LASA (TX)

Vertikills is the varsity Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) High School Ultimate Frisbee team from Austin, Texas. LASA is an application based magnet public school which is academically ranked #32 among all high schools in the nation and #1 in the Austin Independent School District. Due to the phenomenal administration, stellar educators, and fantastic Ultimate team, LASA attracts students from the entire city representing all races, economic backgrounds, and lived experiences. Although we play in the USAU Boys category, our team includes players who identify as boys/male-matching, girls/female-matching, and non-binary. Vertikills won the Texas High School State Championship Tournament in 2023 and 2022, and came in second in 2021. Two of our Captains, Vance Mader ('24) and Rachel Joy Rocha ('25), were invited to tryout for the 2024 U.S. U-20 National Teams. Caroline Stone (LASA '22 graduate) played on the 2022 U.S. U-20 National Women's Team and Carly Atwell (LASA '20 graduate) was a 2020 U.S. U-20 National Team member. Brett Gramann (LASA ‘14) played for the 2014 U.S. U-19 Team and the 2018&2019 U.S. U-24 Teams. Most of our players, including all three team captains and all three spirit captains, started playing Ultimate Frisbee at Kealing Middle School with Cara Crouch (Class of 2022 Ultimate Hall of Fame), Michael (Tank) Natenberg (2012 National Champion; 2013 World Champion), and Colleen Kepner (TUSC365 Founder, Owner, Director; Founder and General Manager of Austin's Professional Women's Ultimate Team, The Torch ). Our Coach, Tina Woodings, is recognized and celebrated as a player, captain, coach, leader, and above all a really good person! Check out this Terrific Teammate Testimonial which describes Tina this way, "She’s played locally, nationally, and internationally, but Tina’s greatest strengths (I feel) lie in her ability to build community through Ultimate. She’s a leader and a driving force in every facet of the Ultimate scene.". They dropped to #21 (from #10) in our High School Boys Power Rankings on June 20th, 2024.