Your guide to the biggest players, teams, and stories of the 2026 D-III college season!
January 30, 2026 by Zack Davis, TJ Lee, Theresa Diffendal and Keith Raynor in Coverage, Preview
Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2026 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.
A few weeks after the New Year’s ball drops, the murmur of the coming college season begins in earnest. By the time it’s nearly February, the whirring of the hype machine is hitting a fever pitch. As the first major tournaments approach, we want to make sure you’re fully prepared for another uproarious college season. Like those that came before it, get ready for the ups, the downs, the thrillers, the stars, the new kids, and all of the wonderful things that make college ultimate so beloved with our annual College Primer.
Major Storylines
Odds of a Preseason Favorites Final
As in the D-I women’s division, are we in D-III set for a clash between the early preseason favorites, reigning champions #1 Wesleyan Vicious Circles and #2 Middlebury Pranksters? No, that is not a repeat of last year’s championship, but it is a reflection of our expectations for two teams led by the top two ROTY vote-getters in Wesleyan’s Milo Brown and Middlebury’s Ella Widmyer.
Wesleyan’s seat at the finals table feels most assured at the season’s onset, guided as they are by a talented young core and COTY Keith Raynor. Both Vicious Circles’ commitment to their systems and gameplan execution felt unmatched last year. Look no further than their 15-2 semifinal drubbing of Lewis & Clark, in which Wesleyan allowed no goals in the first half, for proof.
While “infallible” is perhaps a bridge too far (they did require a break on universe to overcome Davenport in pool play), another year of OPOTY runner-up Scout Noble sharpening her throwing arsenal, Mack Bunnell and Sofia Canoutas-Nadel syncing their cut-timing to their handlers’ preferences, Maggie Brown honing her field IQ to prowl for blocks, and Milo Brown learning to pair their vision with execution to tamp down on their game’s only knock (turnovers) is a formidable prospect. And did I mention the addition of YCC semifinalist Ava Keller, who will surely benefit from Wesleyan’s player development and continue the trend of underclassman divisional dominance? To the victor go the spoils.
Middlebury’s case for a championship showing will rest upon their ability to continue upskilling and find roles to compliment the takeover capabilities of Widmyer. The Pranksters are unquestionably the most successful D-III team thus far this decade and, for a team without a coach, have admirably stayed the course despite losing POTYs in back-to-back seasons in Keziah Wilde and Claire Babbott-Bryan, respectively. Their ability to attract talent has few peers in the division, with Widmyer’s matriculation last year overshadowing the arrival of Seattle Mixtape alum Sasha Hanna, who racked up the third-most goals on the team at Nationals.
They’ll need Hanna to continue on that trajectory, for though the Pranksters appear to lose just Liz Crawford and Lucy VanNewkirk, that duo accounted for nearly a third of the team’s offensive production last year. VanNewkirk alone posted a quarter of the team’s blocks with 15.1 Some of that production may be offset by the arrival of Lizzie Madden (Atlanta Ozone) and Zore DeSilva (Portland’s YCC team Rip Tide). Madden should slot in nicely downfield, working with Hanna and Sarah Capute to get the Pranksters in the end zone, while DeSilva’s toolkit could see her serving as a connector piece between Widmyer and the team’s cadre of cutting threats.
As is often the case with D-III’s low level of connectivity, fans were not graced with a showdown between Middlebury and Wesleyan in 2025. Whether Middlebury’s top-end can prove strong enough to contend with deeper rosters will likely determine their odds of continuing their semifinals-or-better streak of the 2020s.
But before I get out too far ahead of my discs, the other 2025 finalists #3 Haverford & Bryn Mawr will surely have something to say. The Sneetches present the early favorite to crash the party and build upon their program-first finals appearance. With all games yet to play, their ranking below the top two is weighted by the loss of a whole line of seniors, including 2025 POTY Zoe Costanza – perhaps unfairly, considering they return a pair of All-American Second Teamers in Erica Collin and Rufus Helmreich.
And that says little of undersung core returners like speedy receiver Liv Davis, focal offensive handler Clara Morton, and plug-and-play Sonia Nicholson. They also pick up two rookies whose prior experience stands poised to add to the team’s already deep continuation game in DC Swing Vote’s Augusta Kankel and Winchester High’s Ellie Kiernan. Headed by COTY runners-up, the Sneetches’ on-paper talent is perhaps the strongest deterrent to a Middlebury vs. Wesleyan championship game the division has to offer.
But that is, of course, with all games left to play.
– Theresa Diffendal
Don’t Call It a Comeback
There were six teams that made Nationals in 2024 that didn’t find their way back in 2025: #8 Macalaster Pursesnatchers, #15 Colorado College Zenith, #16 Portland UPRoar, #23 Grinnell Grinneleanor Roosevelts, Wellesley Whiptails, and Occidental WAC. Of course it’s every team’s goal to make it to Nationals, but these teams are going to be especially hungry to make it back.
Macalester, who were unable to secure a third bid for the North Central last season and would have been unsuccessful at claiming it even if they had, were largely affected by their centerpiece, Claire Lee, suffering a season-ending injury prior to the tournament. No team is just one player, but as Macalester showcased in 2024, Lee is the heartbeat of this iteration of the Pursesnatchers. If she can stay healthy, of the six teams trying to make it back this year Macalester has the easiest path, even in a region as strong as the North Central.
Fellow North Central residents Grinnell will also be trying to recapture the magic of the 2024 season. This is the year that it could happen, as their massive recruiting class from 2024 that was so instrumental in their push to Nationals, headlined by Erin Durkin and Julia Smith, will be juniors. Additionally, their dynamic duo of Claire Torgelson and Sara Garcia will be making a return as seniors and will be trying to make the most of what could be their last ride as college players. Of course, they will have to contend with programs like #9 St. Olaf Vortex, #11 Carleton College Eclipse, #17 Michigan Tech Superior Ma’s, and the aforementioned Macalester team, but Grinnell has been there before and triumphed.
Colorado College has a much more straightforward path than Grinnell but no less daunting: Win the South Central ConfRegional, and they are in. This is the same as it has been for them for years, and up until last year, they were able to rise to the challenge. In fact, up until they lost, it looked like they were following the same game plan. But Rice managed to overcome a 10-5 deficit in the final game and take back a region they hadn’t won since Colorado College rejoined D-III ultimate. If Zenith can recapture their trademark consistency, they will have the same success of the early 2020s.
Wellesley, who made top four at 2023 Nationals and finished top six in 2024, failed to make the tournament at all in 2025. The Whiptails have a mountain to climb if they want to make it back to the big dance again this year, sharing a region with teams like #2 Middlebury Pranksters, #6 Mount Holyoke Daisy Chain, #12 Williams Nova, and Amherst Sparkle Motion, who knocked the Whiptails out of Nationals contention last year. That said, New England has had four bids before, and no one can deny that Wellesley has had no problem recruiting in recent years. Though they no longer have Annika Wolberg or Ella McHugh, they added eight rookies to the roster last year and more this year.
As you will read below, the landscape of D-III is changing now that USAU’s cutoff for programs is 10,000 students rather than 7,500. The teams most immediately affected are the Southwest teams Claremont and Occidental. WAC had built up a streak of five straight trips to Nationals prior to last year. No longer will Occidental need to win against just Claremont but will have to contend against D-III newcomers Cal-Poly Humboldt and Santa Clara.
Finally, in what seems to be a D-III tradition, the 2024 champions failed to make the 2025 Nationals tournament at all. Portland UPRoar lost out in the game-to-go to #13 Lewis & Clark Artemis. What happened? Well, of course losing 2024 POTY Julianna “JJ” Galian didn’t help, but frankly, the rest of the division had also leveled up. #19 Puget Sound Clearcut had a good run with Hayes Freeman and Claire Bargman at the helm, and Lewis & Clark peaked at the right time, going from third in the region to top four in the nation. Portland needs to rally around senior Hayden Ashley, who was an All-American second teamer, as well as DPOTY second runner-up. Behind her is a lot of talent, and plenty of coaching experience.
– Zack Davis
Welcoming the Big Dogs
Say farewell to the best tournament format in Regionals history, the best-of-three 1v1 showdown between Claremont and Occidental to decide who takes the sole Southwest bid to Nationals. With Santa Clara and Cal-Poly Humboldt joining the region, a smaller but more recognizable format will be in place (presumably a three round pool play on Saturday to seed a two round bracket play Sunday).
Featuring a well-balanced roster that held seed at Nationals (albeit, the lowest seed at the tournament) and is only suspected to lose maybe one senior, Claremont looks poised to return to the big dance. Add an assortment of rookies with YCC talent and you have a solid team. All of this may prove crucial to Claremont’s odds of making another Nationals appearance, as working towards earning a bid will require a stronger regular season performance than last year.
Santa Clara RAGE finished last year with a respectable 10th place finish at Southwest D-I Regionals. They finished last season ranked 72nd overall in USAU’s final rankings, a couple places behind Lewis & Clark. With a roster expected to lose only a handful, RAGE have a great opportunity to enter the bid-earning range and make a deep postseason run.
Occidental is hoping to return to Nationals in 2026, and with potentially just two losses to graduation, they have everything needed to make their case. What stands out from past years is the fact that they no longer have to worry about playing near perfectly on Saturday of ConfRegionals and can instead use that as a way to ensure everything is in place come bracket play.
The last team to cover is Cal Poly Humboldt. A rough 2025 season – ending with a winless Sectionals and a score gap of 9-75 – is less than desirable, particularly when part of that was due to fellow newcomer Santa Clara (15-3), but it is important to remember how young this team is. Per Ultirzr, the juniors on this roster built the team from scratch in 2024, so keep an eye out for what the Hags can do now that advancing from the Conference means a bid straight to Nationals.
The last team we know for sure is committing to D-III as of right now is Wake Forest. While they do not enter the upcoming season as a particular threat, for a young roster with no seniors to worry about losing for next year, the hectic showdown of Atlantic Coast ConfRegionals opens up the door. This could be an interesting add to a region filled with uncertainty. Expect teams like Richmond, Catholic, and Davidson to try stepping up a tier and earning a strength bid for the region.
– TJ Lee
Sophomore Takeover
I’m not exactly stepping out on a long limb to hype up this year’s sophomore class. Last season featured three rookies making All-American selections, a feat we’ve never seen before and may never see again, along with multiple first years figuring into the Player of the Year conversation. If you follow this division at all, you already know Middlebury’s Ella Widmyer and Wesleyan’s Milo Brown are division-defining talents. Heck, we knew it before the season started.
And part of the immense influence of the 2025 rookie class is that these players have such an outsized impact on the division’s landscape. They are leading performers on some of the division’s most productive teams after all. How they stack up this season will be of vital importance and telling for how the winds are blowing when it comes to the national title conversation.
But what you might not realize is how much the rest of this class has to say. We were all introduced to Haverford and Bryn Mawr’s Rufus Helmreich, the third of the All-American trio, last season. With no Zoe Costanza, expect a big heaping of key reps to fall Helmreich’s worthy shoulders. If HBM is going to follow up last season’s run to the final, it’ll likely be because Helmreich is having another elite season.
Down the line, however, are still more notable candidates to make their own runs at the All-American squads. Mount Holyoke’s Claire Willett was a goal scoring machine at Nationals last year and could easily take a sophomore leap into a bigger all-around role. Whitman’s Kate Campbell looked like a seasoned vet during the Sweets’ impressive 2025 campaign. Richmond’s Keira Linnane is a big part of why the Redhots are the favorites in the Atlantic Coast coming into the season. Lewis & Clark’s Anika Alschuler will be looking to build upon Artemis’ shocking run to semis last year. And Sasha Hanna is my top pick for early BPOTY, a speedy smart player that will be prominent for the Pranksters this season.
So strap in. We’ve got three more seasons—including this one—of this cohort and the emerging stars we’ve yet to meet taking the helm and steering this division into uncharted waters.
–Keith Raynor
Players to Watch
Some of the players we think will define the 2026 college season.
Erica Collin (Haverford/Bryn Mawr)
The Big Sneetch is going to be the most impactful defensive force in the division. Even the wild west of D-III may throw up the stop sign on hucks with Collin on patrol, and that doesn’t even start on the handblocks. In addition, Collin is one of the most seasoned players in the division, comfortable playing under pressure, making tough catches, and bringing valuable leadership to an HBM squad that will have high expectations after last year’s trip to the final.
Tay Harvey (Rochester)
2025 first runner-up Breakout Player of the Year, second team All-American, and one of three named on every universe point line for 12 days of College Ultimate2, Tay Harvey is ready to have another great season. She looks poised to continue keeping Rochester in bid contention, an important thing to keep in mind given the looming shadow of Wesleyan. Following a Nationals run with 20 assists and blocks, Harvey stays as a threat on both offense and defense.
While sharing the Metro East with the defending national champions is a picnic to which few want an invite, Harvey is set to earn a strength bid for Rochester to avoid that matchup until later in the Series – or step up for the EZ Women if the only way Rochester can advance is to let the curse live on.3
Scout Noble (Wesleyan)
Scout Noble has appeared on an awards podium every year of her college ultimate career, graduating from ROTY in 2024 to OPOTY in 2025. Granted, 2/2 isn’t the largest sample size, but there’s no indication the 2026 season will produce anything different for one of the division’s most capable field generals. And field general is the word for her style of play, as the benefit of a deeply talented roster allowed her to wield her throwing arsenal to its fullest extent. Noble’s premier asset is one of field sense, looking for opportunities to land her cutters in position to deal maximum continuation attack damage rather than settle for hitting the easy open hands. Look for her to once again be among the top assist leaders on the biggest stage.
Ella Widmyer (Middlebury)
Ella Widmyer already feels like a pillar of the D-III women’s division despite this only being her sophomore year. As much praise as has already been heaped upon her rookie performance, there’s room for a little more. Her Nationals stats were good for anyone, not just a rookie, at 3G/27A/6B. What’s more impressive is that she only gave up 38T, which for the division and the volume of passing she took on is phenomenal.4 It’s likely that Widmyer, who spent another summer making Nationals with Seattle Riot, will return this year as an even more surgical, efficient, and hungry centerpiece to the #2 Middlebury Pranksters.
Eliza Williams-Derry (Mount Holyoke)
After a BPOTY-worthy 2025 campaign, Eliza Williams-Derry is back leading the charge for a Mount Holyoke team many of us in-house have pegged for a deep bracket run. Daisy Chain boast a veritable stable of hybrids equally capable of tearing up the field with their throws or legs, but few put the team on their back the way Williams-Derry did in Burlington. Recording at least two stats every game, she rose to the occasion in the tightest moments, slashing a 6G/1A/2B stat line to just three turns in their come-from-behind pool play victory over Davenport, and posting a similarly impressive 3G/2A/2T game in a universe point prequarter win against Rochester.
Will Johnson (Kenyon)
Is there anything better than a handler whose bag is equally stuffed with crafty throws as powerful hucks? Will Johnson is that favorite player’s favorite player, dishing five assists in each of Kenyon’s pool play wins last Nationals. Even in a disappointing prequarter showing against Davenport, Johnson was responsible for both of Blu-Ray’s points, lofting a nasty scoober over the defense for the first and airing out a backhand huck to set up a simple continuation dish for the second. If last year was their breakout announcement, 2026 will surely mark Johnson’s ascendance to stardom.
Rising Stars
Big contributors to their teams who could make waves in the national spotlight for 2026.
Presten Berg (Lewis & Clark)
After finishing the last two Nationals with solid but more moderate statlines (totaling for 13 goals, eight assists, 15 blocks, 15 turns) Presten Berg is now left with the challenge of getting a Steer-less Lewis & Clark squad to Nationals. If Artemis can get the job done at ConfRegionals, then expect a deep run as Steer returns alongside six other returners. If there was ever a time for Berg to go from moderate role player to big time star, now is the time to do it.
Sasha Hanna (Middlebury)
After finishing third on the Pranksters in goals at the 2025 D-III Championships, expect a glow-up from Sasha Hanna. The swift-footed cutter is a tough cookie, and possesses a plethora of athleticism and the right type of skill foundation to become a key player on both sides of the disc for Middlebury. Lucy VanNewKirk was given many of those reps last year, and rightfully so, but Hanna could be the protege to step up into that position as the Robin to Ella Widmyer’s Batman.
Annalise Korch (Portland)
If #16 Portland UPRoar are eyeing a return to Nationals, and the upper echelons of the division, it’s going to take more than just heroics from Hayden Ashley. While she is incredibly talented, there’s only so much any one person can accomplish. Korch seems like the most likely teammate to step into a star role alongside Ashley in their pursuit of another Nationals berth and championship run. Korch’s main strengths are with the disc in her hand, but she also has plenty of defensive acumen that she can and will bring to bear on the opposition.
Keira Linnane (Richmond)
As a school that often does not attract many recruits with prior ultimate experience, it was a pleasant surprise for Keira Linnane to arrive at Richmond last season. In only her rookie season, Linnane was a dominant force as a D-line handler, leading her team in assists. Linnane can rip the disc with large left backhand hucks, producing spicy scores for the Redhots. With some graduations from Richmond, Linnane will be asked to take an even larger role in 2026 and will try to get the Redhots back to Nationals – and possibly the bracket this time.
Clara Morton (Haverford/Bryn Mawr)
Clara Morton has been on the fringes of the Breakout Player of the Year conversation for several seasons now, her steady handling abilities overshadowed by the flashy hucks or bids from her teammates. Her penchant for breaking any mark was a necessity for a Haverford/Bryn Mawr team that would otherwise be content stringing together flicks down the sidelines. But this is Morton’s senior hurrah, and after operating as the central cog in the Sneetches’ offense for three full seasons, mark my words that this will be her year in the spotlight.
You’re All Underrating…
Colorado College Zenith
The last two years have been, shall we say, less than ideal for Zenith. Missing bracket play in 2024 and then missing Nationals altogether in 2025 are normally signs that a team is beginning to fade into obscurity. But if there is one team to never count out, it’s the defending Centex dance champions. Whether it’s Ella Reese-Clauson after her PAUC campaign with Clovers Ultimate, Seattle product Addie Langworthy, or Oregon Fugue Transfer Evelyn “Evie” Wagner, Colorado College’s newcomers provide the depth needed to have a bounce back year. Veteran talent from hybrids Zoe Posner and Katie Craven round out a team ready to show the world (Or at least, Grand Prix, Snow Melt, and Centex) what they are made of.
– TJ Lee
Richmond Redhots
Although Richmond was not able to get out of a very difficult pool last year, they thrashed everyone in the consolation bracket. To put the Redhots all the way down in the 20s, behind two of the teams they handily beat at Nationals, is questionable at best. Sure, Emma Alatzas and Arianna Kightlinger are gone; however, assists leading Keira Linnane, along with offensive pieces Lucy Sevetson and Maggie McFerrin, are back with the program. Their strong defensive core also returns Genesis Meadows, Jolie Martin, and Catie Geraghty who all earned at least five blocks in Burlington. Don’t be surprised if the Redhots qualify for their third Nationals in a row, and make some noise in Waukegan while at it.
– Calvin Ciorba
Carleton College Eclipse
Stumping for #11 Carleton Eclipse almost seems like cheating in this particular exercise, considering the continued success of this particular program, but honestly 11th place in the preseason rankings seems reasonable. That said, there are a plethora of factors that could quickly elevate Carleton up the rankings. First among those factors are the players, particularly Maddy Brown, Molly Horstman Olson, and Becca Hazen, all of whom had incredible seasons last year. The second is the team’s philosophy. At Nationals all but two of their rostered players scored at least one point, and everyone had significant playing time. This is one of the rare teams in the division that has found a balance between allowing their role players to develop and have significant influence on the game, while still allowing space for their stars to take over if needed. Eclipse to Nationals? Almost surely. Eclipse to top four? Don’t count them out.
– Zack Davis
Santa Clara RAGE
Welcome to the People’s Division, Santa Clara RAGE! Long a connectivity piece through frequent bouts against D-III teams at Stanford Open and tournaments hosted at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara is now throwing their own hat into the fray. They – and Cal Poly Humboldt – break up the SW’s long-standing best-of-three format between Occidental and Claremont, and annual appearances at D-I SW Regionals – where they’ve won multiple games every year in the 2020s – will undoubtedly give RAGE a leg up on the pressure of a Series gauntlet.
They only lose three seniors to graduation, return second-year Diana Huang of Philadelphia’s YCC scene, and notably add Mercy James, who played with 2025 YCC champions Seven Hills. While we didn’t get a matchup between Santa Clara and the SW’s Nationals representative, Claremont, last year, we did see them take down Carleton Eclipse and easily handle Occidental. RAGE seem to be just the shake-up the sparsely populated SW region needs, and stand a chance of being the first SW team to make the bracket since 2021 winter Nationals.
– Theresa Diffendal
Mount Holyoke Daisy Chain
Three YCC rookies you say? A fourth rookie with high school experience in China? Eva Taberski, Eliza Williams-Derry, Claire Willet, and Charlotte Moynihan all running it back? Is dark horse even the right term for this team? #6 honestly seems like too low of a ranking for a team with as much flash as the Daisy Chain showed last season, especially considering they aren’t losing any of their major players. On top of that they are adding rookies with organized ultimate experience. Admittedly that isn’t as rare, even in D-III, as it was in the past, but four players with YCC experience could have made Nationals alone in 2018. Middlebury may be the favorites out of New England, but holy yokes Daisy Chain look strong.
– Zack Davis
Oberlin Preying Manti
A one-time National champion, Oberlin could return to the national picture this season. Like many aspirational college teams, Oberlin has navigated figuring out how to maintain a cohesive team culture while demanding more commitment and engendering more buy-in. The arrival of Miya Liang, a standout with Parcha, will not only juice their on-field abilities, and seems to have the Preying Manti dialed in on achieving higher goals this season. With an experienced roster and some solid returners, a culture-shift could make all the difference in pushing them up the standings. They put together some eyebrow-raising fall results, a preview of what the spring could hold.
– Keith Raynor
The Current Power Rankings
College D-III Women's Power Rankings:
| 1 | Wesleyan |
| 2 | Middlebury |
| 3 | Haverford and Bryn Mawr |
| 4 | Davenport |
| 5 | Whitman |
| 6 | Mount Holyoke |
| 7 | Rochester |
| 8 | Macalester |
| 9 | St. Olaf |
| 10 | Kenyon |
| 11 | Carleton Eclipse |
| 12 | Williams |
| 13 | Lewis & Clark |
| 14 | Rice |
| 15 | Colorado College |
| 16 | Portland |
| 17 | Michigan Tech |
| 18 | Union |
| 19 | Puget Sound |
| 20 | Oberlin |
| 21 | Richmond |
| 22 | Claremont |
| 23 | Grinnell |
| 24 | Lehigh |
| 25 | Trinity |
And still was snubbed for the DPOTY. Never forget, never forgive. ↩
Worth mentioning that Keith Raynor elected not to pick any of his players on Wesleyan, despite multiple having an argument to make the list ↩
Since 2022, Middlebury women’s is the only D-III team to return to Nationals after winning ↩
For context ROTY winner Milo Brown had 8G/13A/7D off 32 turns. ↩
