2024 All WUL Teams
The All WUL teams spotlight the league's top talent, recognizing the standout players of the 2024 season. These elite teams are selected based on the voting results for the Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The top 7 vote-getters are recognized on the All WUL First Team, and the next 7 are recognized on the All WUL Second Team. Congratulations to all the incredible athletes! Check out the full list of players, listed alphabetically, and join us in celebrating their achievements!
FIRST Team
Abbie Thorpe (CO)
Brooke Stanislawski (UT)
Chip Chang (AZ)
Dena Elimelech (SD)
Han Chen (BAY)
Kaela Helton (SD)
Kelli Iwamoto (SD)
Abby Thorpe, Colorado Alpenglow
What else can be said about the MVP and league champ that hasn’t been said already? Well, “cheat code” from an opponent, “all around all-star on offense and defense” from a teammate, and “the best player we played against” from an opposing coach feel like good starting points. The goal of the game is to score more points than the other team right? Well, Thorpe scored 23 goals this season, 10 more than any other individual did. Which is also tied for 2nd most all time in a single season. She had the 2nd most receiving yards (total and per game) in the league, and was one of just 5 players with 700+ receiving and throwing yards this season. She set a new record for receiving yards in a single game, cracking the 400 yard barrier for the first time in WUL history with 406 yards against Utah. Not to mention her 7 blocks put her in the top 10 across the league as well. And when the lights were brightest, the MVP turned in 2 stellar Championship Weekend performances, going +6 in both the semifinal and championship games with 3G/2A/1B and 4G/3A/1B respectively while combining for 980 yards in both games. Across all levels of the sport, dominant downfield players are often harder to build offenses around, but to both Thorpe and Alpenglow’s credit, her involvement and dominance never looked forced. It was always in flow, with the entire team working in harmony to maximize Thorpe’s output and the team’s success.
Brooke Stanislawski, Utah Wild
A member of Utah’s vaunted offensive handler set in 2023, Stanislawski transitioned to more of a downfield role in 2024 and immediately made the most of it. In the first game of the 2024 season, she put up 4 goals, 4 assists and 3 blocks, a combination never done before in the league, and won the Player of the Week award. She finished the season with a team leading 10 goals and 15 assists, 1 of 3 players in the league to complete a season-long “double-double”, and the only player to lead their team in both categories. Looking at advanced metrics paints much the same picture: Stanislawski led the Wild in both Relative Offensive Efficiency and Relative Defensive Efficiency, again the only player in the league to lead their team in both metrics. And if stats aren’t enough, Wild players were effusive with their praise for Stanislawski as an athlete and teammate, remarking how she “brings out the best in every player she is on a line with”, “makes big plays when it matters most”, and “somehow gets better after each year.” If Stanislawski does somehow get even better in 2025, Utah’s season could end yet again in the championship game - but this time with a different outcome.
Chip Chang, Arizona Sidewinders
Last year, Chip Chang helped set a new season record with 23 assists across the 2023 regular season. This year, behind the return of LP Aragon to the Arizona Sidewinders, Chang became more of a dual threat on offense. She often started Offensive points for the Sidewinders downfield and created space for her teammates before coming into the backfield and playing more ball-dominant. Chang finished in the top 5 on the Sidewinders in goals, assists, blocks, throwing yards, and receiving yards. Chang’s teammates felt her critical impact on the Sidewinders too, saying, “she is an unbelievable teammate, captain, player - humble, wicked smart, and always pushing herself and her teammates.” The fact that she finished 2nd on the team in blocks (and top 10 in the league) is made even more impressive given that she played 6.5 times more offensive points than defensive ones. Her singular responsibility to do anything the Sidewinders needed manifested most in a 2G/2A/2B +5 performance in Arizona’s sole win of the year against (eventual runners-up) Utah, and a 3G/1A/3B Player of the Week winning performance despite a 11-10 loss to San Diego the very next game.
Dena Elimelech, San Diego Super Bloom
Dena Elimelech is the most impactful defensive player in the league. This statement alone would earn her a spot on this list, but throw in the fact that she led the league in total yards gained, receiving yards, and receiving yards per game and that makes her undeniable. The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year warped the field around her, and kept coaches up at night trying to gameplan for her. “Watching San Diego, it felt like Dena was everywhere,” was one refrain we heard from an opposing coach. Another took it even further saying, “Dena was the most important and impactful player for San Diego this season.” Her 15 blocks led the league and she racked up 7 blocks in one game against Bay Area which would’ve slotted her just into the top 10 league leaders of blocks this season had she only played that game. She led the league in points played, joined her teammate Kaela Helton as the only 2 players to go over 1,000 throwing and receiving yards, and was the only player to reach 10+ goals, assists, and blocks this year. Don’t forget she set a single game then-record for receiving yards with 373 against the eventual champion Alpenglow. The WUL’s all-time regular season leader in points played, receiving yards, and blocks only appears to be getting better.
Han Chen, Bay Area Falcons
A finalist for Offensive Player of the Year, Han Chen was a dominating handler that helped lead the Bay Area Falcons to a 5-1 record and Championship Weekend appearance. Her smooth and patient offense earned reactions such as “Han Chen might be the smoothest player in the league,” and “Han Chen has the best throws in the game” by opposing coaches and players alike. Those smooth and effortless handling skills helped her make her stamp on the league this season. Her 17 assists led the team by 9 and her 2002 total throwing yards were almost 2x as many as the next highest total, including a team-leading 1616 throwing yards. She was 3rd in the league in assists per game, 3rd in throwing yards per game, and 3rd in total yards per game for the season. She had 602 total yards in Week 1 which was the 3rd most in a game this year and the 7th most in the league’s history. That performance was among many standouts that got her nominated for Player of the Week twice during the season. She was an anchoring factor in Bay Area’s offense and one of the most dynamic players to watch in the WUL.
Kaela Helton, San Diego Super Bloom
“Kaela runs the show,” as stated by an opponent, is the perfect sentence to describe Helton’s impact on the San Diego Super Bloom. She is the most prolific offensive engine the league has ever seen and only continued her torrid output across the 2024 season. Helton almost defies positional categorization on offense, filling the ‘anything we need role’ for the Super Bloom. She played more WUL ultimate per game than anyone else this season by over 2 points per game. She averaged 4.4 assists per game in the regular season, over 0.5 more than 2nd place and an entire assist per game more than 3rd place. She led the league in total yards per game with 469, 2nd in total yards with 2344 despite only playing 5 regular season games, and was the only player to average 200+ throwing and receiving yards per game this season. And, she was the only player to finish 2024 with 1100+ throwing and receiving yards. Not to mention, she was good for over 1 block per game, too. Super Bloom was once again denied a title on Championship Weekend, but as long as Helton sticks around, they’ll be in with a chance to win.
Kelli Iwamoto, San Diego Super Bloom
A versatile handler with years of experience in the San Diego ultimate scene, Kelli Iwamoto has been an important piece of the Super Bloom puzzle over the past 2 seasons. But with 2023 throwing leader Avery Jones out due to injury after week 2, San Diego needed the always consistent and reliable Iwamoto to add a few more adjectives to her game this year - and add them she did. Described by her teammates and opponents as “dynamic”, an “engine”, and “fire”, Iwamoto increased her goals, assists, blocks, throwing yards, receiving yards, and usage from last season to this one, despite playing 2 fewer games. She made her impact in many ways, leading her team in throwing yards, ranking 4th among all handlers in the league in goals, and ranking 1st among all handlers in the league in blocks. She had the highest Relative Offensive Efficiency on Super Bloom and the 2nd highest Relative Defensive Efficiency. Whether she was running San Diego’s patented handler weave, beating her defender upline for an easy score, or laying out on defense to get the disc back, Iwamoto’s 2024 season was one to watch.
SECOND Team
Abbie Davis (UT)
Ari Nelson (CO)
Blaise Sevier (CO)
LP Aragon (AZ)
Margo Donahue (BAY)
Paige Applegate (AZ)
Sam Rodenberg (SEA)
Abbie Davis, Utah Wild
How often does a player start their 1st professional season with 2 blocks in their first game? How about 2 blocks in every game? Add in a Player of the Week-winning 5 goal, 245 receiving yard performance after a mid-season switch to O-line and you arrive at one player: Abbie Davis. The 2024 Breakout Player of the Year finished 2nd in the league in blocks, led the league in Block Rate and became the 1st player in league history to record at least 2 blocks in each of their first 6 games. She also caught the most hucks and 3rd most goals of any player on Utah and had the 3rd highest Completion % on the team. Oh, and she’s still in college. Her coaches said she was “absolutely vital to the success of the Wild this season” and it's “hard to overstate her impact”. Her teammates marveled at her talent, “intuitive cutting”, and “attitude towards the game”. She’s the most recent example of the prolific Utah youth pipeline coming into fruition, and she’s set to cause havoc to Wild opponents and dominate WUL stat-sheets for years to come.
Ari Nelson, Colorado Alpenglow
It’s hard to imagine having a better return to the WUL after a one-year hiatus than Ari Nelson did. Nelson seamlessly slid into the role of primary disc-handler on the O-line of a championship-caliber team, went out, and led them to a championship. Nelson was 1 of just 2 players to crack 2000 throwing yards in this 6-game regular season format, led the league in assists with 23, and won the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year award. Nelson’s connection with Thorpe was a revelation for the Alpenglow and the engine that powered them to a title. The real separator for Nelson was their efficiency. They finished with the least turnovers of any player in the top 10 for throwing yards this season, and every other player in the top 5 of throwing yards had at least 5 more turnovers. Aggressiveness and efficiency are the 2 forces most at odds for handlers. Nelson managed to embody both, pushing the disc downfield for an offense that loved to go deep, but remaining dependable and reliable both looking long, and in tighter, higher-pressure situations in the red zone.
Blaise Sevier, Colorado Alpenglow
After making a name for herself on the east coast, Blaise Sevier introduced herself to the Colorado ultimate scene in 2024 with a layout block in her 1st game at Pinnacle Athletic Complex. She continued making mind and physics-bending plays game after game, from more layout blocks to impossible swimming catches. While the highlights grabbed the attention of fans, her velcro-tight defense led to players and coaches voting her a finalist for both Breakout Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. A rival coach described her as “one of the most intimidating defenders I’ve seen.” She routinely took away the other team’s favorite downfield option, making the Alpenglow defense significantly better - her 11.5 Relative Defensive Efficiency was the best on Colorado and the 6th highest mark in the league. With Sevier anchoring a tenacious defensive line, Alpenglow should be well positioned to defend their WUL crown.
LP Aragon, Arizona Sidewinders
After finishing 2nd in the league in throwing yards in the inaugural 2022 season and then taking the 2023 season off to have a baby, LP Aragon was back in full force in 2024. She led her team in multiple throwing categories, ranking 1st in assists with 18 for the season (3rd in the league) and leading the league in throwing yards with 2030. She also contributed 3 goals and 4 blocks, led the league in throwing yards per game with 338, and set a league record in Relative Offensive Efficiency. A stalwart leader who has proven herself to be one of the most consistently great players and throwers in the WUL, Aragon has been an integral part of the Sidewinder offense each season she has played. Her chemistry with Arizona’s array of fast receivers was on full display in a barn-burning 20-18 loss to San Diego in week 5, in which she threw for a then-record 551 yards and 5 assists. If she can replicate the performance a few more times next year, the Sidewinders might find themselves back at Championship Weekend for the first time since 2022.
Margo Donahue, Bay Area Falcons
On defenses that are as deep and well-coached as Bay Area’s was this season, it can be hard to identify a player that stands out. It wasn’t hard for Margo Donahue’s teammates and opponents, who voted her a Breakout Player of the Year finalist, and lauded her impact in her 1st season out of college. That impact was summed up in the final point of Bay Area’s statement win against San Diego in week 6. With the game decided, and 1 point of goal difference all that hung in the balance, Donahue refused to let up her intensity - she executed one of her trademark inside-out blading backhand pulls, sprinted down to cover 2x WUL MVP Kaela Helton and knocked down the centering pass. She then immediately sprinted deep and was responsible for ~30 yards of offense as the Falcons scored to end the game. On a defense that set league records in Defensive Efficiency and Break %, Donahue played 55% of Bay Area’s defensive points, led the team in blocks, had the 2nd most receiving yards, and pulled every point she was on. She’s the heart and soul of the Falcons’ defense, and, as one of her opponents put it simply: “a dawg”.
Paige Applegate, Arizona Sidewinders
Paige Applegate joined the Arizona Sidewinders in 2023 and quickly made a name for herself as one of the premier offensive stalwarts in the league. This season was no different as the chemistry with LP Aragon and Chip Chang complimented Applegate’s abilities on the O-line for the Sidewinders. She was 2nd on the team in assists with 12 for the season and 2nd in throwing yards with 1207, and added 2 goals, 3 blocks and 212 receiving yards from the handler position. Her fantastic arsenal of break throws and composure under pressure were instrumental in the Sidewinder’s ability to create scoring chances, and the stats back it up: she maintained the 3rd highest completion percentage on Arizona while having the highest usage rate, and finished the season with the 2nd highest Relative Offensive Efficiency in the league. These stats and her offensive ability were recognized by teammates and opponents, who voted her an Offensive Player of the Year finalist. In her 2nd season in the WUL, Applegate cemented herself as an offensive powerhouse. Her ability to dominate in the handler space and dictate the rest of the O-line for the Sidewinders will be crucial in their hopes to return to Championship Weekend in 2025.
Sam Rodenberg, Seattle Tempest
Seattle’s leading scorer over the 2022-23 seasons, Sam Rodenberg has always been a pivotal part of Tempest’s attack. However, after losing their 1st 2 games of the 2024 season, Tempest needed someone to step into a larger role, and Rodenberg answered the call. Starting in a victory over Utah in week 4, Rodenberg contributed 5 goals, 8 assists, and 920 total yards over the next 3 games, leading Seattle to 2 victories and keeping them alive in the Northwest Conference race. While maintaining her elite speed and cutting ability that has made her one of the league’s most lethal endzone threats, she started to help facilitate the Tempest offense, doubling her throws per game, while effectively pushing the disc downfield. She threw 3 hucks in that victory over Utah and completed every single one, and her accuracy and composure with the disc led to her committing just 7 turnovers all season and leading the team in Plus-Minus and Offensive Impact Score. One of the veterans of a deep Seattle talent pool, Rodenberg remains a vital piece of Tempest’s offensive puzzle and will look to lead them back to Championship Weekend in 2025.
Photographers: Rodney Chen (Ultiphotos), Sloth Jackson, Nathan Brodie, David Kocherans, Jonathan Red
Footnotes:
Relative Offensive Efficiency measures the difference in a team’s offensive efficiency (% of offensive possessions that end in a goal) with a player on the field versus without that player on the field, adjusted for the proportion of offensive and defensive points the player plays.
Relative Defensive Efficiency measures the difference in a team’s defensive efficiency (% of defensive possessions that end in a turnover) with a player on the field versus without that player on the field, adjusted for the proportion of offensive and defensive points the player plays.
Offensive Impact Score is a statistic that adds yards to the traditional counting stats of goals, assists, blocks and turnovers and evaluates a player’s offensive output on a per-possession basis. A score of 10 is average while a score above 20 is exceptional. Read more about it on the WUL’s stats dashboard.
Note: Selections were based on voting results for the 2024 WUL Awards, but the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the WUL.
Contributors include:
Ben Sadis (he/him), WUL data collector and statistician
Noah Gumerman (he/him), WUL data collector and statistician
Kaetlynn Daoust (she/her), WUL Head of Social Media
Nicole Garnes (she/her), media contributor for the WUL