Round 3 to decide the 2025 Catch of the Year!
January 7, 2026 by Ultiworld in Awards, Opinion
Ultiworld’s 2025 Catch of the Year bracket 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.
One of our most popular series to begin each year, it’s time to look back at last year and let our readers decide some of the top plays of 2025. We narrowed to the final sixteen (eight from MMP and eight from WMP) during our live charity streamathon, and after two exciting rounds of voting, we’re into the semifinals! Which plays should advance?
Round 3 starts now and closes on Friday, January 9th at noon Eastern!
Woman-Matching Players
Loes Coppejans – Belgium Women’s (WFDF WBUC)
Loes Coppejans flew to grab this too-far upline toss and deftly avoids contact for Belgium at the World Beach Ultimate Championships!
Lauren Goddu – Washington Element (USAU College)
Goddu called game with this dueling layout at the D-I College Championships!
2025 Catch of the Year Round 3 Matchup 1 (Results)
- Loes Coppejans
- Lauren Goddu
Man-Matching Players
Michael Olivieri – BeachBound Knights (International Beach)
In a surprising upset, Olivieri made it through to the semifinal round! In a catch that conjures images of Andrew Fleming and Allyn Suzuki, Michael Olivieri seems to go beyond full extension. It is like seeing Michael Jordan’s Space Jam dunk but in real life. If it wasn’t on film, would you believe it?
John Durham – Virginia Vault (USAU Club)
This play has something most don’t: the element of surprise. You simply don’t expect John Durham’s sprinting deep cut to turn into a two-handed layout grab to the front cone, with his defender blanketing him. His defender didn’t see it coming either.
2025 Catch of the Year Round 3 Matchup 2 (Results)
- Michael Olivieri
- John Durham
