of the best defenders in the world, for another gorgeous Team Canada score that left jaws on the floor.

Matchup 3: Beaudry vs. Phillips

Anouchka Beaudry – Canada Women’s (WFDF WUC)

Anouchka Beaudry

The powerful Beaudry showed off the technique and the muscle with this standstill forehand smash to frequent collaborator Brit Dos Santos. What flat mark?

Clil Phillips – Colorado Quandary (USAU College)

Clil Phillips

One of the college game’s most decorated players, Clil Phillips showed off tremendous touch with this forehand huck. Strong edge control and precision steered the disc right over the downfield defender.

Matchup 4: Cárdenas vs. Monnerat

Valeria Cárdenas (Forehand) – Denver Molly Brown (USAU Club)

Valeria Cardenas

On the forehand side, Valeria showed her world class skill. Watch how she adds a little bit of lift to the forehand with her throwing motion. That pushes it where only Manu could get it, even with two defenders closing in.

Fantine Monnerat – France Women’s (WFDF WJUC)

Fantine Monnerat

Up against Team USA, you gotta bring your best, and Monnerat showed off a beautiful forehand. Setting up the mark with the pivot, she flipped a loopy flick fully exposed the break side.

Male-Matching Players

Matchup 1: Brown vs. Williams

Calvin Brown – Cal Poly SLO SLOCore (USAU College)

Calvin Brown

How wide is an ultimate field? Why, it’s 40 yards, right? Maybe for you; not for Calvin Brown. He uses the width of the field and then some on this bending backhand that left the sideline, and us, stunned.

Jack Williams – New York Empire (UFA)

Jack Williams

There’s so much to love about this play. One of the superstars of the UFA, Jack Williams, flips a fat scoober over the entire defense to beat the buzzer. The flight path, the float, the targeting, the timing — it all adds up to something special.

Matchup 2: Hasbrook vs. Laviolette

Austin Hasbrook – Utah Zion Curtain (USAU College)

Austin Hasbrook

It didn’t take long for the 2024 college season to start providing the highlights. Hasbrook’s perfectly set up behind the back assist has a gorgeous arc and functionality with defense in the area. We are all the defender, left with our hands on our heads in disbelief.

Allan Laviolette – Carolina Flyers (UFA)

Allan Laviolette

The UFA’s unique double team rules do open up some opportunities for unusual throwing situation. Allan Laviolette was probably glad to have two defenders on him, offering more room for him to dime up a backside receiver.

Matchup 3: Yarter vs. Kurono

Tristan Yarter – Pittsburgh En Sabah Nur (USAU College)

Tristan Yarter

Break out the measuring tape! Ok, we can’t really do that, but is in the neighborhood of 80 yards of range from Yarter, with no power position! He uses a little step back to draw some extra power, strong mechanics.

Masashi Kurono – Japan Open (WFDF WUC)

Masashi Kurono

It is hard to get more accurate than this break forehand, slicing through a thin lane but ending out to space, but with enough touch to slow down and be catchable in bounds. The shimmy setup from Kurono is icing on the break cake.

Matchup 4: Shigley vs. Garvey

Ryan Shigley – Colorado Mamabird (USAU College)

Ryan Shigley

That’s a big blade for ‘Bird. Shigley showed off the ability to stress the defense by threatening parts of the field that the other side is counting on being inaccessible.

Harper Garvey – New York PoNY (Dream Cup)

Harper Garvey

Standstill forehand. End zone line to just inside the backline. Perfectly flattens out. Over two defenders. Harper Garvey. Wow.