Who are the best players in the Metro East region? This is an open thread to discuss All-Region nominations, All-Freshman nominations, coaching awards, and more. Stay positive and keep it civil.
#65 from skidmore here. i’ve got a couple shoutouts from the teams we played at sectionals/regionals.
Joe M and Grace Wang from Ithaca are both incredible handlers with super super strong defense. If a throw went up from either team, chances are one of them is gonna come down with it or layout D it. Their throws seemed almost unaffected by the insane wind at regionals, going straight into their cutters hands. On top of their skill, both of them are incredibly kind to everyone they play against.
I know she plays for my own team but Eleanor (#4) on Skidmore is one of the most consistent and versatile players I know. She cuts, she handles, she hucks, she lays out (on offense and defense), and is always a consistent pair of hands regardless of if she is throwing or catching.
Scout Noble on wes. yep. need i say more?
Ithaca cap here, I’ll do my best with names:
Wesleyan-
Maggie + Milo Brown - cracked
Scout Noble - cracked
Natalie Sweet - cracked
Skidmore-
So sorry for not remember names/numbers but the skidmore captains are absolutely cracked and gave us a good+spirited challenge in semi’s game-to-go
Geneseo-
#24 captain drives geneseo’s offense
Ithaca-
(Some dirty dawgs that deserve shoutouts)
Claire Johnson- luckily for our opponents Johnson was not playing during regionals. And that’s all I’ll say about that.
Alicia Menduni- quite literally the most reliable, steady, and versatile player to ever grace the fields of Batavia NY.
Joe Mukamal- lowkey me
Grace W- also want to shoutout vet Grace. Even though she joined us in the postseason this year, she was a driving force of our offense as always.
COTY- EMILY MILDNER -literally our mom
rochester ez here,
hamilton
#58 lucinda olson- effortlessly beautiful throws, runs so much of their offense, and also such a nice + spirited player
#60 elena dickison- incredible at stretching the field and finding holes, caught every single disc that went anywhere near her
ithaca
#25 joe mukamal- crazy good hucks, amazing in the deep space on defense, and i don’t think i saw him take a sub all weekend
#23 alicia menduni- killed it all over the field as both a handler and a cutter
honestly shoutout to all of the kweezys for their stamina, they were playing with very few subs but seemed to have legs for days
wesleyan
#17 maggie brown, #6 milo brown, and #27 scout noble- all insanely good and we all know it
rochester (there’s gonna be a lot of shoutouts cuz i love my team)
first of all, shoutout to all 3 of our captains (#13 kaitlin “bernie” chung, #45 april loy, and #20 lexi simard) for doing an incredible job this year and leading us to our second ever natties appearance
extra shoutout to bernie for the craziest layouts on both o and d, to april for the wildest (often one-handed) catches, and lexi for locking it down on defense every single time
#3 minsaw kwak- literally THE BIGGEST ever on defense, absolutely nothing gets past her and it’s somehow only her 3rd semester playing frisbee
#37 penny chen- incredible defense in general but especially in the handler space, goes after every single disc
#21 mary macadam- such a consistent and dependable cutter, always finding holes in a zone and finding the continuations
#29 tay harvey- incredible stamina, incredible hucks, incredible as the deep deep on defense, incredible hair
#9 marlena berger- came back from injury and picked up right where she left off as one of the most consistent handlers, has the most gorgeous throws
i love all our fantastic rookies, special shoutout to:
#44 roz norman- three months into playing frisbee and she’s killing it every time she’s on the field, going after every disc
#4 kaylie mcguckin- one of our awesome freshmen, she attacks the disc on both offense and defense and is always just right where she’s supposed to be
#5 flora bradley- another one of our awesome freshmen, proud member of the SWAT TEAM, kills it as a handler mark then turns around and makes amazing cuts
Hey! Wesleyan Vicious Circles Junior here!
First of all, our team has an insane amount of depth, and that is our our biggest strength. Our players are athletic, smart in a system, adaptable, and have mastered our throws over time, and this depth is epitomized by our senior class. I want to shout out all of our seniors, because their growth over the years and abilities on the field have anchored our team’s success this season. In numerical order:
#1 Amelia Platt: Amelia is a virtually undefendable cutter. She’s fast. She’s tall. She has grit. With years of soccer experience, this girl knows her way around a field and she has brilliant game sense. She’ll catch the disc whether its high up in the air or 3 inches from the ground. As a former goalkeeper, Amelia will bid for anything. Disc looks impossible to catch and is surely down? Wrong. Meils has it. Then she’ll throw it perfectly downfield and perpetuate the flow before the defense even knows what hit them. On defense, just prepare to get shut down, skyed, or get run-thru D-ed.
#4 Olivia “Liv” Bordon: A second year captain and smart and swift cutter with skillful throws, Liv is one of only 3 vish seniors who played in high school (and it shows). She has a brilliant game sense and incredible endurance that makes her an especially valuable asset on defense (as demonstrated in the 30 min long second to last point of the game-to-go at regionals this past weekend).
#8 Ruby Kauffman-Rosengarten: As a former field hockey player, ruby started vish with an impressive baseline of athleticism and ability to get low and maintain defensive positioning. Catch her making run through D’s or throwing beautiful continuation throws after she inevitably gets open on her cuts.
#11 Natalie “Nat” Sweet: As a legendary handler turned ambidextrous cutter/hybrid, Nat absolutely commands the field. With speed, agility, and jumping ability that will lead to them totally skying you, opponents should quake in their boots when they see Nat step on the field. Nat has practically every throw in the book and will execute even upside down throws in the wind with precision. Their mental mastery of the sport elevates everyone’s game because of how they help teach their teammates on the sideline and at practice. Their raw athleticism, precise disc skills, and quick thinking on-field abilities make them one of Vish’s strongest players.
#12 Lola Murnighan: Lola joined vish her sophomore year and has only been on the up and up. As a speedy but level-headed and chilly hybrid/handler with buttery throws, endurance, and height, watch out for her in the handler set and in the deep space. (Tbh now that I think about it we have a pretty tall senior class).
#14 Olivia “Benny” Benton: Benny has become an absolutely unstoppable cutter. As a former soccer player, its no wonder she is so speedy, so good luck getting open if she’s defending you and good luck defending her because she’ll be catching the disc before you’ve even turned your hips to follow her. She is fantastic at perpetuating downfield motion with her quick game sense and smooth throwing, and her height and jumping ability makes her another dangerous opponent in the deep space.
#38 Susannah “Suz” Cornell: Suz is an absolute BEAST. She’s tall. She’s fast. She can JUMP (#can’t teach height). Her hands are sticky and also have an affinity for hand blocks. This girl played soccer and it shows in her endurance and intensity on the field (and not just from her iconic braided ponytail). If I were in the deep space with her tbh I’d just give up because I know I’m getting skyed.
#42 Ella “Spitz” Spitz: As another former soccer player turned cutter/hybrid, Spitz will cook you under on offense, run-thru-D you on defense, and then throw a gorgeous pass downfield when she’s done. Her defensive intensity and endurance makes her a major asset in a zone, and as another member of #teamtall you should also watch out for her in the deepspace.
#50 Nora Jacobsen: Nora is a handler by trade and it shows. She’ll run a handler set with precision and grace, and she is also fantastic at shutting down handlers on defense. This Vermont native has been playing Ultimate since high school, and its very evident from her massive hucks. Nora has always been one of our top players, but since playing club this summer with Vermont Zero Strategy she has risen to an absolutely insane level. She’ll cook you on uplines, break your mark, and catch even the most wonky throws in the wind. Wind, rain, heat, and cold having nothing on her game, and you can count on her pulls to bury the disc in the enemy endzone.
I’ll shout out other teams in another post this one just got a bit long haha. Let’s go metro beast!!
Ok my shoutouts for other players in the region:
Rochester (this is a little hard because Rochester doesn’t have the names with numbers on USAU so I’m having to Instagram stalk for this but I’m gonna try my best and if other Rochester ppl could fill in the names to the numbers that would be great):
- all the handlers had insane deep hucks, especially in the wind, and the cutters on this team also have especially sticky hands for seemingly uncatchable discs that blade in the wind.
- some notable throwers include #37, #44, and #29 (I’m sorry I couldn’t find names)
Ithaca:
- Joe Mukamal is an absolute beast on offense and defense. He has deep hucks. He has skies. He has speed. He’s also just super kind and I love playing against him.
- Also this whole team has an absolutely insane amount of endurance because they only had 9 players at regionals and still made it to the second game to go. Their numbers are small but they are mighty and have a great deal of stamina.
Hamilton:
- Vish is obsessed with Lucinda Olson. Her throws are gorgeous and she’s an essential handler.
Vassar:
- Stuart Heintz is the goat. They’ve got the throws, they’ve got the speed, they’ve got it all. We love Stuart.
#37 is penny chen, #44 is roz norman (if you can believe it she’s a spring semester rookie), #29 is tay harvey, and we really probably should put our numbers on usau oops
vish player here!
shouting out some of the GOATS from wes and other teams in the region
wes:
-Mack Bunnell
holy shit this girl is cracked. transferring over her arm from softball, mack has a wicked flick huck i would hate to try to block. her reliability in the backfield and downfield is remarkable and her flexibility on the field speaks to her versatility despite being only in her third year with the sport. mack’s defense is what seriously sets her apart. mack in the deep space? yea don’t throw it. she ROOFS every. single. time. this girl doesn’t just have crazy vert, mack isn’t afraid to get horizontal to save possession or get a sick d. a beast on o and d, mack is a force to be reckoned with and is deserving of more credit for her consistency and high impact for vish.
-Tae Weiss:
vish’s sophomore class is phenomenal and in part thanks to tae. her smart cuts and crazy grabs make her a consistent target on offense and she’s not afraid to layout in the mud for her team. tae’s game is elevated by her consistently crisp throws and her tenacity on defense. keep an eye out for her streaking for the endzone!
-Nola (Bus) Busansky
another high impact sophomore, bus proves time and time again what a DAWG they are. bus’s presence is intimidating as hell. they command the field with their huge hucks. they sneak up on d for crazy lay out blocks. they center the pull and next thing you know they are bidding in the endzone for a score. bus is not only a scrappy player but also a master of strategy—making quick, brilliant decisions from the handler space that set up the team for success.
-Sof Canoutas-Nadel:
wow. sof is not only one of the fastest players on the field but one of the smartest. another incredible sophomore, sof plays a large role on the team facilitating downfield movement and locking up the biggest threats on opposing teams. sof creates problems for other teams, and solves them for vish. but don’t be fooled by her mastery of cutting in the deep space, she can also put up a hell of a throw. seriously one of the most athletic in the division, she’ll outrun you any day.
ithaca:
-Joe Mukamal:
i was seriously blown away by the accuracy and consistency of joe’s hucks, even in the crazy wind at regionals in batavia. he was very effective at getting open in small space and sending dots cross field to receivers. very quick and very smart with the disc.
rochester:
-Kwak:
#3 on rochester, beast on defense. had some crazy grabs in our finals game and incredibly athletic layout d’s in zone. really explosive in the cutting space and also had good hands.
vassar:
-#3 (don’t know name!)
really high impact player for vassar’s offense. speedy and really consistent in the handler space distributing the disc and getting the flow flowing.
shout out to Milo and Scout for their incredible play this past weekend, especially in the final. They are always the most reliable and trustworthy players on the field. For cutters, they’re always a solid option to reset the disc — when no one else is getting open, they will. I’ve lost count of how many sky-Ds they racked up in the last game with rochester. When the other teams threw a huck, sometimes I strangely found myself staying calm on the sideline (maybe too calm), because I trust them in the deep space. It has developed as an instinctive trust, like how a new-born baby trust their parents.
shout out to Nat, Mack, and Kayla, our hybrid powerhouses. Thank you for stepping into whatever role the team needs and playing it with skill and heart. Mack, your throws and catches — smooth in all directions, high or low, upline or deep — are always a joy to watch. Kayla, thank you for leaving your unreserved efforts, experience, and strategic playing on the field — all the bids, all the run-through Ds, and detailed defending techniques. Nat, thank you for your speedy, decisive cuts and gorgeous throws, which are the biggest gifts to this team in the regionals. It’s so much fun watching you play, and playing with such a spirited and gritty player who never gives up or gets mad on the field.
shout out to Meils, Suz, and Sof. Meils’ play during that superrrr long point against rochester before universe was nothing short of gritty. As a cutter who once dominated the skies and deep space, you’ve continued to show up with fearless bids, sharp cuts in the zone, and relentless hustle in the cup. That’s exactly how you spell grit — with every point you play. Suz’s got glue on her hands…so stickyyyy. She catches and Ds literally everything in the sky. Nothing is more dangerous than such a cutter with that kind of speed and disc-reading ability in deep space. And when she’s in the wall? Nothing to say. She ATE. Someday “Speedy” in the dictionary will just be Sof’s name.This lightning-fast, instinctive cutter with hucks that shouldn’t be that good and ankle-killing direction changes will always get open by “running around” (iykyk) and become the sharpest weapon that breaks every cup in the world.
Sorry for being too obsessed with the team. Will write about other teams once I have time.
Wesleyan: Scout Noble, Milo Brown, Maggie Brown, Sofia Canoutas-Nadel, Amelia Platt, Susannah Cornell. All are incredibly skilled, fast, smart players.
Rochester: April Loy, Tay Harvey. Those two stood out as dominant players both on the field and in terms of leadership.
Ithaca: Jo Mukamai. Anna Fluhler. Both really really good.
Hamilton: Lucinda Olson has an undeniable presence on the field. Very talented player all around.
I’m Keith, the coach of Wesleyan (and from Ultiworld). Just adding a few thoughts.
I would love to know more about some of the region’s rookies. Roz Norman being a rookie is silly, but Flora Bradley was also really solid for Rochester.
For All-Region, Tay Harvey should be a lock and so should Joe Mukamal. Clearly two of the best players in the region who are awesome handlers and great defenders. A name that has gone unmentioned is Audrey Kling from RPI, she was one of the best handlers we faced all year. Lucinda Olson was also a really tough cover with her great break throws.
Scout Noble, Milo Brown, Maggie Brown, and Sofia Canoutas-Nadel have all had fantastic seasons. Nora Jacobsen probably gets overlooked for some of those bigger name players. Suz Cornell had some games where she just took over. But someone who didn’t get mentioned is Nola “Bus” Busansky. They were one of the best overall players in the region all year, using their big throws and physical intensity to create havoc for whoever we faced. It sucks Nola got hurt at Regionals, but the rest of their season was very strong and Bus led us in goals and was one of our leaders in assists and blocks, too, up until that point.
Also a special shout out for Sasha Raskin, she’s a freshman rookie who I think will be a tremendous player and had a great year. On a team with fewer sets of legs, she would be tearing it up. Fast, hard working, and had some gigantic layout catches this season. I wouldn’t have her over some of the freshman names mentioned, but just make note of this for the future when some of big Vish veteran class graduates.
Commenting again for ROTY nomination from Ithaca:
Anna “Shots” Stohs should absolutely be considered for ROTY, she was a tremendous impact for Kweezy. Played every point at every tournament, primarily a handler due to her multiple years of high school experience but would seamlessly transition to cutting when needed. Not to mention her leadership and spirit ability as just a first-year. The ME has been increasingly competitive with all-star level talent across the region and I look forward to seeing Anna’s skill and leadership with Ithaca.