Recognizing the next top seven performers of the 2026 season.
November 11, 2026 by Zack Davis and Graham Gerhart in Awards
Ultiworld is pleased to announce our annual Club Awards, continuing with the All-Club Second Team. While we consider both regular season and postseason performance, because of the nature of the Club division, we weight success in the Series and at Nationals above all else.
Our All-Club teams recognize the top performers across the division. Our First Team and Second Team display the top seven and next seven players who had the best seasons. The Club Awards are voted on by Ultiworld reporters, contributors, and editors.
All-Club First Team
Player of the Year Award
All-Club Second Team
Offensive Player of the Year Award
Defensive Player of the Year Award
Breakout Player of the Year Award
Coach(es) of the Year Award
Club Awards Voting Breakdown
Snubs and Superlatives
All-Club 2026 Second Team
Abby Hecko (BENT)
Hecko had to take on a tremendous burden for most of the season with BENT’s offense, and while she handled it with aplomb, it was Nationals where Hecko’s talent started to transcend. As a do-it-all offensive hub for New York, Hecko was able to slot into any position on the field and immediately attract the attention of every defender. This was by necessity: Ignoring Hecko was an easy way to give up a goal, and leaving her without pressure on the mark was equally punishing. BENT peaked at just the right time, largely due to Hecko cranking the dial up to eleven.
Anna Thompson (Fury)
Fury have long been at the forefront of ultimate’s continued refinement. As they tinker, it’s players like Thompson that give them the space to experiment. No matter the game plan, Thompson can fit into it and turn it into a weapon. She’s constantly moving and communicating on defense to set up her teammates, and is adaptive on the attack for Fury when the team needs answers. You’ll never see a stagnant offense when Thompson is on the field. From sheer force of will, she’ll keep the disc moving. It’s the small things she gets perfect that set her apart, and made her one of the best players to watch at Nationals this year.
Carolyn Normile (Parcha)
Normile was once again the catalyst for Parcha, and propelled them from nearly missing out on a bid to their first ever quarterfinal appearance. Normile’s flick seems to just zip out of her hand and appear down field right in the receiver’s hands. Though her throwing skill is phenomenal, she’s far from just a dealer. Normile generates success for Parcha with her cutting and defending nearly as much as she does from the handler space.
Kaitlyn Weaver (Filpside)
Weaver is the mortar between the bricks that make up the house of Flipside. More than capable of handling any role she needs to, this season saw Weaver take on more of the load than in seasons past, especially with Helton suffering an injury in the early stages of pool play. It was Weaver that stepped up to take the helm, and though Flipside as a unit couldn’t find success, Weaver capped off her season with an electric offensive performance.
Kayla Blanek (Pop)
Blanek’s the type of player that deserves to be written about in all caps because it matches the impact that she has every time she steps on the line. Her gravity and playing ability affect the field no matter the position she’s in or what the defense is trying to take away. A rare combination of size, speed, and timing, Blanek is able to win the footrace to the disc but often doesn’t need to, as she’s already left her defender in the dust. This season, Blanek’s defense was what elevated her into the awards conversation. Whenever Pop’s offense needed to get the disc back to prevent a break, Blanek had the answers. No matter what she was doing on the field, she excelled far beyond her peers.
Kirstin Johnson (Fury)
.It’s not uncommon to see veterans dominate the women’s division, but in the case of Johnson, she’s outperforming future Hall of Famers on both her team and the opponent’s. Her killer instinct allows her to stand out on a team as stacked as Fury. While the team is built to pounce on mistakes and take advantage of recovering defenses, it’s Johnson who is thinking a second faster than everyone else and can see openings before they emerge, both on offense and defense. Fury’s fast break never looked better than when Johnson was leading the charge.
Sami Smalling (Scandal)
It didn’t take long for Smalling to leave her mark on the women’s division after transferring from mixed. Her team had the best offense in the world this season, and she was in the driver’s seat for most of those offensive possessions. Throughout a perfect regular season and a close-to-perfect Nationals, Smalling showed the most poise and calm with the disc in hand, outplaying any defensive scheme thrown her way. In the past, handler depth was a question mark that Scandal needed answered. Now, with Smalling marshaling the backfield, Scandal’s handler core is set. Period.
