All the favorites, contenders, and sleepers as the regional championships begin.
September 18, 2025 by Graham Gerhart, Zack Davis, Felicia Zheng and Anna Browne 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: #10 Toronto 6ixers
Challengers: #20 Chicago Nemesis, #23 Ann Arbor Outrage
6ixers’ New Domain
The regional redraw undeniably hit the Great Lakes region hardest in the women’s division. Vast swaths of the Midwest are likely to become the 6ixers’ stomping grounds after years under the control of Chicago Nemesis. In the first regionals post-redraw, all eyes will be on the finals to establish the new pecking order in this historically single-bid region.
6ixers boast a star-studded roster that should have no trouble getting over the hump. With Lauren Kimura, Molly Wedge, and Sarah Jacobsohn fresh off an exceptional World Games run, the return of Alyssa Mason from injury, and heaps of undersung depth like Tyama Lyall, Rachel Cooc, and Aurora Lešnik, this Toronto squad has all the firepower it needs for a dominant victory. It’s hard to imagine anyone else lifting the regionals trophy come Sunday.
Chicago’s Comeback Trail
With every rise, there’s a fall, and Nemesis clearly got the short end of the stick in the redraw. Once the undisputed best in the region, they now face a challenging road to Nationals that runs straight through the powerhouse 6ixers. For longtime Chicago fans, Nemesis have shown a palpable shift this year, approaching the 2025 club season with renewed ferocity and focus. While they didn’t capture the strength bid this time, Nemesis are unmistakably on an upward trajectory, positioning themselves well for a return next year.
There’s a lot to like about this Nemesis roster. The team remains deeply entwined with the local community and boasts a strong talent pipeline. Give them a couple more seasons, and the Great Lakes could soon have another Nationals-worthy contender. Or could there be two contenders as soon as next year? Ann Arbor Outrage are quietly putting together a solid program, and they’ve matched up well at the fringes of the Nationals picture. Keep an eye on them during a potential matchup with Nemesis as a gauge for where the two clubs could be headed in the future.
Mid-Atlantic
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Frederica, Delaware
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Favorites: #3 Washington D.C. Scandal, #9 Pittsburgh Parcha, #16 Washington D.C. Grit
Challengers: #22 Philadelphia Flight
New Top Team in the Region?
For the first time in nine matchups, Parcha have finally bested their regional rival Scandal. Yes, this was at US Open, a tournament heavily characterized by missing players for the World Games, but a win is a win. Parcha are putting all of the pieces together this year, leaning on their strengths to propel them to the best season so far in team history. Led by an incredibly dominant Carolyn Normile, who shifted back to the O-line, and the return of Annelise Peters after spending some time playing for Scandal, Parcha are peaking at the right time. Their results exemplify this, as they have beaten many teams for the first time ever this season, including Phoenix and 6ixers at PEC East, Scandal at US Open, and Schwa at ESC. These results could be enough to make a semifinals run convincing, but some residual doubt still surrounds Parcha. That being said, this team has the potential, and if they continue to lean on rising stars Taylor Conroy, Miya Liang, and Mak Priest, Parcha will be a tough foe to topple.
In the way of Parcha’s hopes at taking the Mid-Atlantic regional crown are Scandal. While Parcha bested Scandal 14-13 at US Open, that game was notably a consolation game where Scandal were missing their two biggest stars, Claire Trop and Kami Groom, as they prepared to travel to Chengdu. With a full roster, Scandal are a scary team, as evidenced by their much stronger performance at Pro Champs. With their full roster present, Scandal were able to best Brute Squad, Phoenix, and Molly Brown en route to a third-place finish amongst the top eight teams from 2024. Outside of their World Games stars, Scandal rely on Amanda Murphy, Marge Walker, Kira Flores, and Marie Périvier to be high-touch workhorses. While Scandal are favored to win the region, anything can happen on the turf fields in Delaware.
Rising Flock
The big challengers on the block are none other than Philadelphia Flight. After an incredibly strong ESC, Flight found themselves finishing tied for third with their regional rivals, and current bid holders, Grit. Sadly, due to weather we were unable to see these two squads match up to cap off the tournament, but we don’t have to wait long. Grit have the historical advantage, winning all seven matchups against Flight, including a 14-8 win in July at Swamp Seasonal Invite. But Grit cannot rest on their laurels, as Flight have proven they are a competitor, most notably with a 13-10 loss to Parcha at ESC. Flight also beat strong teams in Nemesis, Vengeance, and Nightlock at that tournament.
This matchup will be determined by gameplanning and depth, as both teams feature a strong mid-bottom end of the rosters. Names like Grace Maroon and Emilie Mohler for Flight and Jordan Sorensen and Tayara Romero Peña for Grit pop out when looking at the rosters, but those well-known names only tell part of the story.
As the women’s game-to-go is one of just five games happening in the 2 PM round at the complex, alongside the mixed and men’s games-to-go and a pair of consolation games in the men’s and women’s divisions, this presumed Flight-Grit showdown will be electric. Pair that with two of the largest frisbee cities in the Mid-Atlantic facing off head to head, and you have the makings of an instant classic. Every possession will matter.
North Central
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥
Favorites: #21 Minneapolis Pop
Challengers: #24 Madison Heist, Kansas City Wicked
Pop on Top
In a division where chalk tends to reign supreme, it’s easy to picture Minneapolis extending their Nationals run to eight straight. Led by Steph Wood and Makella Daley, the Pop roster is packed with returners and defined by comfortable chemistry. These are players who have been there, done that, and have the experience to do it again. For a team that has spent most of the year sparring with Nationals-level competition, Regionals might be little more than a speed bump on the way to San Diego.
Yet, the Minnesota outfit hasn’t been without its stumbles this season. Sporting a blemished 4–7 record, Pop clearly haven’t found their groove against top-tier opponents. There’s a case to be made that the regular season was just a testing ground in preparation for the postseason. But as things stand, their record doesn’t inspire much confidence. To make a return to Nationals, Pop will need to be disciplined and effective in ways rarely seen this season.
Midwest Melee
Despite their close proximity, neither Madison Heist nor Kansas City Wicked have matched up against Pop in a sanctioned game this year. That means the near-inevitable regional final will be a first look for both teams, with real potential for an upset.
Madison are the clear challengers in the pecking order, having notched a solid early-season 11–8 win over Wicked. Expect big things from Erynn Schroeder and the rest of the Madison crew, who have already scored marquee wins against respected clubs like Atlanta Ozone and Seattle Underground. Are Pop next?
Don’t discount the Kansas City team though! Wicked have been on the up and up as of late, playing a solid series of games at Select Flight and Royal Experience. The team returns most of its members, one year wiser and closer to contending for the North Central title. An upset here would certainly be a surprise, but far from out of the question. And one final word on the subject of upsets: St. Louis Stellar toppled Wicked 12-10 at sectionals. Could they play spoiler for one of the main challengers at regionals?
Northeast
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Devens, Massachusetts
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Favorites: #5 Boston Brute Squad, #6 New York BENT, #13 Québec Iris
Challengers: #18 Northampton Starling, Boston Siege
The Northeast has historically been one of the deepest regions in the women’s division, and that hasn’t changed one bit in 2025. Despite having three bids, this region could have had another, and no one would have batted an eye. Northampton Starling barely missed the cutoff with the points they accrued this season and now will have to battle with the likes of Boston Brute Squad, New York BENT, and Québec Iris to make it to their first Nationals. They’re not the only ones with something to prove at this tournament, though. There’ll be plenty to watch in Devens this weekend.
Starling might be the team with the best chance at upsetting one of the favorites, but the most anticipated battle this weekend is between the dynastic overlords of Brute Squad and the plucky underdogs of BENT. Brute Squad have ruled this region with an iron fist for more than a decade now, and while Toronto 6ixers gave them a run for their money a few times, they’ve moved to pastures that, if they are greener, are at least greater and lakier. Now it’s up to BENT to take on the favorites, which is easier said than done. BENT have had a great season so far, winning two regular season tournaments and practically sleepwalking through sectionals, but they have a blemish on their record: they’ve already lost to Boston this year. Granted, that was at the US Open when their team wasn’t at full strength, but it’s still a bad look for a team that has title aspirations.
Reintegrating Yina Cartagena into the mix is important for BENT. They’ve put a lot of strain on their handler core without her, and really needed the firepower. Losing Genny De Jesus to injury is a blow, but it’s their offense that has needed a boost as they enter the postseason, especially if they’re going to outlast Boston Brute Squad and win the region.
Brute are not going to make it easy for them. They have their own fair share of international talent, and Levke Walczak is just the tip of the spear. The integration of Ximena Montaña and Mangie Forero will also be worth watching in anticipation of Brute Squad’s chances at Nationals. They’re going to need every advantage they can get when headed to San Diego.
The relative strength of Brute Squad and BENT puts Iris directly in the crosshairs of the challengers like Starling and Siege. Iris have had a solid season and a significant win over Parcha that has looked better and better as the season progresses. Their only real blemish is their record against in-region teams. Losses to BENT aren’t a death sentence, but a close game against Starling at SFI East spells trouble for the Canadians. What Iris have in their favor is real star power. Maude Samson and Florence Dionne are both elite players that are likely underrated in the grand scheme of things. The handlers on Québec’s roster will not be short of easy targets, and their defense has already proven to have a capable offensive attack when they can get the disc. It remains to be seen if that will be enough to quench the aspirations of their competition, though.
The two teams hungry to steal a bid that have shown themselves capable of it during the regular season are Siege and Starling. Neither team is without some perplexing losses but they both have more than a fighter’s chance to make it to San Diego. Starling are a team on the rise. They have plenty of young talent — see: Olive Polson-Filas — but are balanced by more experienced leaders like Paige Howell, Allyse Fazio, and Lauren Doyle. Their veteran players have helped bring some poise to the roster that has carried them through tough games, and might be enough to send them over the edge in a hypothetical game-to-go.
In contrast, Siege have fully transitioned away from the veteran core that brought them to Nationals in 2021 and have a revamped roster that wins games off of energy and effort. They’ve taken some of the best players from the D1 and D3 schools in the area like Ellie Kowalski and Eliza Knapp and are developing them into truly threatening club talents. While the team took a while to integrate over the course of the regular season, they dominated Sectionals and look very confident heading into Regionals. It might just be the momentum they need.
Northwest
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Favorites: #2 Seattle Riot, #11 Portland Schwa, #12 Vancouver Traffic
Challengers: #17 Utah Dark Sky, Seattle Underground
In the age of the attention economy, a cursory glance at Northwest Regionals might be enough to write off the region as completely chalked. The top teams are the same three they’ve been in the past, so that’s not unique enough to drive interest, right? Seattle Riot, Portland Schwa, and Vancouver Traffic all did enough in the regular season to earn bids, as they have pretty consistently for the last decade or more. This isn’t 2015, though. The region has reshuffled, and there are a few more players at the table threatening to go all in on an attempt to steal a bid from the top three. Even the infighting amongst the power players has plenty of new storylines added to the mix this year. This won’t be the most contentious Northwest Regionals of all time, but it doesn’t mean that it won’t be a classic.
Any hope of winning the region requires going through Riot, first. That’s not something that was predicted at the start of the season and has become a major storyline in 2025. Back when Riot released their roster, the youthfulness of the team was the main talking point. The narrative hasn’t changed much around Riot, except that the question marks around the youth have become exclamation points. Chloe Hakimi and Nora Luloff have become aces in the hole of Riot’s offense, and could be for years to come. Backing up an offense that already features Abbie Abramovich, Kate Lanier, and Carly Campana? That’s a powerful formula. Riot have carved a reputation as one of the best teams in the country, all while being led by some of their youngest stars.
Their competition is Schwa (and this is where the momentum of the region really gets going), who haven’t faced off against Riot all season. That’s right. In what may be a first for the two squads, they have no regular season games against each other, so there’s no way to predict how they will fare in a head-to-head matchup. We have no data, and aside from game tape, the two teams don’t, either. Riot’s resume is stronger, but it’s hard to say by how much. Roster-wise, it’s equally tough. Does anyone really want to downplay Oregon’s own rising stars in Trout Weybright, Opal Burruss, and Miko Magnant? If these two teams get a chance to face off against each other with the region on the line, it’ll be as high stakes a game as we’ve seen so far this entire year.
The region isn’t entirely centered around Portland and Seattle, though. Lest we forget, one of Riot’s only losses this season came at the hands of Traffic, and the Canadians have had a ton of reps this year between CUC and the USAU series. Traffic’s losses to Schwa are definitely a barrier they will have to overcome, and the slump they saw at CUC can’t be ignored… but it’s hard to deny that Vancouver peaks during the postseason. The lack of UBC Thunderbirds on the roster is notable, especially after the stellar college season from that squad, so it remains to be seen what Traffic’s ceiling is. Thankfully, their floor is raised by the likes of veterans Sarah Norton, Catherine Menzies, and Marie-Ève Beauchemin. A word from the wise: don’t bet against them if you can help it.
Utah Dark Sky are poised to play spoiler. They have has all the makings of a Nationals contender; they just have to earn it. The problem is, earning it may prove to be difficult. So far, Utah’s season has been defined more by close losses rather than emphatic wins over other teams in the top-25. They have yet to have a statement win in the same way as the Northwest teams seeded above them. That means it has to come at Regionals, on the biggest stage, which is a tough ask for any team. Believing you can cause an upset is half the battle, actually doing it is another story.
South Central
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Austin, Texas
Number of Bids: 1
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥
Favorites: #8 Denver Molly Brown
Challengers: #14 Colorado Kelp, #19 Dallas Dimes
It’s been a tough season for #8 Denver Molly Brown, at least in comparison to the success the team enjoyed the last few seasons. A fifth-place finish at the US Open that included an abysmal 15-1 loss against #1 San Francisco Fury, and a seventh-place finish at Pro Championships don’t inspire confidence in the club’s chances at another run at the title. However, Molly Brown, contrary to the lower placement and the win/loss column, showed improvement at Pro Champs. They played a more competitive game against Fury that ended 15-11 in Fury’s favor, but ultimately Molly Brown only collected a single win over the weekend, beating #10 Toronto 6ixers 15-13. Despite all this, they are big favorites for the region’s sole bid, having taken care of business in their lone game against a South Central opponent in the form of a 15-11 win over #14 Colorado Kelp. Expect more of the same from Molly Brown as longtime standouts like Claire Chastain, Manu Cárdenas and Valeria Cárdenas can fully turn their attention to the Series after competing at the World Games in August.
Although Kelp have the head-to-head loss earlier in the season, they are definitely the team with the most potential to pull off an upset against Molly Brown. They have leveled up significantly from last year’s play, in part due to roster additions, but were unable to secure a second bid to Nationals for the region. Most of the players have experience with Nationals-level teams, and know what it’s like to be in a game-to-go situation. Players like Rena Kawabata and Mei Hecht have experienced deep Nationals runs from their time at Molly Brown. If there has ever been a time to take a shot at the South Central throne, this is it.
The dark horse contenders for the lone Nationals berth are South Central newcomers #19 Dallas Dimes. The core of the team is mostly composed of UT-Dallas Whiplash players and alumni such as Kimmy Wilson, Elissa Balke, and Allison Chang, who led the scrappy Dallas team to 2023 D-I College Championships. Then there is a large contingent of the WMPs from the recently folded mixed team Public Enemy, with an assortment of club vets from Tulsa, Fort Collins, and the larger South Central area sprinkled in. Their record is a clean 21-0, solidly drumming any and all competition in their path. Their closest game was a 14-9 win in the South Texas Sectional final against Vengeance. The one thing missing from their resume is a win over a ranked team, but that could change in dramatic fashion this weekend.
Southeast
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Number of Bids: 1
Excitement Level: 🔥
Favorites: #4 Raleigh Phoenix
Challengers: None
Another routine weekend at the local park awaits #4 Raleigh Phoenix. Dawn Culton, Lindsay Soo, Alex Barnett and co. will have no trouble securing their spot at the 2025 Club Championships. Phoenix haven’t had quite the same success they had last season when they won Pro Champs, but they have put up some impressive wins nonetheless. And that’s before mentioning the triumphant return of long time club legend Sarah Meckstroth to bolster the roster. Is this finally the year the Raleigh club put together the run and secure a national championship? Probably not if Fury continue being Fury, but they do have a clear route to San Diego and a decent chance at a semifinals berth when they get there.
There’s little hope for the other Southeast hopefuls. Atlanta Ozone have the best chance at an upset over Raleigh, and while they’ve taken care of business in their backyard with dominant wins over Shiver, Juicebox, Fiasco, and CHAOS, they’ve shown they don’t have what it takes to find a win over teams of Phoenix’s caliber. Ozone did have a 12-10 loss in a head-to-head earlier in the season at Swamp Seasonal Invite, but that’s just one example in a handful of similar score lines that Ozone have against Nationals contenders.
As for the rest of the table, it’ll take a peak performance to even be in a position to take a win from Phoenix. Shiver and Magma have the best shot after Ozone. Magma took Ozone to the brink at East Coast Sectionals, but dropped the game 11-10. Shiver’s best result of the season is a 10-8 win over Magma at HoDown Showdown in the final, but they have two head-to-head losses against Ozone in games that were not very competitive.
Southwest
Competition Schedule
Dates: September 20-21
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Number of Bids: 3
Excitement Level: 🔥🔥
Favorites: #1 San Francisco Fury, #7 San Diego Flipside, #15 San Francisco Nightlock
Challengers: #25 Oakland LOL,, Bay Area FAB, San Diego Wildfire
This is the most established pecking order we’ve seen in the Southwest for some time. Granted, San Francisco Fury have always been in a league of their own, but there have been times when contenders like San Diego Flipside or San Francisco Nightlock have seemed close to contention. Even when Fury were entirely out of reach, the aforementioned hopefuls either tussled with each other over a second bid or had to wrangle down an up-and-comer to secure the region’s third bid. Sadly, this is not the case in 2025. Barring outlandish results that defy the oddsmakers and spit in the face of God, it’s very likely that the three bids will go to the three best teams at this tournament.
Fury have felt more inevitable than ever this year. They have somehow leveled up their defense, and even if their offense might be a rung lower than some of their HoF rosters of yore, the overwhelming talent and ability has put them in the same category as some of the best teams the institution has ever fielded. They have so many household names that it’s hardly worth highlighting them, but the likes of Allyson Tsuji, Kaitlynne Roling, and Sarah VonDoepp taking up the mantle of the team still feels unfair. At this point, Fury are chasing history. It feels as if their competition is with their legacy rather than their opponents. A loss for them this weekend would be the biggest story of regionals, guaranteed. Here’s hoping for a commentator’s curse on this entire paragraph.
If Fury are to be beaten at Regionals, it’ll come at the hands of Flipside. San Diego’s season hasn’t reached the same heights as previous iterations of their roster, but the quality of talent remains extremely high. The team’s ability to take on Fury will likely come down to the health and playing ability of Kaela Helton. Fury’s prodigal daughter was arguably Team USA’s best player at the World Games in China and has been electric for Flipside since joining the team. Kaitlyn Weaver and Kristen Pojunis have done their best to alleviate the immense burden placed on Helton’s shoulders, but the team’s results without Helton speak for themselves. Thankfully, their spot at Regionals isn’t under too much threat, even if Helton is still ramping up to speed. Flipside, even with an injured Helton, are still a team that can make the bracket at Nationals. There isn’t really another team that can say that in the region (aside from Fury).
Flipside aren’t without their weaknesses, though, and that’s exactly what Nightlock will be trying to exploit. The Bay Area team had a solid regular season and earned a third bid for the region on the back of a very deep roster. Nightlock don’t have any World Games players or PotY hopefuls like the teams seeded above them, they’re just filled to the brim with talented players who operate well in the system they’ve created and know how to play for each other. The team’s balance helps them get through games that turn into rock fights, and they have the stamina to close out those games when needed. This will matter for their bouts against Fury or Flipside, but also for the lower-seeded teams that will be trying to claw the region’s final bid out of their hands.
FAB, LOL, and Wildfire are all in the mix for trying to steal the final bid. While LOL are rated the highest, it’s Wildfire who got the closest most recently. The scars are still fresh from the 2023 game-to-go, where a testy call broke Wildfire’s heart and helped Nightlock snatch a win from the jaws of defeat. Wildfire don’t have quite the same depth as they did in 2023, and are missing some of the star players that got them that close, but they’re a solid core that have been playing together for a few years now and know each other’s habits. The likes of Mika Leslie, Lauren Stuart, and Vivi Stevens are still very much a threat in the women’s division.
They’ll be hard-pressed to upstage the LOL roster, though. LOL remain a who’s-who of master and grandmaster greats from the Bay Area and beyond, citing players like Ness Fajardo, Meeri Chang, Lexi Stambaugh, and even Kristen Reed. The talent on the roster is undeniable, even if their regular-season results leave a little to be desired. It remains to be seen if the team is a little more than a pickup crew that enjoy playing the Series together.
Right on their heels are FAB, who had an ambitious regular season that included PEC West and SFI West, accumulating some high highs and some low lows. Still, they’ve faced far stronger competition than some of the other hopefuls, and while their recent results against Nightlock leave something to be desired, they have as strong a chance as any to make it to the game-to-go. Sometimes that chance is all it takes for a team like FAB that’s been building all season long.
