UNC-Asheville leaned into the aquatic nature of their eponymous reptile - and the generosity of the broader frisbee community - and emerged from a life-halting hurricane all the stronger
April 11, 2025 by Zack Davis in Profile
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.
The Necturus maculosus is a small grey-brown and spotted salamander common in the Midwest and South Atlantic. Spending the vast majority of its life in the water, it has frilled external gills, similar to an Axolotl. This salamander is commonly known as the mudpuppy and, along with its subspecies, is common in North Carolina. Unlike most amphibians, the mudpuppy doesn’t undergo metamorphosis, at least not fully. Scientists aren’t really sure exactly why, though most signs point to something to do with the thyroid gland. In fact, a study done on Axolotls – who similarly don’t undergo metamorphosis – has a subheader that literally reads, “It Gets Complicated.” At any rate, the result is that mudpuppies live the majority of their lives in perpetual juvenile-hood.
In late September last year, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, traveled north through Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas, and then onward, into Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio as it dissipated. The hurricane was devastating, causing an estimated $75 billion in property damages and killing hundreds. The destruction was especially bad in North Carolina, as the excessive rainfall caused rivers to surge, overflow, and flood. The Asheville area was particularly affected. Between the wind, flooding, and landslides, power lines were downed, water and sewage pipes were destroyed, and buildings and roads were swept away entirely. For some, it would be months before water and power would be available again.
As as result of the impact of the storm, the University of North Carolina Asheville completely ceased operations for nearly a month, then made the decision to complete the entirety of the fall semester online.
“It felt identical to when COVID first happened,” said Jackson “J.C.” Carawan, a junior at UNC-A and one of the captains for their D-III ultimate team #18 UNC Asheville Mudpuppy.1 “It was pretty abrupt,” added Jackson Stanley, senior and captain for that very same team. “It wasn’t really something I’d prepared myself for.”
This new reality came at the Mudpuppy team fast, and they were forced to adapt to it. Much like their namesakes though, they would refuse to go through a full metamorphosis, and change completely. They would instead, like most creatures in perpetual juvenile-hood, find a way to play no matter the circumstances.
“We were lucky enough to have a lot of schools take a few of our players in,” Stanley said. “J.C. and I are both from Winston-Salem, so we were able to practice with Wake Forest.” A number of other schools were accommodating as well – UNC’s A and B teams Darkside and Batch opened up their practices, as well as UNC Charlotte’s Skyrise. Even Kennesaw State’s Parliament opened their team’s practices for a player that lived in Atlanta.
But as much as they appreciated the opportunity to keep playing the game they loved, Carawan made it clear: “Whenever I was back in Asheville, I wouldn’t take a second for granted with Mudpuppy, because that’s my family.”
The Mudpuppy team did more than just practice during the fall; they were able to get together and attend some fall tournaments, an experience that for senior and Mudpuppy captain Spencer Chandler “hit really hard.”
The team was first able to fully regroup at Bare Bones at UNC Charlotte just over a week after the hurricane. “I remember getting into our huddle and realizing it felt like everything that had happened, like we didn’t have to worry about it anymore,” Chandler said. “We got to just be with our friends and play ultimate.”
Although the fall semester for Mudpuppy was far from normal, the team’s persistence and the generosity of other teams prepared them for what has turned out to be an eye-opening spring season.
At their first tournament, the inaugural D-III River City Showdown, the team was eager to prove themselves. They knew they had a good roster, but no one else seemed to. “We were the 16 seed,” said Stanley. “I think we were a bit excited about it.” The team only lost two games at River City, once in pool play to #2 Franciscan Fatal and then again to Franciscan in the final. The lowest seeded team had finished second overall.
“It’s definitely something we would like to build off,” Stanley said, and build off it they have, playing tight contests with good teams in the Easterns D-III Division to end the season. Although their finish wasn’t strong, Mudpuppy demonstrated they’re right in the mix with some of the best D-III teams in the nation with a one-point prequarter loss to #16 Bates.
Mudpuppy’s goal, like any team’s with something to prove, is to make Nationals, but just making the division’s biggest tournament isn’t enough for these guys anymore. They want to win. Owen Stout, a sophomore on the team, epitomized this desire: “I hate losing. I hate it in everything.” Just making it there to lose every game would be a disappointment for Stout.
“When we make Nationals, that’s not going to be something that we give up and say ‘oh we’re already here, we’re totally okay,’” Stout continued. “I want to compete.”
Stanley reiterated his teammate’s desires: “We have a lot of guys that are similar to Owen in that they hate losing more than they like winning. I don’t see us being at a tournament that we aren’t trying to win.”
But who will rise up from the Mudpuppy masses to help them take the top step at Nationals?
“For one, Brandon Bass,” Stanley said. “I think his name is going to become a lot more common in D-III ultimate here soon.” The junior and alum of the YCC team Triforce is “the brain” of the UNC-A O-line. In addition to Bass’ smarts, the team made a key addition in Raekwon Razor, a rookie who scored five on CHOP at River City Showdown – from the D-line. Stanley simply described Razor as “a baller.”
The Mudpuppy team, which months ago didn’t have a usable campus, now seem poised to make their Nationals goals a reality. Captains Stanley, Carawan, and Chandler have held their team together through sheer force of will. They serve as a reminder that hard work is a key ingredient to success. If anything defines this new iteration of ultimate at UNC Asheville, it’s a determination to play the game they love with the people they love.
Singular Mudpuppy, to all of you shouting good game to them in the future, not Mudpuppies. ↩
