Breaking down every region and all your contenders.
September 18, 2025 by Alex Rubin, Laura Osterlund, Edward Stephens and Josh Katz in Preview
Ultiworld’s 2025 coverage of the club division 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 club 2025 postseason is here! After teams battled all summer to earn bids for their regions, it’s time to figure who gets to go to the Big Show and try to win it all. We’ve got you covered with the favorites, challengers, and top storylines of every region.
Great Lakes
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Westfield, Indiana
Number of Bids: 1
Excitement Level: 🔥
Favorites: #1 Ann Arbor Hybrid
Challengers: Toronto UNION, Cincinnati Steamboat, Chicago Parlay
#1 Ann Arbor Hybrid are in the market for a second consecutive national title, and the Great Lakes Regional Championship is a mere stepping stone on the path to it. They have, like San Francisco Fury in women’s and San Francisco Revolver in men’s, been virtually indomitable, winning two majors in grand fashion over the best the rest of the mixed division can throw at them. Rachel Mast has been playing at a Player of the Year level. She’s just the tip of a very sharp spear, though: Maketa Mattimore, Nathan Champoux, Tracey Lo, Dalton Smith, Jonathan Mast, Maddy Simko, and Aaron Bartlett have all been performing near her level. Whatever Hybrid have been doing so far in the ‘20s – a run that already includes two appearances in the national final in addition to their championship and their blitzing run (to date) through 2025 – it has been absorbingly effective.
Hybrid’s dominance is a shame for some of the other decent teams in the region, especially Toronto UNION. In the past, UNION could have dilly-dallied through the regular season with the expectation that there would be bids to play for in September, and they might cultivate a small hope of nabbing one. That was in their former region, the Northeast. Now having been shifted to the more geographically suitable Great Lakes, UNION must give up even that meager dream: in 14 years of existence, the region has only known one (2023, RIP Cleveland Crocs) with a strength bid. Leah Tackeberry-Giddens, Kelsi Mallany, and Samantha Mok are excellent players, but they’ll need to do work in the regular season next year to give themselves a chance at the Big Show.
Other good teams falling by the wayside in what is sure to be another Hybrid year: a Chicago Parlay program who have managed to secure the services of a pair of exciting young players, Justin Burnett and Jocelyn Sun – could they be putting together a club to challenge Hybrid in the coming years? – and the longtime passion project of Brittany Winner and Ryan Gorman, Cincinnati Steamboat.
Mid-Atlantic
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Frederica, Delaware
Number of Bids: 2
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Favorites: #11 Washington DC Rally, #17 Philadelphia AMP
Challengers: #23 Baltimore Anthem, #25 Pittsburgh Port Authority
The bid drama of the season’s final weekend managed to avoid the Mid-Atlantic region this year, with Rally and AMP doing just enough at ESC to stay out of the “two bids for three regions” chaos at Pro Champs and return the Mid-Atlantic to two-bid status. With those two bids, there’s space for both Rally to extend their Nationals streak to three, and AMP to start a new Nationals streak after their near two decade stretch of appearances ended last year.
Rally enter the weekend as narrow favorites to win the region outright after a successful-ish regular season, one that saw very high peaks (a 15-11 win over shame. at US Open and a 15-12 win over Disco Club at ESC) and some bafflingly low lows (a 15-5 thrashing at the hands of BFG at US Open). Their offense, already potent with Sami Smalling and Brandon Lamberty, had its floor raised considerably with the addition of Theo Shapinsky from Hybrid over the offseason. That, combined with an opportunistic defense that can throw a plethora of looks at their opponents, should be enough for Rally to get through Regionals without too much of a hassle.
AMP are seeded second this weekend, and you’d have to say they’re more likely to take down Rally for the region than they are to miss Nationals entirely, but it’s close. Their best win of the year came against a shorthanded Tower team, and, outside of a season-opening win over Sprocket, they’re winless against likely Nationals teams. But they have star power on their side in the form of USA World Games alternate Lindsay McKenna. Late in games, deep in the bracket, AMP can count on her to effectively will the rest of the team to a victory. Should anything happen to her, though…
The most likely challengers to Rally and AMP are a pair of relative unknowns in Anthem and Port Authority. There’s plenty of reason to believe in either squad to pull off the upset this weekend: both have taken California Burrito to universe at some point this season, and both have played close with AMP at early season tournaments.1 Port Authority won the lone matchup between the two this season at Sectionals, winning 15-12 in a game that was for nothing more than Regionals seeding. Don’t be surprised if either is able to pull off an upset in the final game-to-go and clinch their first ever Nationals appearance this weekend.
North Central
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Number of Bids: 1
Excitement Level: 🔥
Favorites: #5 Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust
Challengers: Madison NOISE
While the majority of the mixed division’s regionals will see chaos this weekend, the North Central will be a bit more consistent to previous years. Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust will likely go relatively unchallenged. Their track record speaks for itself, with a third-place finish at US Open and a fifth-place finish at Pro Champs. The crew of Emma Piorier, James Pollard, Erica Baken, Chagall Gelfand, and Caleb Denecour, among many others, is destined to dominate at Regionals and have likely booked their flights and lodging to San Diego.
The team that we’ll most likely see in the final2, will be Madison NOISE. With a 5-6 regular season record that includes six one-point games, NOISE have won, or come close to it, against the regional-level teams they’ve faced. Of the nine teams they’ve played, not one also hails from the North Central, but they should do well against the teams in this region regardless. NOISE added Lina Montenegro and Kai DeLorenzo, and Austin Prucha and Sydney French will be hard for teams to find answers for. Unfortunately for them, it’s been a few years since they made it to Nationals and even longer since they’ve slayed the Drag’n3 and odds of an upset are unlikely.
The only other team that could potentially challenge the top dogs4 is Minnesota Star Power. The team won Chicago Heavyweights and Northwest Plains sectionals with flying colors. While they probably won’t have what it takes to snatch the only Nationals bid in the region, they can show the region they’re on the up-and-up.
Northeast
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Devens, Massachusetts
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥
Favorites: #6 New York XIST, #7 Boston Slow, #12 Boston Sprocket
Challengers: #19 Ithaca Townies, #20 Boston Wild Card, Portland The Buoy Association, Burlington Big Rig, Burlington Zero Strategy
The big question in the Northeast is not who are going to take the three bids – there are clearly three teams operating at a level above the rest – but rather the question is in which order they finish. Slow performed the best the most recently, making it to the final of Pro Champs. The veteran poise of Ryan Cardinal, Yuge Xiao, and Tyler Chan blended well with the youthful exuberance of Luca Harwood, Ellie Jose, and Owen Cordes. Slow pushed their way through challenging upwind points, and displayed a defensive tenacity that few teams could match during the regular season. The pressure ratchets up in the Series, but more than any other team in the region, Slow are filled with players who have been there and done that, and they are on a recent hot streak. While they come in lower ranked than XIST, Slow surely consider themselves the favorites to take home another regional title.
Of course, to outsiders XIST are likely the favorite entering Regionals, given they beat Slow a few weeks ago at Pro Champs and are the defending regional champions. Jolie Krebs is putting together a Player of the Year level season, but up and down the roster XIST are exhibiting high-level ultimate. Even the less heralded XIST players have solid disc skills and can make an impact when they’re on the field, and with a lot of roster continuity, the team plays together better than most.
All that being said, Sprocket made it to the national final last season, and there’s no reason not to think they can make another run like that again. With Tannor Johnson-Go, all things are possible. His throwing prowess and dynamic cutting enhance the Sprocket offense – though Zach Singer, Jean Huang, and Shirlee Wohl handled the backfield roles well in his absence at Pro Champs. Johnson-Go’s defensive intelligence and athleticism make him a true two-way threat – while Sprocket worked through a season full of growth and development, they’ll be ready to unleash their final form on the region this weekend, and once again will hope to catch the legacy programs by surprise.
If you’re looking for a real surprise, maybe one of the ranked teams like #19 Ithaca Townies or #20 Boston Wild Card could pull off an upset. Both have wins over Nationals hopefuls already this season and have enough talent to play up to the moment in a game-to-go. Perhaps The Buoy Association or one of the two Burlington teams (Big Rig or Zero Strategy) might get hot at the right time, too. All of these teams similarly have talented rosters, and while they haven’t yet proven they belong at the Nationals level, they can enter the weekend with legitimate dreams of making an October trip down to San Diego.
Northwest
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Number of Bids: 1
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥
Favorites: #4 Seattle BFG
Challengers: #21 Seattle Mixtape, #24 Montana MOONDOG
The evil empire of the Northwest crumbled faster than the fall of Rome. Between the folding of Vancouver Red Flag, the exodus of Khalif El-Salaam and Lexi Garrity from Mixtape, the regression of MOONDOG, and a general lack of progression from anyone else, what was a thrilling four-bid region as recently as last year is now shaping up as, probably, the second-least exciting regional tournament of the weekend. “Favorites” understates how much of an advantage BFG have over the rest of the field — it would take an upset of epic proportions to see anyone else emerging from Salt Lake City with the lone bid to Nationals.
BFG’s status as the overwhelming favorites is more so a referendum on the rest of the region than it is a statement on their own performance. They’ve been great, yes, at times, but haven’t quite found the same level of dominance they exhibited in last year’s regular season. Perhaps this is merely a case of a team focused on ensuring they hit their peak in October? At any rate, the level of talent is not a question for BFG. Their offense is absolutely loaded: Cheryl Hsu, Conor Belfield, Sam Rodenberg, and Christian Foster all returned to give the line a sturdy foundation. They’re supplemented by a pair of top-25 caliber players in Mika Kurahashi and Allan Laviolette, plus two more college standouts having breakout seasons on the club circuit in Naomi Fina and Neo Debroux. The defense is equally stocked with the likes of Jeff Pape, Aaron Wolf, Gavin Leahy, Anna Cauchy, and Ian Sweeney, among many others. Barring a bizarre collapse (which BFG certainly aren’t immune to – see their 15-12 loss to Drag’n at US Open for proof), BFG will win the Northwest.
Crosstown foes Mixtape are BFG’s greatest threat, but this is not the same Mixtape of yesteryear. El-Salaam and Garrity’s departures have created space for an infusion of youth that Mixtape will certainly benefit from in the future, but they’ll have to take their lumps for a year or two. The likes of Rowan Lymp, Isabella Pharr, Zeppelin Raunig, and Ciona Antolin will benefit from the featured reps as they continue to develop into future stars (though, depending on who you ask, Raunig and Antolin may already be there). For this year, however, Mixtape’s chances of returning to Nationals are slim. If they are to pull off the miracle, Billy Katz will probably have had a big say in the matter with his powerful right arm, and Mo Tilmo and Alexa Romersa will have played some excellent defense.
The other potential spoilers – MOONDOG, Oregon Scorch, Seattle Spoke, and Salt Lake City Sego – all have too many warts to be taken too seriously. Scorch are actually the second-highest rated team in the region per USAU’s algorithm (four spots ahead of Mixtape) and have been in and around our power rankings for much of the season, but their best win of the season is against Port Authority and they’ve yet to put up much of a fight against Nationals-caliber competition. The rest of that quartet have similar resumes: one or two decent results against fellow top Regionals competition, but clearly not at the same level as the division’s premier programs.
South Central
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Austin, Texas
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥
Favorites: #2 Austin Disco Club, #8 Fort Collins shame., #14 Denver Mile High Trash
Challengers: Houston Zero Turn Lawnmower, Denver Flight Club
Sing it with me everybody! It’s raining bids, hallelujah! It’s raining bids, amen! I’m going to go out to run and let myself get ABSOLUTELY SOAKING WET!
The South Central hasn’t had a bounty like this – three bids! – since the height of the Dallas Public Enemy / Denver Love Tractor years, approximately a decade ago. How did it happen? First of all, #8 Fort Collins shame. remain entrenched among the division’s elite, having made not only Nationals but the bracket at Nationals every year since 2016.5 With returners Matty Russell, Rory Veldman, Sarah Itoh, Jade McLaughlin, and Simon Montague continuing their excellent play from last season, and with the addition of the game-changing Blaise Sevier, 2025 won’t break the streak.
Then there is the ramped up sophomore effort from #2 Austin Disco Club. Whether or not you believe they are really the second best team in the country, their on-field play this summer was inarguably elite. New recruits Lexi Zalk and Joel Clutton have bolstered a roster that could already boast plenty of excellence from the likes of Clara Stewart, Lo Guerin, Madi Cannon, Brandon Dial, and Joey Wylie. They haven’t found their way through Hybrid in three games yet this season, but Disco Club match up well against anybody else.
The third bid, though, took a difficult multi-year build from #14 Denver Mile High Trash. Notables like Abby Thorpe, Max Hamilton, Janie Mockrish, and Hallie Dunham (among others) have been with the program since its inception. They formed a strong regionals team in the past, and major recruits Riley Kirkman-Davis and Fiona Cashin have helped them put together a strength bid-earning 2025. Their season record (which includes a win over Disco Club) suggests they are ready and focused to cash in on the opportunity. Expect them to reach San Diego.
The teams that could stand in Mile High Trash’s way and steal the bid are not altogether compelling. Denver Flight Club have been near their level in the past, but 2025 has seen them fall behind. Houston Zero Turn Lawnmower, a first-year team with such intriguing members as Shiru Liu, Jimmy Zuraw, and Dagny Lott, could challenge in the region if they stay together for the long run, but they probably won’t do much more than jostle for Select Flight positioning in 2025. The upshot: all the excitement for the South Central has been in securing the strength bids, and the regional tournament itself could turn out to be a snooze.
Southeast
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Favorites: #3 Durham Toro, #10 Huntsville Space Force, #15 Nashville ‘Shine
Challengers: Athens Murmur, Asheville Parliament, Savannah Conspiracy, Durham Brunch Club
Toro are one of the top ranked teams in the country, but they have been inconsistent enough over the last few years that it is fair to question if that ranking is legitimate. Based on their play this season – it is. Claire Revere’s return along with Claire Bidigare-Curtis’ arrival revived the Toro offense with two dominant players who are threats downfield and with the disc. Grayson Sanner continues to be one of the most underrated players in the division, and his play in open space is basically impossible to guard. With the pieces of a very strong offense in place, Toro have at least made it to the final of every tournament they’ve played this season. On paper they’re the favorites to win the Southeast, but wilder things have happened before than the top seed not winning the region.
Based on their play at Nationals last season, Space Force got invited to strong tournaments this season and challenged themselves with a tough schedule. While they did not rack up a particularly high winning percentage, they’ll bank on that big game experience pulling through at Regionals. When Jeremiah Branson is on, Space Force will nearly always have the best player on the field; his improvement into an all-around threat is helping Space Force maintain a high level of play despite some turnover among the roster from previous seasons.
Likewise, ‘Shine relied on improvement among their returning players this season. Avi Ghitterman is coming into his own as a backfield playmaker and distributor, while Rachel Kramer is moving up from a solid continuing cutter to an always-open primary isolation look. As a whole, ‘Shine are less star-dependent than previous iterations, and that will help them play through the entire roster and keep everyone fresh for the important games a team needs to grind out to make it to Nationals.
With those favorites established, it’s an open question if anyone can truly challenge them in a game-to-go. Murmur have some very dynamic playmakers like Scott Whitley and Brooke Thompson who can change the game in an instant. Parliament have some veteran Nationals-level players (Elliott Erickson, Audrey Brown, Sam Fontaine) who can guide a newer team through the Series while still being competitive. Nothing is guaranteed in the Southeast, so while it might take an incredibly strong effort to unseat a favorite, it is certainly not impossible.
Southwest
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Number of Bids: 2
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Favorites: #9 San Francisco Mischief, #13 Sacramento Tower
Challengers: #16 San Diego California Burrito, #18 San Francisco Polar Bears, #22 Arizona Lawless, Los Angeles Lotus
Strap in, folks, we’re in for a wild ride. Teams in the Southwest almost came within a fraction of a rankings point of getting a third bid for their division. Almost. But thanks to the performance of teams from two other divisions (Southeast and Northeast) on day three of Pro Champs, they made this season’s regionals just that much more interesting to watch. Both bids and the regional title are anyone’s to take, or lose for that matter, and the potential outcomes to the infamous double-elim bracket format are countless.
Mischief have fought the uphill battle this season, a battle that started after they missed the Nationals mark last year. Their 2025 began with them winning PEC-W, beating BFG not once but twice to get there, and they continued to steamroll their competition throughout the season. Missing out on Nationals last season, they’ll have a chip on their shoulders, and Liam Jay might be the unsung hero that tips the scales to return.
Despite a sub-par showing at Elite-Select Challenge6 that caused them to lose their third strength bid, Sacramento Tower are another favorite to make Nationals for a second year in a row. With Robyn Fennig at the helm, a return to San Diego is not unlikely.
As mentioned above though, nothing is set in stone, and California Burrito — who, by the way, actually earned the second bid — sure will have something to say about which duo advance from the Southwest. High-profile additions in Mixtape’s Khalif El-Salaam and Hybrid’s Theresa Zettner elevated the team several notches, putting the Burrito name in the running to make a Nationals debut. They’ve had a winning season, even beating Mischief at Fruit Bowl in mid-August, but with a Sectionals loss to LA Lotus, who knows how they’ll fare this weekend.
Solely based on their 3-9 record this season, they’ve seemed to take a step back, but Arizona Lawless should not be counted out of contention. While his impact is not as pronounced this season, Travis Dunn can still take over the game when he steps on the field. Meanwhile, while it’s been a few years since their last Nationals campaign, San Francisco Polar Bears have never completely been out of the picture. With infusions like Revolver’s Sawyer Thompson and Sprocket’s Amanda Giles alongside longtime leaders like Sara Nolan and Aaron Shi, Polar Bears can win when it counts.
For Anthem, a 15-12 defeat at AMP Invite, and for Port Authority, a 13-11 loss at PEC East ↩
Aka the game-to-go ↩
In the 2022 national semifinal, no less ↩
And by challenge, in this case, I mean not get blown out ↩
Only Seattle BFG, Seattle Mixtape, Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust, and Boston Slow have been as consistent over the same time period. ↩
World Games being the culprit: their star Robyn Fennig was commentating in China ↩
