2026 Western Ultimate League Award Winners
The annual WUL Awards honor outstanding players and coaching staff who have made significant contributions to the league and their teams. Each nominee exemplifies excellence in their respective roles and was honored with an awards ceremony during Championship Weekend.
Most Valuable Player:
Jamie Kauffman
Jaime Kauffman put together a season unlike any the WUL has ever seen, powering Seattle Tempest to new heights while rewriting the record books along the way. Kauffman became the first player in league history to lead the WUL in both goals (24) and assists (29), with her 29 assists setting a new single-season record. As if that weren’t enough, she also finished second in the league with 18 blocks, proving she could take over games on both sides of the disc.
Her all-around impact was unmatched. Kauffman led Seattle in goals, assists, blocks, and receiving yards (1,868), while finishing third on the team in throwing yards (1,261), making her the only player in the league to rank in the top three on their team across all five major statistical categories. Even more remarkably, she became the first player to lead the league in either goals or assists while playing the majority of their points on the defensive line—a testament to just how often she turned stops into scores.
One opposing coach summed it up simply: “Jamie has dominated the stat lines and completely alters how defenses have to counter Seattle's offensive attacks.” Kauffman’s production-per-turnover efficiency also set a new WUL single-season record with a 161 Player Efficiency Rating.
In a year filled with standout performances, Jaime Kauffman still stood alone. By combining elite offensive production, game-changing defense, and unprecedented versatility, she delivered the most complete season in WUL history.
Offensive Player of the Year: Cheryl Hsu
Seattle Tempest’s Cheryl Hsu orchestrated one of the most efficient and explosive offensive seasons the WUL has ever seen. A constant catalyst with the disc in her hands, Hsu finished second on the team with 27 assists—third in the league—and added 12 goals, placing her among the WUL leaders in total scores. Her command of the offense extended well beyond the endzone, leading Seattle with 2,899 throwing yards while amassing 3,331 total yards, the second- and fourth-highest marks in the league, respectively.
What set Hsu apart was not just volume, but precision. She completed an astonishing 17 of 20 huck attempts for an 85% completion rate, the highest ever recorded by a WUL player with at least 15 huck attempts in a season. Every deep shot carried the potential to flip a game, and more often than not, Hsu delivered. Her Week 6 performance against Oregon—five assists, 480 throwing yards, and a perfect 3-for-3 on hucks—earned Player of the Week honors and showcased exactly why defenses struggled to contain her.
A teammate captured her impact best: “Cheryl has been on an absolute tear this season and their ability to attack any point on the field creates massive problems for any opponent.” Whether stretching the field with pinpoint throws or patiently directing the offense underneath, Hsu consistently created opportunities that few players in the league could match.
Elite vision, record-setting efficiency, and the ability to dictate every possession made Cheryl Hsu the engine behind one of the WUL’s most dangerous offenses this season and a clear choice for the 2026 Offensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Player of the Year: Sarah Itoh
Sarah Itoh transformed Colorado Alpenglow’s defense into a turnover-generating machine in 2026, delivering a season defined by relentless pressure and game-changing plays. Itoh led the league with 19 blocks, tying the WUL single-season record and establishing herself as the premier defensive playmaker on her team and in the league. She also finished second in both blocks per game (2.4) and block rate (11.9%), consistently finding ways to disrupt even the league’s top offenses.
What made Itoh’s campaign even more remarkable was the consistency. Week after week, she generated momentum-shifting stops, including a five-block performance against Utah in Week 12 that tied for the most by any player in a single game this season. Her anticipation, closing speed, and ability to attack throwing lanes made every possession feel precarious for opposing offenses.
The achievement is even more impressive considering Itoh’s evolution as a player. After previously spending much of her time on the offensive line, she embraced a defensive role and quickly became one of the most feared defenders in the league. As one opponent put it: “Sarah Itoh has been the most prolific block-getter in 2026, and uses their speed and field IQ to great effect to generate pressure and turnovers.”
By pairing elite athleticism with impeccable instincts, Itoh anchored Colorado’s defense and delivered one of the finest defensive seasons in WUL history, earning the title of 2026 Defensive Player of the Year.
Breakout Player of the Year: Kennedy McCarthy
Colorado's Kennedy McCarthy wasted no time establishing herself as one of the league’s premier two-way threats. She finished second on the team with 20 goals, third with 13 assists, second with 10 blocks, and led Colorado with a 129 Player Efficiency Rating while piling up 1,957 total yards.
The numbers only tell part of the story. McCarthy was part of the engine behind Colorado’s biggest moments, capable of taking over games on either side of the disc. Her Week 2 performance against Seattle Tempest entered the record books as the first 3-goal, 4-assist, 4-block game in WUL history—complete with a layout Callahan—and earned the first of two Player of the Week honors in 2026. Seven weeks later, she did it again in a different way, torching opponents for 5 goals, 3 assists, 416 yards, and almost no mistakes to become the only player in 2026 to earn Player of the Week honors twice.
From injured reserve to indispensable centerpiece, no player made a bigger leap this season than Kennedy McCarthy.
Coaching Staff of the Year: Oregon Soar
Dara Linkfield, Leo Micklem and Chelsea Putnam
Head Coaches Dara Linkfield, Leo Micklem and Chelsea Putnam engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the WUL, transforming Oregon Soar from a winless squad into a team capable of pushing the league’s elite. Their influence showed up in every phase of the game, building a disciplined, confident roster that took a major step forward in 2026.
Offensively, the numbers tell the story. Oregon increased its scoring output from 10.8 goals per game in 2025 to 15.6 in 2026—an improvement of nearly 45%—while boosting its hold rate from 38.1% to 57.9%, a jump of more than 50%. The team also led the league with a huck completion rate above 66%, pairing vision with remarkable efficiency.
The coaching staff’s impact extended beyond the stat sheet. Putnam, Linkfield, and Micklem cultivated one of the league’s most dynamic defensive units, with Oregon consistently challenging and frustrating even the WUL’s top contenders. Their emphasis on discipline, communication, and execution reshaped the team’s identity on both sides of the disc.
An opposing voice captured the transformation perfectly: “Oregon’s competitive trajectory was night and day from 2025 to 2026. While some credit must go to the players, I feel the coaching staff likely had a crucial impact in elevating Soar from a winless team to one that can play tight with the league’s top contenders.”
WUL Award Ceremony Gallery
Photography Credit: John King & Rowdy Webb
