Get prepped for the start of the Premier Ultimate League with all the roster changes, storylines, and big games you need to know.
April 4, 2025 by Keith Raynor, Emilia Scheemaker and Laura Osterlund in Preview
The Premier Ultimate League is back and there’s a lot of offseason news to go over. Last year proved unpredictable, with a revamped New York Gridlock taking the title and Austin Torch making a surprise run to the postseason. The only thing you can count on? Valeria Cárdenas and Yina Cartagena do not lose in the PUL. But maybe this season can change that. There’s a positive case to be made for nearly every team in the league, and this year, New York won’t catch teams off guard. On top of that, the league adds a California team and while another is on pause, adding more potential chaos.
Let’s try to make sense of it all.
The Stories to Know
Portland Rising Put Season On Hold
On December 27th Portland Rising announced a pause in operations for the 2025 semi-pro season. Rising’s owner Chloë Rowse characterized the decision as temporary: “This is not the end of Rising – it’s a pause.”
Rising joined the PUL in 2019 with plans to play their first season in 2020, but finally took the field in 2021. With the pause, Rising will be the third team to drop from the PUL, joining Columbus Pride and Medellín Revolution. The PUL has no plans to add a team to the North Division for the 2025 season. “[The league] didn’t feel comfortable onboarding a new team with such a tight turnaround time,” said PUL commissioner Amanda Dallas. However, there will be schedule and format adjustments for the 2025 season.
According to Rowse, the decision to suspend operations for 2025 followed a discussion to find “new additional leadership and a more sustainable structure for the team moving forward.” The official press release from the PUL adds that the team is looking for “new ownership and/or management.” With conversations for future leadership in motion already, Rowse is optimistic about the future of Portland Rising.
Welcoming the Los Angeles Astra
To help fill the void left by Portland (and Columbus Pride, which some thought would make another attempt at starting), we have a new addition to the PUL this season! Making the jump from the WUL1, the Los Angeles Astra will be competing in the PUL’s South Division. While teams have come into and left both women’s semi-pro leagues before, no team has crossed over like this. Astra’s addition to the PUL comes along with intrigue about their potential.
LISTEN: Double Overtime talks to Maggie O’Connor about LA’s Year Off
For years, many have tried to compare the WUL and PUL. Fans wonder which league is more competitive and whose best would win in a clash. With Astra crossing over, the answers to these questions get closer and more tangible. It isn’t quite a cross-league championship, but it will be the first connective piece. Although Astra’s overall personnel will be different compared to their 2023 season, their results this year will fuel that conversation.
Another point of interest in Astra’s presence will be how their roster will hold up to other teams in their division. The top of their roster includes Maggie O’Connor, Steph Pritchard, Avalon Igawa, Chip Yen, and Samantha Wool, all of whom have made their marks in past WUL seasons and are seasoned elite club vets. While, of course, the middle tier of their roster will most definitely pass the eye test, the pressure is on the bottom tier of the roster, which does not have high-level experience.
One other major question that remains will be the sustainability of having Astra in a league that is (famously) not a part of the West Coast. As all but one of the teams they will see this season reside on the East Coast2, travel to and from games becomes an added hurdle. With three coast-to-coast trips for Astra (and two teams doing the same for them), they will likely have higher travel costs than every other team, not to mention the three-hour time difference teams will have to endure. These tolls, along with the possibility of a return to the WUL in future seasons, raise some concerns about how viable it will be for the team to stay in the league for multiple seasons.
And how will that travel affect this season? Will LA be able to figure things out on the road? Will teams visiting the…uh, distant South be burdened by their travel? It makes LA a key but unpredictable figure in the postseason race.
Major Matchups
The season’s imbalanced schedules mean there’s plenty to chew on as we muse over who got the good schedules and whose are a bit tougher.
Raleigh and LA project to potentially compete for the second spot in the South Division with Austin, and the schedule benefits the new team over the old. Raleigh visits LA in a massive opener, a tough road trip. LA’s other toughest contests all fly to them, save a trip to Philly.
Speaking of trips to Philadelphia, the Gridlock and Surge square off in week 2 in one of the regular season’s biggest contests. The Gridlock took last year’s matchup at home, 20-15, in a game that clearly announced them as contenders and set the table for their title run.
Both the Gridlock (week 5) and Surge (week 9) head for a Midwest back-to-back against Milwaukee and Minnesota. For some of the North’s challengers, those could be good opportunities to land a big upset.
Last year’s biggest upset came to close the season, with the Torch taking down Raleigh in dramatic fashion to earn a postseason berth. The league is hoping to recapture that magic with a week 10 close to the regular season, sending Austin to the Triangle in a game that could once again decide whose season continues and whose ends.
And one last note, but this time on games that won’t happen: DC doesn’t face any of the other top four in our preseason Power Rankings during the regular season, as they are all North Division teams. A premier cross-division matchup could have been on the table as a marquee game for the league, but instead, DC’s highest ranked opponent is Raleigh (whose cross-division game is against the Gridlock), who comes to the shadowy confines in week 7.
Team Previews – North Division
New York Gridlock
New York Gridlock2024 Record: 6-0, league champion
Key Returners: Yina Cartagena, Genny De Jesus, Jolie Krebs, Valeria Cárdenas, Chelsea Leeder
Key Additions: Abby Hecko, Liv Player, Ella Juengst, Grace Conerly, Sydney Stelzer, Janine Hlavaty
Key Departures: Manuela Cárdenas, Linnea Soo
First Game: April 12 at Philadelphia Surge
Gridlock have set themselves up to lock down the North Division. With outstanding PUL pickups in Grace Conerly (from Radiance), Liv Player (from Rising), and Sydney Stelzer (from the Monarchs) they’ve added even more experience, sharp cutting, and some truly fearsome defense. That’s just the sort of energy Gridlock had last year in Genny De Jesus and Valeria Cárdenas. De Jesus was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, with Yina Cartagena (also back for 2025) getting a nomination nod.
For this team, it isn’t about building up the top end of the roster, but raising their baseline. They’ve got returners in Chelsea Leeder, Janine Hlavaty, and Sam Harris who know how to come in and run down discs, alongside new blood in Abby Hecko and Ella Juengst to keep this team feeling fresh. It would appear New York Gridlock have their eyes on the prize once again. Having won the PUL last season and made the final the year before, they are no strangers to the pressure of Championship Weekend. Their offense was absolutely dominant in 2025, scoring more goals than they had turnovers! While they lose a number of heavy hitters in Manu Cárdenas, Emma Berrigan, and Linnea Soo, their additions speak for themselves, showing the world Gridlock are still a force to be reckoned with. They have everything they need to earn themselves a back-to-back title.
Philadelphia Surge
Philadelphia Surge2024 Record: 5-1, lost in semifinals
Key Returners: Lindsay McKenna, Linda Morse, Danielle Walsh, Grace Maroon, Veronica Kolegue-Spalaris
Key Additions: Chelsea Semper, Chaily Derecskey
Key Departures: Raha Mozzafari, Emma Soiles, Sumi Onoe
First Game: April 5 at Indy Red
Surge are going to be recovering from some big losses this year. Gone is their 2024 blocks leader, Emma Soiles, as well as the legendary Raha Mozzafari, who finished second in assists. Soiles, Mozzafari, and Sumi Onoe were all players who made their mark by more than just their play on the field. Philly will have to fill those roles quickly if they want to win their week 2 game against NY Gridlock.
To help out, they’ve tempted over Chelsea Semper from Strike. Hailing from Minnesota mixed team Drag’n Thrust, Semper has the discipline needed to perform in big games. Joining them is Chailey Derecskey, a bookends threat who has the drive to get big blocks and still run down hucks on the other end. We know this Surge roster gobbles up discs with the ruthless defenders like Linda Morse, while Lindsay McKenna and Grace Maroon give this team explosive playmaking. Add to that Veronica Kolegue-Spalaris, who is seemingly able to pull down every disc that enters her airspace, and Surge have a formidable roster (with a boatload of chemistry already pre-loaded).
Indy Red
2024 Record: 3-3, missed playoffs
Key Returners: Rachel Mast, Kat McGuire, Risa Umeno, Maketa Mattimore, Laura Gerencser, Abby Swensen
Key Additions: Melissa Gibbs, Eliza Hutchings, Sydney Loughren
Key Departures: Mya Hernandez
First Game: April 5th vs. Philadelphia Surge
Indy Red have been solidly middle of the pack, but they’ll need to turn it up if they want to stay there – or move forward – this year. Both Strike and Surge are posed to battle for that second spot in the North Division, and the Monarchs could also threaten to gain ground. They’ll have a chance to prove they deserve a top spot early with their first game against Surge.
Red return two players who took the 2024 season off in Melissa Gibbs and Eliza Hutchings. Both bring experience, grit, and hard-headed cutting that shuts opponents down on defense and opens up space on offense. Torch star Sydney Loughran3 will suit up for the Red this year, bringing her own brand of dependable confidence. Loughran should fit right in with the Red’s Tracey Lo, Risa Umeno, Rachel Mast, and Jalyn Baumgartner all bringing experience, skill, and a fire to be at the top of the rankings.
And the case can be made that Indy can continue to progress. There is very little turnover to speak of, boasting most of the offensive talent that drove the Red to one of the division’s stingiest offenses last year. In 2024, they were second in the league in clean holds, third in holds, and fourth lowest in turnovers. If they can add some juice to a league-worst defense in blocks and basement-dweller in breaks, it could be a breakout season for Indy.
Minnesota Strike
Minnesota Strike2024 Record: 2-4, missed playoffs
Key Returners: Sarah Meckstroth, Danielle Byers Simonelli, Steph Rupp, Erica Baken, Makella Daley
Key Additions: Eugenia Garza, Frankie Saraniti
Key Departures: Alicia Carr, Amelia Zdechlik, Emma Peaslee, Tori Gray, Sara Helm, Chelsea Semper
First Game: May 3rd vs. NY Gridlock
Tough turnover year for Strike. With a number of notable losses, they’ll need to make some changes and step up to fill gaps. Sara Helm, a big defensive presence, won’t be back this year, nor will Chelsea Semper (playing with Surge) and Tori Gray (playing with WUL’s Super Bloom). Strike will also be playing without Alicia Carr, a keystone of the franchise who has been rostered with the team since their first year.
Luckily, Minnesota has a strong core of chemistry to lean into, bolstered by Drag’n Thrust club players and Carleton alums. Frankie Saraniti will fit right in there, bringing the offensive speed and leadership she’s brought to Eclipse this year. With both Saraniti and Elly Fireside-Ostergaard running deep, teams will be challenged to find a way to shut down scoring opportunities for Strike.
Minnesota returns their coaching staff for a second year, which should add some steadiness to a team that had a rocky 2-4 season filled with growing pains. Precedent is promising, as the last time Strike had a 2-4 record, they followed it up with a 6-0 season. But they are also 1-3 combined against New York and Philly, the two favorites in the North Division. The Strike will be climbing an uphill slope to beat those two powerhouses and get a spot in Championship Weekend.
Milwaukee Monarchs
Milwaukee Monarchs2024 Record: 1-5, missed playoffs
Key Returners: Jacqueline Jarik, Austin Prucha*, Eileen Bequette, Dana Demmert, Penny Wu, Erynn Schroeder
Key Additions: Claire Schmitt, Anna Thorn (Returning), Lina Montenegro* (Returning), Mich Moreno
Key Departures: Katy Stanton, Mia Wieben, Sydney Stelzer, Mickela Heilicher
First Game: May 4th vs. NY Gridlock
Milwaukee Monarchs struggled a bit last season, only winning one of their games (albeit a convincing win against Atlanta Soul) and suffering big losses (take their 16-4 loss against Philly or their 21-9 loss against Minnesota). One potential explanation is the roster turnover they saw last season, mainly due to injuries. However, impact players Austin Prucha, Emily Cohen, Lina Montenegro, and Eileen Duffner are all back, even though they are initially listed as practice players this season. If they get back on the field, there’s no doubt they’ll be able to pick up right where they left off from the last time they stepped on the field with Monarchs jerseys on.
The majority of Milwaukee’s pickups come from Chicago Nemesis, ensuring some pre-built club chemistries. Last season’s offense was marked by personnel shifts and inconsistency, resulting in the league’s worst scoring unit, piling up turnovers at an alarming rate that far outpaced the rest of the PUL. Erynn Schroeder, Penny Wu, and Jaqueline Jarik could right the ship for the O-line, while Eileen Bequette, Sydney French, and Dana Demmert all have major defensive prowess and can become large downfield threats. Last year’s results left a sour taste in the mouth, so assuming Prucha, Montenegro, and company retake the field during game’s, there’s plenty of reasons to believe 2025 should be a bounceback campaign.
Team Previews – South Division
DC Shadow
DC Shadow2024 Record: 6-0, championship runner-up
Key Returners: Claire Trop, Kami Groom, Allice Wallace, Ashleigh Jentilet, Kat Ritzmann
Key Additions: Sumi Onoe, Kira Flores, Sydney Rehder, Jordan Sorensen
Key Departures: Caroline Tornquist, Erin McCann, Carolyn Normile
First Game: April 19th vs. Atlanta Soul
The South Division champions cast a long — like Washington Monument long — shadow. They’re one of the league favorites for a reason; they’ve got some of the best talent in the world in Kami Groom and Claire Trop, and they’ve gained Sumi Onoe from Surge.4 This team has the undisputed best defense in the league and, more importantly, they’ve got something to prove. Shadow went undefeated in the regular season in 2024, and they’ve made back-to-back Championship weekends as the top seed, but they haven’t brought home the crown. Yet.
DC do lose two players frequently listed among the top 25 players in the women’s club division: Caroline Tornquist and Carolyn Normile. But they didn’t hesitate to supplement with a few rookies. Transplant Onoe is known for her highlight reel-worthy bids on defense. Kira Flores has been a standout handler and teammate for club team DC Scandal; her consistency behind the disc will have her feeling right at home on this team that goes for it all and gives nothing back. For all of their defensive ferocity, the Shadow offense left plenty on the table, and some new faces could help that unit sharpen itself to championship level.
Austin Torch
Austin Torch2024 Record: 3-3, lost in semifinals
Key Returners: Madi Cannon, Elise Franke, Jaime Estes, Clara Stewart
Key Additions: Lorraine Guerin, Emma Berrigan, Carley Garrett
Key Departures: Elise Bjork, Dre Esparza, Elizabeth Wu, Megan Medieta, Wren Vogel
First Game: April 5th at Atlanta Soul
Austin’s magical 2024 saw them reach the postseason with a high-pressure clutch home win. Building upon that will be challenging, but achievable. They haven’t changed much from last year except to add experience and a few club players who know the meaning of grit. Torch proved they have what it takes to make championship weekend, and a pivotal rematch in Raleigh to close the regular season makes for scintillating theater.
This year’s roster has plenty of returning and new talent. They’ve got Clara Stewart back behind the disc, who brings steady hands and deep looks that make her a threat every time she steps on the field. Downfield she’s got the “phenomenally stubborn”5 cutting of Jamie Estes and the 2024 PUL Regular Season MVP nominee Madi Cannon. Amy Broome and rookie Lorraine Guerin will bring some defensive chops to this team, both hailing from club programs6 that know how to possess the disc and make turnovers happen. The Torch also add more depth in the form of a pair of semi-pros vets in Emma Berrigan, moving back to the team from Gridlock, and Carley Garrett, who is back on the scene after a break.
Raleigh Radiance
Raleigh Radiance2024 Record: 3-3, missed the playoffs
Key Returners: Dawn Culton, Lindsay Soo, Claire Revere, Claire Bidigare-Curtis, Mary Rippe
Key Additions: Lyra Olson, Karen Ehrhardt, Ellen Yu, Claire Hackl
Key Departures: Tyler Smith, Grace Conerly, Bridget Mizener, Qxhna Titcomb
First Game: April 5th at Los Angeles Astra
Raleigh put together a solid squad to take a run at the division title, and many believe they’ll cruise straight through to Championship Weekend. They had a few notable losses in Bridget Mizener, Grace Conerly, and chiefly offensive engine Tyler Smith, but the players they’re bringing in are no strangers to hard work. Radiance added some of the best defenders in the club scene and handlers who can place the disc just about anywhere, like Claire Hackl, one of those rare handlers who has every throw, is always open for a dump, and plays defense like it’s her job. Ellen Yu, meanwhile, is an asset on any team, with a steady set of hands with an eye for big plays. Those are exactly the traits they need to build on last year’s season, solid players to bring up their defense and anchor their offense. It’s a recipe for a bright season ahead.
But the ghosts of 2024 remain, when much of the same optimism was present preseason. Then Radiance were dominated by DC in the opener 16-5, dropped a second game to DC, and finally lost their win-and-in to Austin to miss the playoffs after winning the title in 2023. Now they face a tough schedule with little margin for error, starting right away with a road trip to face LA. This team doesn’t have a history of setting the pace or the level of play. If Radiance let others dictate they can expect to fall short. If they can find more of an identity to grab onto — they were a middling team in nearly every stat except for being one of the most turnover-prone — they can reestablish themselves as one of the clear lead programs in the PUL and return to Championship Weekend.
Atlanta Soul
Atlanta Soul2024 Record: 1-5, missed playoffs
Key Returners: Quincy Booth, Mia Griner, Megan Jarriel, Liv Ford, Dani Ortiz
Key Additions: Ximena Montaña, Anna Gustafson, Lylah Bannister, Katie Sanders
Key Departures: Natalie Wilson, Maria Vargas, Martha Wilber, Fiona Cashin
First Game: April 5th vs. Austin Torch
2024 was a tough season for Soul. There were some growing pains, some numbers to switch, and some shuffling to be done. During that transition, they bottomed out in the league in goals and finished -42 in point differential.
There’s decent continuity this time around. Mia Griner, DPoTY nominee, is back to try and outshine Kami Groom for best defensive game on the grid, and teams at any level have yet to find a solution to Quincy Booth’s hands behind the disc. Atlanta also sport a pair of huge pick-ups in Lylah Bannister, Breakout PoTY for D-I Vermont Ruckus in 2022, and none other than Ximena Montaña, who some will recognize from Medellín Revolution and New York BENT. Both of these players will add some always-helpful defensive presence to a team that needs turns and conversions to pull themselves up through the rankings. If they can get Booth on the field a bit more, the combo with Montaña could give the Soul an avenue to a much more effective offense. While their depth has shifted around a lot, perhaps their new rookies can blossom with a more focused attack.
Nashville Nightshade
Nashville Nightshade2024 Record: 1-5, missed playoffs
Key Returners: Tori Taylor, Elena Rubino, Rebecca Henley
Key Additions: Natalie Wilson, Elizabeth Wu, Sara Mog, Rebecca Fagan
Key Departures: Mia Letterie, Grace Castro, Meaghan Creamer, Mary Turner, Emma Patterson
First Game: April 12th vs. Los Angeles Astra
Nashville needed an extra gear to make a difference in 2024, but often fell short of that. Tori Taylor was a standout all-around player and should remain one of the league’s top performers, while Elena Rubino was a defensive force to be reckoned with but needed more support to help pull this team up. The Nightshade do have some good adds: Rebecca Fagan, a defensive all-star, can help share the load on the back end. The pair of rookies, Sara Mog and Natalie Wilson, will ease the pressure on handlers and provide more speed as downfield receivers. Will that be enough to improve the record for Nashville?
They’ll have to overcome a lot of turnover – the team will have more rookies than returners – including a lot of experience and names who’ve guided the squad in year’s past. But a reset might be what’s needed for a team that managed just 14 breaks last season while coughing up 183 turnovers, second-most in the league. A spot in Championship Weekend would be something of a modern miracle, but getting to .500 would be a fantastic result for this year’s run.
Los Angeles Astra
2024 Record: N/A
Key Returners: Avalon Igawa, Chip Yen, Amy Lee, Jessica Martinez, Naomi Guzman, Steph Pritchard
Key Additions: Maggie O’Connor, Arenaria Cramer, Nadine Meister, Karli Steiner, Sophie Havranek
Key Departures: Kaitlyn Weaver, Jasmine Childress, Meredith Byl, Ava Hanna, Audrey Brown
First Game: April 5th vs Raleigh Radiance
This will be a big year for Astra. As the first team to cross between the WUL and PUL, they’ll be the measure the two leagues are compared by. Not only that, they’re coming back from a year off. Compared to their 2023 roster, they’ve lost some talent in Merideth Byl and Kaitlyn Weaver, who have both shown to be exemplary players for WUL’s San Diego Super Bloom. But they’ve managed to pull Maggie O’Connor back from the Arizona Sidewinders. O’Connor was a huge impact on offensive yards in 2023, and this year they’ll have their Arizona teammate Karli Steiner making the change with them. Sophie Havranek and Samantha Wool promise to bring some consistency behind the disc and some pace downfield for the Astra. Look out for Arenaria Cramer to anchor the backfield with strong handler movement.
One player to watch on this team is 2025 U-24 tryout invitee Nadine Meister, who will bring a little East Coast energy to the team. The LA Astra have brought together a good top-end of their roster, but it will be the bottom half that determines how well they fare this season. Without the 2024 season to build a steady base, Astra will be at a disadvantage headed into this season. They have to hit the ground running with Raleigh visiting for the opener, but their favorable road schedule might serve to aid them in their first PUL season.
