The 2026 PUL season is on tap. Should the Gridlock be considered the only S Tier team? Which non-playoff team got a big offseason boost? We've got it all for you.
April 3, 2026 by Keith Raynor and Emilia Scheemaker in Preview
The first pull of the 2026 Premier Ultimate League season is fast approaching and we’ve got the lowdown on every team and every move from a busy offseason. The league has grown and built a steady following since its 2019 founding. There are new stars to get to know and your old favorites are back.
Want to follow along with all the games and the news on the go? Make sure to listen to Double Overtime, Ultiworld’s podcast covering the Western and Premier Ultimate Leagues.
Offseason News
The Road to Raleigh
The season begins April 4, as teams battle for spots at the four-team Championship Weekend on June 20-21 in Raleigh, NC. The top two teams from each division will be invited to compete for the league title. With only six games – three home, three away – for each team, every win is a vital piece of the postseason picture.
The North and South Division now each have the same number of teams after the LA Astra returned to the Western Ultimate League after a one-year stint in the PUL.
We’ve already prepared a more detailed breakdown, as well as the full layout of the schedule.
Goodbye, Buzzer Beaters
The league recently announced a couple of rules changes for the 2026 season, including that the “last possession” mechanic used to end quarters one, two, and three would now be used for the fourth quarter and the first overtime. No more trying to beat the fourth quarter or OT buzzer.
Along with some timekeeping changes, there will also be a 10-yard penalty for dangerous plays, in addition to existing penalties.
Every Game Streamed for $5/Month
Another change this season is that every game will be streamed on YouTube for those who join the league’s subscription on the platform, which is $5 a month. While live games will be paywalled, replays will be available for free on the YouTube channel roughly 12 hours after the game.
The league and its teams have experimented with different media funding models, but this unified push offers a simple-to-understand option and a new potential steady revenue stream for the league. A benefit of these arrangements is the ability to more effectively plan the type of capital investments that can help with streaming, such as renting or purchasing equipment or production services.
Hey Now, You’re Still An All-Star
The WUL vs. PUL All-Star game is making a return after its debut last year! The game will take place during UFA Championship Weekend. Hopefully this year’s event can dodge the buffeting wind conditions that soured the on-field action of last year’s – the people want to see the superstars going toe to toe with each other, not 25 mph gusts!
Team Previews
South Division
DC Shadow
DC Shadow2025 Record: 6-0, 1st in South, 2025 PUL Champions
Key Additions: Kat McGuire (from Red), Lily Johnson, Maya Kikuchi
Key Returners: Kira Flores, Amanda Murphy, Allie Wallace, Sami Smalling, Tyler Smith, Ashleigh Jentilet, Kat Ritzmann
Key Departures: Claire Trop, Kami Groom, Maggie Pendleton, Lisa Dang, Graham Cunningham, Marge Walker, Annelise Peters, Jordan Sorensen1
The defending champions enter 2026 with a target on their backs and a roster accustomed to pressure. DC’s defensive rotations were suffocating in 2025, and their ability to grind opponents into late-game errors defined their title run. Expect that trend to continue with Indy Red’s Kat McGuire added to the roster. The agile cutter brings elite throws and the body positioning to punish any defenders who aren’t at the top of their game.
This team isn’t without its hurdles — the list of significant departures is long. Kami Goom, Claire Trop, Marge Walker, and Graham Cunningham have all left the roster this year, leaving gaps in just about every quarter of this team. They’ll need to come together quickly and continue to grow in their roles if they plan to replace the leadership and experience that we saw on the 2025 roster.
The key storyline is repeat sustainability. Championship teams often lose role players who quietly drive success. If Shadow’s depth holds, they remain the South standard. But it’ll be tough when the alternative, a new crown bearer, has become the norm. Expect elite defense, disciplined offensive sets, and an eye on Championship weekend.
Raleigh Radiance
Raleigh Radiance2025 Record: 4-2, 2nd in South, 2025 PUL Finalist
Key Additions: Lyla Stanland, Emily Przykucki, Natalie Wilson, Erica Birdsong, Georgia Tse, Meg Duffy (from Torch)
Key Returners: Jenny Wei, Mary Rippe, Julia Hoffmann, Claire Revere, Claire Bidigare-Curtis, Audrey Lyman, Lyra Olson
Key Departures: Dawn Culton, Alex Barnett, Lindsay Soo, Karen Ehrhardt, Katie Backus Meilstrup
After coming up short in big moments last season, Radiance kept an eye on versatility, adding pieces that can both initiate and defend. One of those pieces could be Erica Birdsong, noted for her slew of accolades including U24 national teams, D-I Breakout Player of the Year in 2023, and Top 25 D-I Women’s Players in 2024. On the injured reserve for now, Birdsong’s presence is sure to shift momentum when she’s able to return to play.
Lindsay Soo has long been a playmaker, but this year her name is missing from the Radiance roster. Soo’s tempo control and decision-making brought the kind of consistency a team leans on in close games and late-game sets. Another pair of names missing here are Alex Barnett and Dawn Culton, who have already begun to make their mark on the Bay Area Falcons roster; replacing their towering production profiles is a tall task.
Radiance have a firm core to support this year’s bid. Mary Rippe has been a defensive cornerstone for Radiance, finishing near the top of the league in blocks; her ability to generate turnovers and flip possession makes her a game-changer. Lyra Olson is back again, having earned a spot on the PUL All Stars roster last year. Olson brings the kind of intense focus needed to excel at handler defense and narrowing the field. Expect the Radiance to maintain a high defensive standard.
Atlanta Soul
Atlanta Soul2025 Record: 3-3, 3rd in South
Key Additions: Dena Elimelech, Marie Perivier, Elizabeth Mosquera, Tori Taylor (from Nightshade)
Key Returners: Quincy Booth, Mia Griner, Ximena Montaña, Charlotte Doran
Key Departures: Soju Hokari, Georgia Tse (to Radiance), Jordan Harn
An injection of star talent into an already solid foundation makes the Atlanta Soul perhaps the most exciting team of the 2026 offseason. Dena Elimelech and Marie Perivier are elite club stars who can power a unit as a duo. Elimelech’s MVP-quality run with the San Diego Super Bloom resulted in a WUL championship in 2025, and this will be Perivier’s first stint in the PUL after being a centerpiece of DC Scandal in the club women’s division. Plus, what will Colombian Elizabeth Mosquera look like? We haven’t seen her on a PUL squad since helping Medellin RevoPro win back-to-back league titles during its early days. Once a feared puller and premier deep threat in the world, if she’s even 80% of where she once was, she’ll be a strong addition and a terror downfield alongside Elimelech.
While there are some notable losses, the centerpieces of last year’s club are also back. Quincy Both and Mia Griner led the team in combined goals and assists. While Soju Hokari’s creative disc skills will be missed, Liv Ford and Chloe Green are also back to steady the backfield. Team Captain Charlotte Doran is likely to reprise her role in helping pace the D-line’s offense.
With a fantastic schedule, Atlanta has a lot of things in its favor to make a push for the postseason.
Austin Torch
Austin Torch2025 Record: 2-4, 4th in South
Key Additions: Elizabeth Wu (from Nightshade), Carly Atwell
Key Returners: Madi Cannon, Jaime Estes, Emelia Marshall, Summer Wilson, Shiru Liu
Key Departures: Clara Stewart, Lo Guerin, Amy Broome, Carley Garrett, Meg Duffy (to Radiance), MC Robbins, Kerry Younts, Gaby Cuina (to Reserve)
Torch remain one of the South’s most athletic rosters. Their ability to win 50-50 balls and stretch the field vertically gives them a chance against anyone. The challenge has been discipline. When Austin plays within structure, they look dominant. When possessions speed up unnecessarily, turnovers follow — Torch were third in the league in turnovers in 2025, only one shy of second. A slightly more patient offensive approach could unlock their full potential.
This team sees the departure of Amy Broome, a strong player out of the Boston Siege club lineup. Broome knew how to develop a roster to take shots at the top. Drive like that isn’t easy to replace. Torch will also need handlers to step up this season without Clara Stewart in the rotation. And Lo Guerin’s defensive dominance – she led the Torch with 10 blocks last season – will be sorely missed.
The pressure may fall to Maggie Rowell, who returns to this roster with a familiar option downfield in Madi Cannon. Cannon’s ability to generate separation and attack deep space has caused problems for teams in the past. Another consistent performer, Shiru Liu brings a unique talent for initiating movement and continuing with huge hucks, exactly the sort of movement that can make this team dominant.
Although it seems repetitive at this point, if Torch can keep connections high and convert turns to points, they’ll stand a chance of shaking up the league. There’s only one place to score and only one way to win the game.
Nashville Nightshade
Nashville Nightshade2025 Record: 0-6, 6th in South
Key Additions: Anat Gross, Holly Sillivant
Key Returners: Sara Mog, Tori Radcliffe, Rebecca Fagan, Katharine Gilbert, Noel Holmes, Grace Robinson, Sylvia Brown
Key Departures: Tori Taylor (to Soul), Becca Henley, Elizabeth Wu (to Torch), Emily Branson, Kate Blankenship, Natalie Wilson
Nashville Nightshade remain the league’s wild card. Athletic and unafraid to take deep shots, Nashville can flip a game with a handful of explosive plays. It’s consistency that has been elusive for this team. The turnover of this roster fails to buck the trend.
Tori Taylor and Becca Henley have both left, and Elena Rubino has moved to the practice roster. On a team that is constantly building, these rotations could have a lingering impact. Emily Branson’s steady presence and Natalie Wilson’s defensive play-making will also be missed.
If Nashville can refine its reset structure and tighten defensive communication, it’ll turn upset bids into actual upsets. They’ll need more than chance to wiggle their way into the conversation. This team needs to control their own momentum, something they’ve struggled with in the past. If Nightshade can harness their own luck and get rolling in the right direction, they’ll give themselves the chance to shine.
North Division
Indy Red
2025 Record: 5-1, 1st in North, PUL Semifinalist
Key Additions: Lina Montenegro (from Monarchs), Brittany Wright, Jean Huang, Eileen Bequette (from Monarchs)
Key Returners: Rachel Mast, Tracey Lo, Maketa Mattimore, Laura Gerencser, Corinn Rains, Annie Meilink, Riely Kuznicki
Key Departures: Kat McGuire (to DC), Lily Hobday, Claire Milton, Jalyn Baumgartner, Shani Rosenthal
Indy rarely wins the offseason headline cycle, but this scrappy underdog consistently outperforms expectations on the field. Built around disciplined defensive positioning and patient redzone offense, the Red once again return a steady veteran core, anchored by Tracey Lo, Rachel Mast, Risa Umeno, and Sydney Loughran. Lo and Umeno provide stability behind the disc, while Mast and Loughran keep the cuts firing off downfield.
The question for 2026 is the ceiling. Can they generate enough break opportunities against the division’s top offenses? They won big games late in the season against Philly and Gridlock in 2025 and will be looking to build on that momentum. Indy Red have already started building that momentum with a pair of notable pick-ups in Eileen Bequette and Lina Montenegro. If their younger play-makers expand their throwing range and attack more aggressively after turnovers, Indianapolis becomes more than a spoiler — they become a championship threat.
New York Gridlock
New York Gridlock2025 Record: 5-1, 2nd in North, PUL Semifinalist
Key Additions: Sadie Jezierski, Edi Lam, Audrey Parrott, Elise Freedman, Emma Piorier (from Strike), Chris Nelson, Dorothy Dimascio-Donohue, Rani Shah, Emma Chin
Key Returners: Jolie Krebs, Abby Hecko, Genny De Jesus, Yina Cartagena, Montana Roberts, Cassie Brown, Nikki Hair, Sam Harris, Mari Malin, Grace Conerly
Key Departures: Ella Juengst, Nina Finley, Chelsea Leeder, Eastelle Ding
If continuity is king, Gridlock are royalty. After fielding one of the most efficient offenses in 2025, New York returns the bulk of its initiating handlers and downfield finishers. Often topping the league in scoring thanks to elite play-making and precise movement, Gridlock have top passers and attackers returning, chief among them Yina Cartagena and Genny De Jesus. They enter 2026 as one of the teams to beat.
Their star-studded roster loses little and adds a lot. Valeria Cárdenas was a late re-add after their initial roster announcement. And to top it off, they could be even more explosive. Athletic additions like Sadie Jezierski, Edi Lam, and Audrey Parrott give them more defensive flexibility, and young cutters like Elise Freedman and Emma Piorier could shift the team from “high-powered” to “overwhelming.” Expect them to push tempo early and test depth across the division.
Philadelphia Surge
Philadelphia Surge2025 Record: 4-2, 3rd in North
Key Additions: Carolyn Normile, Taylor Conroy, Zoe Costanza, Graham Cunningham (from Shadow), Olivia Steinberg, Lisa Dang (from Shadow)
Key Returners: Linda Morse, Grace Maroon, Lindsay McKenna, Liz Hart, Veronica Kolegue-Spalaris, Sarah Hirannet, Emilie Mohler
Key Departures: Natalie Bova, Emily Shields, Danielle Walsh
Few teams feel as close to a leap as Philadelphia. Surge’s core has proven it can hang with anyone for stretches, but closing games has been the sticking point.
If their 2026 additions stabilize late-game offensive possessions, then this is a playoff-caliber group. Surge have already taken a few steps to strengthen that offensive line in the additions of D-III stars Zoe Costanza and Erica Collin. Fans will recognize Emilie Mohler back behind the disc, using precision throwing and field awareness to keep this team on track. Her premier targets are also back, with Grace Maroon coming off a breakout 20-goal campaign and Liz Hart and Linda Morse back as anchors. All three cutters played both ways last season.
Morse’s return gives this team steady leadership to rely on. That leadership could be really valuable, with veterans Nat Bova, Emily Shields, and Danielle Walsh all gone from this year’s roster. In addition to their on-field exploits, those three brought significant experience to the roster as mainstays in the Philadelphia club scene.
A lot of young, exciting players are joining the roster, but Carolyn Normile is in a different mold. The seasoned handler and 2022 World Games selection has a long history of controlling the pace of play, and last played in the PUL in 2024 with DC. It’ll be interesting to see how she integrates with the newer generation of high-usage players at the center of Surge’s attack.
Minnesota Strike
Minnesota Strike2025 Record: 2-3, 4th in North
Key Additions: Cassidy Krawczak-Kummrow, Mia Beeman-Weber, Claire Lee
Key Returners: Makella Daley, Danielle Byers Simonelli, Sarah Mondschein, Elly Fireside-Ostergaard, Jess Hendrickson, Steph Wood, Jane Koch
Key Departures: Alicia Carr, Erica Baken, Steph Rupp, Sarah Meckstroth (to Reserve), Emma Piorier (to Gridlock)
Strike enter 2026 in transition. After roster turnover last season, Minnesota leans into development while maintaining a competitive spine of returners. Makella Daley will be feeling the pressure to hold onto possession in the backfield this season, something that the team struggled with in 2025. Their path upward hinges on defensive cohesion — too often in 2025, stops didn’t convert into clean breaks.
Worth noting is Sarah Meckstroth’s move to the reserve roster. Meckstroth has long been a reliable cutter, opening up space, creating mismatches, and using her timing to punish any lapse in attention. The reserve roster leaves the question open; will she suit up? Or will Minnesota leave a gap for their rookies to step into?
If their new contributors like known power throwers Mia Beeman-Weber and Claire Lee bring athleticism and confidence to the reset space, Minnesota’s offense should look more fluid. But this remains a team searching for consistency. Expect this team to work through some ups and downs in the early season, but to really sharpen up once they’ve worked through the kinks.
Milwaukee Monarchs
Milwaukee Monarchs2025 Record: 0-5, 5th in North
Key Additions: Sarah Lipscomb, Jasmine Childress, Allie Mueting
Key Returners: Erynn Schroeder, Sydney French, Anna Thorn, Austin Prucha, Jacqueline Jarik, Caitlin Duffner
Key Departures: Lina Montenegro (to Red), Penny Wu, Chelsea Twohig, Claire Yeager Schmitt
Milwaukee has quietly added depth from the Midwest club scene with a few new pick ups. Topping that chart is Jasmine Childress, a Callahan winner who comes out of the UC Santa Barbara pipeline. The Monarchs have struggled in recent seasons to maintain offensive flow against aggressive marks, and improved handler depth could change that calculus. Catherine Chen has been a pivotal handler for this team, but will have to do it without Claire Yeager Schmitt. Penny Wu and Lina Montenegro operated as the D-line backfield, and neither is returning. But with Erynn Schroeder and a diverse set of cutters, Milwaukee has the tools to see improvement in the standings.
Still, their season likely hinges on defensive identity. When Milwaukee generates pressure and forces contested throws, they’re competitive. When they don’t, possessions stretch and mistakes compound. They face a very tough road schedule, so it might be an uphill climb, but in a short season, one stolen win could be all the difference.
PUL Preseason Power Rankings
| 1 | New York Gridlock |
| 2 | DC Shadow |
| 3 | Philadelphia Surge |
| 4 | Indianapolis Red |
| 5 | Raleigh Radiance |
| 6 | Atlanta Soul |
| 7 | Minnesota Strike |
| 8 | Austin Torch |
| 9 | Milwaukee Monarchs |
| 10 | Nashville Nightshade |
Listed as a practice player ↩
