Highlighting players who took a leap toward stardom in the division this spring.
June 20, 2025 by Zack Davis and Theresa Diffendal in Awards
Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored. The regular season and the college Series are both considered, with extra emphasis for performances in the competitive and high-stakes environment at Nationals.
The Breakout Player of the Year recognizes rising juniors and seniors who made themselves known in a new light this season. While our nebulous definition of “breakout” reflects an evolving set of criteria, rather than celebrating the improvement of those from whom big things were already expected, we aim to use this award to celebrate the emergence of those who previously have not been on the national radar. Whether it be through growth in ability, role, or both, the Breakout Player of the Year and runners-up honor those who rose to the occasion with improved and high-impact performance on a new level this season — putting them squarely in the spotlight moving forward.
- Player of the Year
- All-American First Team
- All-American Second Team
- Defensive Player of the Year Award
- Offensive Player of the Year Award
- Rookie of the Year Award
- Breakout Player of the Year Award
- Coaches of the Year Award
- Full Awards Voting Breakdown
D-III Women’s 2025 Breakout Player Of The Year
Jocelyn Richison (Davenport)
We at Ultiworld have spilt plenty of digital ink on Lanie O’Neill, but Davenport’s continued success in 2025 was largely thanks to the leveled-up play of another fearsome backfield general: Jocelyn Richison. The numbers could speak for themselves–from four assists as a first-year in 2024 to 17 as a sophomore in 2025 (while also more than doubling both her goal and block totals)–but allow me to wax poetic.
Richison’s evolution with the disc in hand added dynamism to the Panthers offense, changing it from one content to mostly huck and play D to a line that could play possession ball up the field. Richison’s positioning in the reset space allowed for easy swings, and Richison punished trailing marks with an around backhand that changed the point of attack and facilitated easy breakside flow for points. Bite on the backfield jab, and Richison was happy to burn a still-lunging defender to take the upline space with impressive foot speed for power position.
And Richison used that power, showing off increased range on both backhand and flick hucks that forced defenses to honor the deep longer than just the initial few stalls of Davenport’s drives. If Richison was pushed downfield after a strike cut, the aforementioned quickness was paired with an increased ability to read the field, generating frame-perfect continuations to get the ball back in prime scoring position. With the impending departure of O’Neill, get ready for Richison to become the face of Davenport as she heads into her junior year.
– Theresa Diffendal
First Runner-Up
Tay Harvey (Rochester)
There were few players at Nationals this year that were as capable as Tay Harvey with the disc in their hands. Smooth backhands and crisp flicks consistently emanated from Harvey over the weekend. But what set the sophomore apart from the field was her ability in the deep space on defense. The weather was less than idyllic over the weekend, but Harvey’s height and disc sense made her area of the field a no-fly zone.
Harvey is more than just her stat output (a cool 20A/20D double-double), she’s a solid cornerstone for a team that’s looking to improve their national standing. The sophomore was instrumental not only in Rochester’s program-best ninth place finish at Nationals, but in getting them to Nationals at all. After the Metro East had only a single bid last year and the year prior, Rochester secured a second in 2025 thanks to a 10-3 regular season. Harvey, as a central part of the team, was a large part of that, even threatening to take the regional crown from eventual national champions Wesleyan. The Metro East regional final should prove to be must-watch ultimate for the foreseeable future, as Harvey and the EZs look set to battle Wesleyan for years to come.
– Zack Davis
Second Runner-Up
Will Johnson (Kenyon)
A breakout player for the division’s breakout team, Johnson was a key piece in shepherding Kenyon to the program’s second-ever College Championships and first-ever bracket appearance. Johnson was a slightly known quantity entering Nationals, earning All-Region honors and glowing praise from opponents for over-the-top zone-breaking throws and huge fast break hucks as Blu-Ray rocketed past all comers in an undefeated regular season. But the regular season is one thing, and it takes nerve to be the center handler at your premier outing on the division’s biggest stage. Johnson had not only the nerve, but the gall, the audacity, and the gumption to ably step up in the big moments, dropping five assists in each of Kenyon’s pool play wins to clinch a prequarter spot. With Johnson popping up on a few club rosters, don’t be surprised if they’re back in 2026 better than ever and ready to lead Blu-Ray to the promised land once again.
– Theresa Diffendal
