Which players will represent their teams in the clash of leagues in late August?
July 9, 2026 by Emilia Scheemaker and Rhea Patney in Preview, Recap
Some athletes in the WUL and PUL aren’t just semi-pro players, they’re Semi-Professional All Stars. The two leagues are bringing back the all-star clash between the leagues this year for the second annual showing. It’s scheduled for August 29th in Portland, Oregon. In honor of the game and ahead of next week’s official team reveals, our writers are pickicking athletes from each league that we think deserve to make the cut and give a bare bones defense of our life choices.
WUL
Seattle Tempest
Seattle Tempest won the WUL Championship this year boasting one of the most talented rosters on the scene. But the front runners for the all-star roster standout all on their own, one with an MVP title already in hand. Gemma Munck and Meg Manning, nominated for Breakout Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year respectively, should be center stage when the conversation begins. Unfortunately for Munck and Manning, their talented teammates who already secured league accolades will likely get the nod for the all-star roster as well. Those two players are Jamie Kauffman, MVP of the 2026 season, and her teammate Cheryl Hsu, Offensive Player of the Year.
Oregon Soar
The Oregon Soar had a comeback season worth following, and their coaches deservedly won Coaching Staff of the Year. Soar’s standout players helped shape the foundations of a team that will compete at the top of the league going forward. Rachel Egan returned to Soar this year to make an impact on both sides of the disc. Her field vision and pressure on defense, combined with her ability to work in tight spaces, make her an easy go-to relief valve. Cami Lamont had a breakout season1, quickly settling into the backfield and distributing the disc to keep Soar aimed at the end zone. But those two are up against a couple headliners in Emily Pozzy and Caitlin Fitzgerald. Emily Pozzy’s throwing ability makes her a clear contender for the all-star game2, not to mention her ability to position herself in the throwing lanes and use her field vision to pull in blocks. Most of the highlight reels, however, feature Caitlin Fitzgerald’s blocks. Fitzgerald has the determination and grit to stick close on defense, grind the unders, and use her positioning to wrack up layout blocks. That skill and consistency has earned her Defensive Player of the Year Finalist accolades.
Colorado Alpenglow
Colorado Alpenglow almost have too much talent to predict where the All-Star nominations will go. All season the partnership between Ari Nelson, Abby Thorpe, Allysha Dixon, and Kennedy McCarthy topped the charts. McCarthy’s ability to cut early, gain power position, and make a connection downfield made her a threat early and often. If the under cut wasn’t available, McCarthy was just as dangerous downfield in the deep space. Containing McCarthy was a problem for every defensive line the Alpenglow came up against, earning her Breakout Player of the Year. But this is a crowded team in terms of talent. Thorpe is one of the most productive players on the team, just as often throwing the goal as receiving it. Newer standouts like Alex Guy will have a hard time shining behind the all these other stars, despite great seasons. The other big name that bears repeating is Sarah Itoh, Defensive Player of the Year. Itoh’s calm confidence and field awareness put her fourth in the record book for blocks over her career. Choosing a couple of players from this all-star roster will be no easy task.
LA Astra
For the LA Astra, all stars need to come from the play makers. The top of the list are Chip Yen, Stephanie Pritchard, and Nadine Meister. Yen held this team together, firing off shots from the backfield and taking the pressure when things got tight. Pritchard was expected to continue her track record of tight defense and a reliable veteran presence this season and succeeded. While Pritchard had a semi-pro standard to live up to, it was Meister who was working on transferring her success to a new team. Meister was mentioned as a player to watch, one that would make a big impact early on. She did just that, sliding into Astra’s program and making waves. While Yen got the WUL First Team nod, expect to see Pritchard and Meister on the All-Star stage.
Bay Area Falcons
The Bay Area Falcons came to the 2026 season packed to the gills with talent. This team knew how to lock down on defense and turn opportunities into goals, but a few of the standouts on this team didn’t make the nomination page. Dawn Culton, Bridget Wipler, and Reeve Grobecker missed the nod for nominations, but still had standout seasons. Culton has long been a star in the PUL, but battled an injury this year. Although her season wasn’t as productive as it has been in the past, that didn’t stop her from driving her team’s defensive efforts. Wipfler was a consistent presence in the end zone, dragging discs out of the air especially when games got tight. And Grobecker might have been the most impressive rookie on this team, lighting up each game with at least one highlight layout.
So, if those aren’t the names we’ll see on the All-Star card, then who can we expect? Olivia Goss is right at the top of the list. All season, Goss displayed tight defense, a willingness to dictate space, and an inability to quit. Brooke Nishida was often at the center of plays, moving the disc through tight spaces and keeping the Falcons out of the doldrums. Then there’s Robyn Fennig, WUL First Team and play-making handler, and Alex Barnett, also a WUL First Teamer and frequently on the receiving end of Fennig’s looks as one of the most productive players on the Falcons. Any of these players would be deserving, but it’s likely we’ll see Fennig and Barnett on the final roster.
Utah Wild
If Utah’s All-Star nod doesn’t go to Eva Bell, it’s a crime. Bell has been making headlines for her ability to control the disc, control the pace, and control the game. Those are exactly the qualities that secured her the WUL Second Team confirmation. The Wild flowed through its All-Stars, including Lily Terpstra and Cass Williams. Terpstra is no stranger to the spotlight, coming into the season as a strong veteran presence. Her ability to stretch the defense, control the offense, and make plays will always make her a player to watch. Williams can often be found in the center of the field, doing the heavy lifting of organizing the offense and anchoring this team into their strategy. But when the chips are down, expect the All-Star nod to go to Bell and Terpstra.
San Diego Super Bloom
San Diego Super Bloom are arguably the most difficult team to pull a few All-Stars from. Their strategy this season of spreading goals, assists, and blocks across the roster means that every player on the line is bringing something to the table. Long time favorites like Kristen Pojunis, Megan Maxfield, Kelli Iwamoto, Kaela Helton, and Meredith Byl all had an impact on the game whether it was behind the disc, in the end zone, or garnering turns. But this year the conversation seemed to center on newer faces, like Abbi Shilts and Theresa Zettner. Shilts lead her team in goals this season and was one of the Most Valuable Player of the Year finalists. Zettner lead Bloom in blocks, not an easy lead to come by on this power packed team. While it would be hard to go wrong anywhere on the Super Bloom roster, bets are on Shilts and Zettner to make the trip to All-Star Weekend.
Arizona Sidewinders
The Sidewinders’ 2026 season was constantly on the verge of breaking through to something more. That was due in large part to the efforts of the players you’ll see in the All-Star nomination form. LP Aragon was the handler in chief of this team, pushing them to maintain pace, changing fields, and keeping them moving. Paige Applegate and Madison Speagle were the play makers in the middle, cutting hard and finding space in the end zone. These two found a way to make plays and keep the energy up no matter what the scoreboard was showing. But it was Kristen Reed who reeled in the WUL Second Team nomination. Reed is an explosive downfield cutter, a lockdown defender, and uses her on-field instincts to keep things firing. Expect to see Reed and Speagle coming up when the All-Star nominations are all sent out.
PUL
DC Shadow
It is incredibly difficult to only pick a few All-Stars off of DC’s championship roster. Should the nod go to Julia Harris, who led the team with 17 goals on the season? How about Kira Flores, who led the league in assists (26) and touches (380) while only having 20 turnovers at that high volume of time with the disc? What about Ashleigh Jentilet, whose nine goals, seven assists, and nine blocks look modest compared to some other players, but the eye test says she was the most impactful player on the field at times? Oh and don’t forget Lily Johnson, who was second on the team in goals (15) despite only appearing in 6/8 games. PLEASE, don’t make me choose.
Philadelphia Surge
Another incredibly deep team, Philadelphia has no shortage of deserving All-Star candidates. Lindsay McKenna feels like a virtual lock after leading the team in both goals (14) and assists (22) while adding 10 blocks. She impacted every part of Surge’s game this season, from defending deep space to launching hucks to finding the end zone. On the defensive side, Fay Epstein absolutely deserves a nod after leading the team with 15 blocks while also contributing 11 goals and five assists. Her bookends gave Surge their first break of the championship game. After those two, Grace Maroon (16 goals, 10 assists, four blocks) has a strong case of her own and capped off her season with a four-goal performance in the championship. Sarah Hirnattet, Zoe Costanza, Veronica Koloege-Spalaris, Chelsea Semple, Emilie Mohler, and Poppy Wagner all deserve honorable mentions, as well.
Atlanta Soul
I still find myself wondering what could have been in the PUL semifinal if Dena Elimelech had taken the field. She scored 12 goals and threw 19 assists for Atlanta Soul this season, and with Soul ultimately falling by just three, it’s hard not to think her presence could have changed the outcome. Regardless, Elimelech is an All-Star lock. New to the PUL but certainly not to high-level ultimate, she was outstanding for Atlanta and managed to stand out on a roster that spread the wealth statistically. After Elimelech, Atlanta’s depth really shines through. Martha Wilber, Marie Perivier, Megan Jarriel, Dana Bidot, Quincy Booth, and Charlotte Doran all have legitimate cases for an All-Star nod, making Soul one of the league’s toughest teams to narrow down.
Indy Red
Indy Red’s most obvious All-Star selection is Eileen Bequette. One of the league’s most explosive athletes, Bequette consistently came down with discs in the air and seemed to have endless energy on both offense and defense. She led Indy with 14 goals and 17 blocks while posting a team-best +28, repeatedly delivering the big play when her team needed it most. After Bequette, the conversation becomes more difficult. Maketa Mattimore and Rachel Mast were both instrumental to Indy’s run to Championship Weekend. Mattimore finished with 11 goals, 19 assists, and six blocks, providing steady production every game, while Mast posted 11 goals, 11 assists, and six blocks and found her footing as the season progressed, turning in some of her strongest performances down the stretch.
NY Gridlock
Despite New York Gridlock maybe underperforming expectations this year with their star-studded roster, Abby Hecko and Sadie Jezierski have both made strong cases for All-Star selections. Hecko, who led the team with 19 goals, is traditionally a cutter, but spent plenty of time in the backfield this season as well, doing a great job keeping the disc moving and winning with her legs whenever New York’s offense stagnated. Jezierski (19 assists, 12 blocks) is just another athletic monster who can rip it deep one moment and lay out for a block before you even see it coming the next. Both players seemed to be at the center of so much of what Gridlock did well this season. Honorable mentions go to Grace Conerly, Jolie Krebs, and Eli Presberg, who all have reasonable cases of their own.
Minnesota Strike
Three names immediately come to mind for Minnesota. Danielle Byers Simonelli led the team in goals by a wide margin, scoring 19 times while no other Strike player reached double digits, and she also added nine assists. A five-season veteran, Byers Simonelli remains a terror in the end zone and one of Minnesota’s most reliable offensive weapons. Mia Beeman-Weber also has a strong case after a standout rookie season that saw her lead the team with 16 assists while adding 10 blocks. Her deep throwing bag and length make her incredibly difficult to defend. Then there’s Sarah Mondschein, who led both Minnesota and the league with 17 blocks. Beyond the stats, Mondschein was the steady hand for Strike’s D-line offense, reliably handling the disc after turnovers and keeping possessions moving until Minnesota could cash in their break chances.
Raleigh Radiance
If a player on Raleigh was catching a disc in the end zone, the likelihood that player was Julia Hoffmann was incredibly high. I honestly don’t think the fact that she tied the PUL single-season goals record with 26 goals this season, matching the mark set by Genny De Jesus in 2024, got quite enough attention. Tying a record like that should automatically earn you an All-Star berth. Raleigh also saw valuable contributions from Emily Przykucki (16 assists) and Jenny Wei (6 goals, 10 assists, 7 blocks), who both played key roles across multiple facets of the field.
Milwaukee Monarchs
For Milwaukee Monarchs, Erynn Schroeder is the most likely All-Star selection. Schroeder finished with 19 assists and eight blocks while serving as the engine of Milwaukee’s offense all season long. Between her killer backhand huck, quick-trigger inside flicks, and dynamic handler movement, she was the most critical piece of the Monarchs’ attack. Other players with strong cases include Rachael Kern, a PUL rookie who finished with 13 assists, and Emily Cohen, who contributed 13 goals and six blocks and was always ready for the explosive layout score.
Austin Torch
Austin Torch may have finished with just one win, meaning they likely only get one All-Star selection, but there are a few interesting options to choose from. Jaime Estes was the model of consistency in the handler space, driving the offense and putting up five goals, 17 assists, and three blocks across six games. Another compelling choice is Advika Basden, a PUL rookie who only started playing ultimate in 2023. Basden led the team with 11 goals and added seven blocks, the second-most on the roster, making a potential All-Star selection in her first season yet another impressive accomplishment. Honorable mentions go to Shiru Liu, Emelia Marshall, Madison Cannon, and Christine Goh.
Nashville Nightshade
Holly Sillivant is all but a lock for an All-Star selection. A PUL rookie who burst onto the scene (she has never even played Nationals-level club), Sillivant was outstanding for Nashville Nightshade all season long. She seemed to be everywhere on the field, making decisive cuts downfield, bidding for discs in the end zone, and dishing off scores to teammates. In just five games, she led Nashville with 15 goals and 10 assists while adding four blocks and finishing with a team-best +16. Sillivant looks like a player with a bright future ahead of her. Because Nashville went winless, it’s difficult to justify more than one All-Star selection from the roster, but Rebecca Fagan deserves honorable mention. Another O-line staple for Nightshade, Fagan led the team with 10 blocks and showcased a unique ability to unleash hucks from the cutter space.
