Who are the best players in the Atlantic Coast region? This is an open thread to discuss All-Region nominations, All-Freshman nominations, coaching awards, and more. Stay positive and keep it civil.
Disclaimer upfront, I am an assistant coach for Catholic University.
Catholic University of America: Nun Betta
All-Region
- Grace Castro (Senior, Captain): Dynamic hybrid (leans handler)- incredibly quick on her feet and makes the most of the throw-and-go. Generates flow and finds a way to get open for any player. Difficult to contain.
- Christine “Gram” Tomasic (Senior, Captain): Another dynamic hybrid (leans handler). Gram is a powerhouse. She is great on the air and will lay out on offense and defense. Her incredible closing speed makes her a tremendous asset on defense.
- Emily “Yams” McGuire (Junior, Officer): A handler that has grown significantly since last semester. Her overall field awareness and confidence as a handler has shown in her committed, strategic dump cuts and the expansion of her throws. Watch for her flick huck.
- Katie O’Brien (Junior): This cutter’s return, after an injury sidelined her for all of her sophomore year plus a semester abroad, has been a warm welcome. Her sense of the field makes her a threat under or deep, able to make moves of the defense strategically.
- Lauren Coene (Sophomore): A cutter who uses her height, and perhaps more noticeably, her wingspan on defense. The team has relied on her increasingly over the season- as her throws and spacing has improved, she’s earned her place as a starter.
- Liz Shoemaker (Sophomore): Another hybrid for CUA (also leans handler) has been growing into the role this spring, capable of moving from a core handler or flowing into a cutter role on a line-to-line basis. Her increased intensity on defense has improved as the season has continued, notably at ACCCs.
All-Freshman
- Abby Grabowski: A sprinter from an ultimate family, Grabowski made an early mark on the team in the fall. Her speed and willingness in using her height has made her a powerful threat in the deep space. She’s an incredibly coachable player, and as she builds her prowess on defense, she’ll only be a greater force in years to come.
University of Mary Washington: Mary Massacre
First, a huge shout-out to Mary Wash. This team came out with power and confidence at ACCCs this last weekend. I want to commend their coach, Mary Beth Moody, for her work with this team. I was thoroughly impressed by their development from last year. There’s strength on offense, and their communication in their zone-d shows their communication and work over the season. Seems like a young team that will only improve in the coming years- looking forward to seeing you all again next year (and for those of you who are in the D.C. area- Suffrage tryouts!).
All-Region
- Leslie Pullen (Sophomore): This handler brings power and poise to the field. She has a clear command and vision for the offense, able to shape plays from the backfield. There’s a maturity and athleticism to her throws- a wide, balanced step-out and an eye for spacing in the wind.
- Sarah Hood-Recant (Sophomore): A quick, fiery cutter with great hands. Shows the same determination and commitment for the disc on defense.
All-Region or All-Freshman
- Rose Kostka: This young player has already established herself as a leader on the field. On offense, she drives the flow, and is the type of handler that can get open on every other throw if needed. On defense, Mary Wash had her in the deep. According to the Mary Washington website, she’s 5’3". Watching her, you would be hard pressed to tell, as she challenged every deep look with a keen ability to read the disc and get in the air.
Richmond University: Red Hots
All-Region
- Adrian Matthews: Handler
- Alexis Porter: Cutter
- Mimi Tran: Cutter
Elon University: Wild Rumpus
All-Region
- Camden Formby-Lavertu: Athletic, smart, and strategic- she’s a fun player to watch.
- Olivia Ford: Quick, powerful, and big throws.