One of the season's most important tournaments kicked off with a few big surprises.
August 23, 2026 by Asa Lee, Aidan Thomas and Zack Davis in Recap
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Elite-Select Challenge proved to be something of an odd, but highly important event, and day one delivered some big results. Some key teams come into the tournament missing players at WUCC. The quest for strength bids doesn’t care who is attendance however, giving each game and even each point a lot of weight. Top it all off with some breezy conditions.
Women’s Recap | Mixed Recap | Men’s Recap
Women’s Division
Dime Time
South Central standout #13 Dallas Dimes rolled #18 Madison Heist in their opening match of the tournament on their way to a 3-0 Saturday. The Dimes take their name seriously and seem incapable of missing a window. This throwing ability must, in large part, stem from practices. Their defense is ferocious, executing tight person to person defense with fast and fluid switches that shrink throwing windows and clog lanes.
What really stood out wasn’t just that their defense was generating blocks, it was forcing tough to make throws through high stall counts. Heist was struggling to move the disc with expediency and the longer the disc remained in one spot, the smaller the throwing window got. There were a number of moments in the first half that Heist had the disc on the goal line, and were unable to convert because they just could not get open in the endzone. Dallas gave up swings and the like, but their ability to shift, switch, and contain the disc upset Madison’s offensive rhythm. In the second half Heist tried to adjust by getting rid of the disc quickly, but the full field press demanded difficult throws, and Heist couldn’t chain enough of them together to get the momentum and put Dallas on the back foot. Charli Armstrong, Jenna Bigbie, and Emma Erikson were exceptional for the Dimes, each responsible for a couple of blocks and a few forced errors. Across the board though the defense was smothering, and the result of 15-5 shows it.
Though their defense was brilliant, the Dimes offense was methodical, even in the windy conditions. Kimmy Wilson was a rock in the handler space bailing out more than one errant throw and out hustling most. Megan Tommey was a great middle of the field presence, both making space for herself and opening up the lanes for her teammates. Katie Metzler had an All-Club performance, absorbing a lot of Heist’s offensive pressure by simply eliminating whoever she was covering, and then flashing out to make some poach blocks when given the chance. As good as she was on defense, she was better with the disc: needle-point throws with impossible touch, demoralizing break throws inside, around, and over marks combined with excellent field awareness and chemistry with her teammates. Metzler is the engine that propels the Dallas team, and anyone gaming out how to beat this Dallas team needs to start their game plan with a strategy to neutralize her.
Pop Parched, But Flip the Script
Despite a gritty three-point run to take their second game over #15 Minneapolis Pop, and consequently finishing 2-1 in pool play, #14 Pittsburgh Parcha came up short on tiebreak. Pop were able to collect themselves after the universe point loss and beat Flipside in their last match of Saturday pool play to not just secure a trip to the bracket, but win the pool.
The Pop vs. Parcha matchup was close all the way through, with Pop opening up the game with a break, and the game staying separated by that one break throughout the first half. There was a a bit of a thrower’s wind for the duration of the game, but both teams settled in after a few points and some of the early cloud-breaker throws were dialed in as the game progressed. Parcha’s offense was directed by Sara Liang, in large part from her role in the handler space, but she was unafraid to take her defender to the end zone if an opportunity arose. Miya Liang was also instrumental, shifty in short bursts, but also capable of reaching a blistering pace to dust defenders. Likewise, Linn Bjanes pulled a lot of weight for the Pittsburgh team, hoovering up a lot of errant or defended throws to keep the disc in Parcha’s hands.
Parcha’s defense is what kept them in the game though, switching to person to person towards the end of the game and giving max effort in doing so to smother Pop’s offense to prevent them from scoring the game winner. Of particular note was the O-line’s effort to keep them in the game during the marathon 23rd point, which featured eight turnovers and two stoppages accounting for ten minutes of game time.
Pop, who may have lost the game, but ultimately got the last laugh by making the bracket, relied a lot on handlers Kayla Blanek and Mia Beeman-Weber to facilitate. Though they made some great down field shots, the wind was clearly a limiting factor in everyone’s play and they found success mostly through handler movement, give and go plays, and sharp unders from the likes of Stephanie Wood, Haley Challgren, and Frankie Saraniti.
Around the Complex
- San Francisco Nightlock had no problems in Pool B and after their opening 12-10 win over Starling cruised to the bracket and a matchup against regional rivals Flipside.
- Despite a close call with LOL that ended 9-8 and a tight game against Flight, Chicago Nemesis took Pool D, and will open bracket play against the Dallas Dimes.
Mixed Division
Tower Topple BFG to Win Pool C
Entering the final round of pool play, it became clear that the clash between #6 Seattle BFG and #17 Sacramento Tower would be one of the most exciting games of the day. With both teams having gone undefeated through previous rounds, winning this game would mean claiming the Pool C title and protecting an unblemished record. For Tower, a win over BFG would also mean revenge for the loss they previously suffered in the finals of Colorado Summer Solstice.
Perhaps it was this motivation that helped Tower leap out to an early 5-2 lead: their defensive intensity in the handler space, in combination with efforts from downfield defenders to limit BFG’s ability to stretch the field with deep throws, helped them rack up early breaks. Robyn Fennig, as always, was spectacular for the O-line, making difficult throws and quarterbacking the offense. But like any great team does, BFG made the necessary adjustments, focusing on their small-ball game to create separation for big endzone shots. Hucks from Ian Sweeney and Julia Hasbrook helped close the gap until the score was level at 6-6. Three consecutive holds then brought the game to half, with Tower leading 8-7.
Out of half, Tower earned another break, punctuated by a pretty forehand from Dylan DeClerck. A few holds later, however, and BFG was able to get their break back, blocking a Fennig huck and responding with a huck of their own to a wide open receiver. Tied at 10-10, BFG got a chance to go up for the first time after Sweeney perfectly read an endzone pass. But on the ensuing possession, he tried to force a tight inside that fell just short, and Tower was able to easily punch in the break. Tower broke again to win in somewhat anticlimactic fashion, connecting on a huck after a BFG forehand landed in the grass.
Tower’s 12-10 victory1 sets them up to face #18 California Burrito in quarterfinals, while BFG will go on to play #4 Philadelphia AMP on the other side of the bracket.
Port Authority Sail to Top
An unranked Pittsburgh Port Authority team ended day one of ESC with a shocking 3-0 record, taking down #24 Denver Mile High Trash, Saint Louis Good Company, and most notably, #8 Durham Toro2. Port Authority, who were the third seed in their pool, started off the day with a massive upset, sinking tournament favorites Toro in a 15-9 downpour. They then cleaned up against a capable Mile High Trash squad, before finishing the day with another win, this time over a Good Company team that had also upset Toro earlier.
Previously competing at both PEC and SFI East, Port Authority has been solid but not astounding so far, making their explosion in Indianapolis a complete surprise. Sitting within the top 25 of USAU’s rankings for bid allocation, would a strong Sunday performance let them earn another bid for a crowded Mid-Atlantic region? Port Authority are matched up for the quarterfinals with #20 Huntsville Space Force, who looks to be the weakest second-place finisher for each respective pool3. If they’re able to carry some of their Saturday momentum into Sunday play, they could pose a real threat as a dark horse to take home the ESC title.
Rally Reign Over Competition
A strong performance at the U.S Open meant there were high expectations for #7 Washington DC Rally at ESC, especially after USAU bestowed upon them the elusive No. 1 seed. On Saturday, Rally met every expectation given to a tournament favorite, dominating their opponents on the way to a perfect record. No team reached double digits against them, and they had a combined point differential on the day of +23. With wins over two ranked teams in #14 Seattle Mixtape and #20 Huntsville Space Force, they proved that they were prepared to take down teams of a similar caliber. Their streamed game against Mixtape was especially indicative of their focus and intensity: they were simply the better team in every conceivable way, even with a fierce wind that created some tricky situations. Rally’s drive to win was undeniable, and it was clear that every player was giving their all in every situation, whether that meant chasing down stray hucks or not being afraid to continue taking risks.
Around the Complex
- Two stunning upsets left #8 Durham Toro at a 1-2 record following the conclusion of Saturday play, though they still managed to sneak into the bracket thanks to a three-way tiebreaker in Pool B. They’ll get their chance at redemption in the quarterfinals, as they take on Rally in an exciting 1/2 seed matchup.
- #18 California Burrito finished 2-1 with a +12 point differential, taking second in their pool after a universe point loss to Philadelphia AMP. If they can beat a hot Sacramento Tower team, could they make a run through the bracket?
- #14 Seattle Mixtape falls to consolation play following the aforementioned loss to Space Force, along with a 13-7 stomping from Rally. With a second bid for the Northwest looking less likely, they’ll hope to use Sunday as a place to stack wins and tighten up any issues in preparation for the Series.
- #20 Huntsville Space Force took down both Seattle Mixtape and Cincinnati Steamboat in convincing fashion, finishing second in their pool with a record of 2-1. They face off against an undefeated Port Authority team in the quarterfinals.
Men’s Division
Sub Zero, Bravo Cruise Despite Absences
Tournament top seed #7 Minneapolis Sub Zero entered as one of the favorites, but they were also playing with a severely depleted roster that did not feature their top U.S. Open performers Nate De Morgan or Micah Davis, nor defensive ace Ryan duSaire, among others. In Pool A featuring two teams desperately fighting for a bid in Vancouver Furious George and Portland Red Tide, some questioned whether Sub Zero could handle the heat of being a tournament favorite with so many key absences.
Consider those questions answered, as Sub Zero held off #25 Red Tide in their opener, 14-12, overwhelmed Charlotte baNC 15-8, and waltzed past #17 Furious George by a score of 15-10 to put a bow on their perfect Saturday. Tougher bracket tests await, but Sub Zero featured all the makings of an elite team that can beat very strong opponents by rolling their secondary options and depth.
Similarly, #15 Denver Johnny Bravo faced a very key Saturday slate of games, operating without Quinn Finer and Jordan Kerr, both of whom competed for international squads at the World Ultimate Club Championships this past week in Limerick, Ireland. Bravo had a lot to lose, sitting just on the right side of the bid-earning picture. They warmed up with a 15-11 win over Indianapolis I-69 before jumping into their most crucial clash, a game with #23 Virginia Vault. In a statement effort, Bravo stomped Vault, 14-9, securing their championship bracket berth. Then, to put an exclamation point on their Saturday, Bravo toppled #11 Atlanta Chain Lightning 15-12 to win Pool C.
Colorado Mamabird product Nanda Min-Fink was called upon to step up in an even bigger role this tournament without Finer and Kerr, and he showcased a high level of comfort taking on responsibility within the Denver offense. In Bravo’s critical break for half over Chain Lightning, he shook free of a defender on an upline cut and then delivered an accurate blading flick to Alex Tatum to put Bravo up 8-6. On O-line, Min-Fink quarterbacked alongside veteran Jonathan Nethercutt, and, after Bravo was broken on the first point of the game, led the Denver-area squad to 12 straight holds to cash in the victory.
Haymaker, Mad Men Solidify Their Profiles
With #19 Chicago Haymaker unbeaten entering the tournament, but their only ranked wins over #24 Madison Mad Men – who had no ranked wins and only two losses, both to Haymaker – both squads had some questions to answer about their overall quality and potential. Both teams did exactly that on Saturday, qualifying for the championship bracket.
For Haymaker, things started with an authoritative blasting of Ottawa Phoenix, 15-6, but they followed with a brutal double game point loss to SoCal Condors in their first chance at a ranked victory over a team that wasn’t Mad Men. It was an unfortunate result for Haymaker, as Chicago broke three straight times to take a 10-9 lead. Up 11-10, they fluffed a break chance near the Condors end zone that would have put them up 12-10 with the game to 13. Even still, they received at 11-11 with a chance to hold for the win. However, Haymaker tried an around-break throw into a crowded area and coughed up the disc right at their own endzone line. Condors cashed in the break a couple of quick dishes later and took the game, 12-11.
However, the Chicago side recovered in impressive fashion, taking down Austin Doublewide 14-12. Coupled with Condors’ earlier three-point loss to Doublewide, Haymaker’s win actually allowed them to top Pool D with a 2-1 record, earning them key opportunities in Sunday’s bracket to claim a third bid for the Great Lakes region. Doublewide, for their part, took second in the tiebreak to earn a spot in the championship bracket.
Madison Mad Men are a little further outside the bid picture, so it would take a lot more to get there, but they got the first step done with a win over Raleigh Durham-United in their second game of the day. The 13-12 victory was Mad Men’s second universe point win of the day, having beaten Phoenix Nighthawk earlier in the day, 14-13. A loss to #10 Philadelphia Pacmen was somewhat expected, but Mad Men is still into the championship bracket. A quarterfinal clash with Sub Zero is a tough draw, but even with a loss, the fifth-place bracket would still boast an opportunity to break seed and earn some big ratings points.
Around the Complex
- Furious George toppled Red Tide 12-9 to decide the second bracket spot in Pool A, Pacmen went unbeaten in Pool B, and Chain Lightning’s win over Vault secured them second place in Pool C to advance to the final eight.
- The quarterfinals will pit Sub Zero vs. Mad Men and Haymaker vs. Atlanta Chain Lightning in the top half of the bracket, while a regional battle between Bravo and Austin Doublewide is paired with a Pacmen vs. Furious George clash on the bottom half.
- For Raleigh Durham-United, Red Tide, Condors, and Vault, their relegation to the ninth-place bracket may spell doom for their bid-earning hopes as they’ll sit outside the bid-earning picture without the chance to take down a much higher-ranked opponent. Wins with big point differentials will be critical to have a chance.
