Ultiworld’s 2025 Block Of The Year: Daniel Ritthaler

The 2025 Block of the Year is...

February 23, 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. The wider public decided which play is the best of the best. And the winner is…

Daniel Ritthaler – San Francisco Revolver (USAU Club)

Daniel Ritthaler

Daniel Ritthaler cemented his status as a premier defender this season, and his newly crowned Block of the Year effort against Portland’s Henry Ing in the national semifinals served as the definitive exclamation point on his campaign. Known primarily for his relentless pressure on handler resets and his ability to disrupt offensive timing near the disc, Ritthaler proved he possessed the range to make game-changing plays in the open field as well. When Revolver forced a desperation throw late in the count during their national semifinal, Ritthaler tracked the high-arcing disc and outpaced one of the division’s most dangerous athletes to secure the block. This sequence provided the defensive unit with a vital second-half opportunity and highlighted the hustle that defined the team’s successful championship run.

His block’s path through the bracket was a grueling exercise that required overcoming some of the most iconic highlights of the year. Despite entering the subscriber-voted bracket with less initial support than several other high-profile stars, he managed to navigate a field of elite talent. After a convincing early victory against Orion Cable, he survived a series of remarkably narrow matchups, edging out world-class efforts from Dylan Freechild and Noah Coolman by the slimmest of margins. He eventually secured the honors by defeating a standout poach play from Presten Berg in the final round. While other defenders may have entered the bracket with more fanfare, Ritthaler’s block proved supreme.