Round 2 to decide the 2025 Block of the Year!
February 16, 2026 by Ultiworld in Awards, Opinion
Ultiworld’s 2025 Block 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 and seeded the final sixteen (eight from MMP and eight from WMP) in our Subscriber Selection. Now it’s time for the wider public to decide which play is the best of the best.
Round 2 starts now and closes on Wednesday, February 18th at noon Eastern!
Woman-Matching Players
Matchup 1: Cárdenas vs. Berg
Manuela Cárdenas – Denver Molly Brown (USAU Club)
Is it a legacy nod? Hardly. Manu is just like that. Every year it feels like she gets in this bracket, and are you ever surprised? This is another signature sprawling smack of a block for a player whose made a career out of making crazy plays a part of her routine.
Presten Berg – Lewis & Clark (USAU College)
Why defend one player when you can cover two? Presten Berg pulled double duty with this layout poach block. And check the score: trailing 12-10 in a game to 13 at Nationals? That’s bringing it when the team needs it.
2025 Block of the Year Round 2 Matchup 1 (Results)
- Manuela Cárdenas
- Presten Berg
Matchup 3: Hyland vs. Hyland
Kelly Hyland 2 – Boston Brute Squad (USAU Club)
Hyland landed 2 blocks in the quarterfinals. Talk about a strong year for the club champion. For this entry at the National Championships, Hyland runs down the block, exploding from feet back to secure the momentum shifting takeaway in one of the biggest games of the year.
Kelly Hyland 1 – Boston Brute Squad (USAU Club)
There’s a rare class of defender who, when the throw goes up, can be 5 steps behind and still have a teammate on the sideline say “Oh, that’s theirs.” Meet Kelly Hyland and peep the recovery into the sick layout block.
2025 Block of the Year Round 2 Matchup 2 (Results)
- Kelly Hyland 2
- Kelly Hyland 1
Man-Matching Players
Matchup 1: Freechild vs. Ritthaler
Dylan Freechild – Team USA (World Games)
On universe point, facing a tournament-altering upset, having just recently turned it, Dylan Freechild came up with the type of iconic play he’s known for. He shuts the window with the help block so quickly it is hard to blame the thrower for putting it up.
Daniel Ritthaler – San Francisco Revolver (USAU Club)
Ritthaler made a name for himself as one of the Club men’s division’s best defenders this season and this block sealed his candidacy. Known more for playing handler defense, Ritthaler showed he could make a big play downfield, too.
2025 Block of the Year Round 2 Matchup 3 (Results)
- Dylan Freechild
- Daniel Ritthaler
Matchup 3: Raunig vs. Coolman
Zeppelin Raunig – Seattle Mixtape (USAU Club)
Game, set, match on the biggest upset of the club season. Once you know the context, it speaks for itself.
Noah Coolman – Denver Johnny Bravo (USAU Club)
Coolman demonstrates incredible athleticism for the superman style flying catch block at Club Nationals. This sparked debate from viewers but ultimately no foul was called and the offensive player rejected the yellow card that was issued.
