2024 Standings Tiebreakers

Ahead of the final weekend of the regular season, the WUL publishes our tiebreakers, unchanged from the 2023 season.

The 2024 WUL schedule returns to traditional home vs away games, keeping our two conference system developed in 2023: Northwest & Southwest. Each team plays every in conference team twice and plays two out of conference teams during the regular season.  The top two teams in each conference will go to Championship Weekend.

Northwest Conference Teams: Colorado, Seattle, and Utah
Southwest Conference Teams: Arizona, Bay Area, and San Diego 

All games (in and out of conference) are weighted the same and in the event of a tie, the following tie breaks will apply:

1. Win/Loss record overall

2. Head to Head record, between tied teams

3. Point Differential, between tied teams

4. Point Differential, amongst common opponents

5. Point Differential, full season

6. Coin flip

To keep up with all the exciting action, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and keep an eye on our regularly updated Schedule & Standings page.

WUL Announces Championship Weekend in Colorado!

April 5, 2024

Dear WUL Community,

We are thrilled to announce that Colorado Alpenglow will be hosting the WUL’s 2024 Championship Weekend, taking place June 1-2 in Thornton, CO. The top two teams from each conference will qualify for a shot at the title.

In just its second season in the WUL, Alpenglow has established itself as a powerhouse both on and off the field. From throwing their very first pull last season in Utah, to scoring the league’s first point of our 2024 season in their home venue, we have been impressed with the diligence of their managers and owners, and the community they’ve built within the greater Denver area (and beyond!). We can’t wait for all of you to experience some of that high-altitude magic along with us in June.

The schedule features two semi-final matchups on Saturday, followed by the 3rd Place Game and Championship game on Sunday.

Saturday, June 1

1pm PT // 2pm MT - Semi-final Game 1

4pm PT // 5pm MT - Semi-final Game 2

Sunday, June 2

10am PT // 11am MT - 3rd Place Game

1pm PT // 2pm MT - Championship Game

To purchase tickets for the games, visit the Alpenglow website. For general inquiries about the weekend, please email info@coloradoalpenglow.com

Travel & Logistics

Thornton is located about 30 minutes north of Denver proper, and 30 minutes west of the Denver International Airport. The venue is Alpenglow’s home venue, the Pinnacle Athletic Complex, accessible via car with ample parking, and via bus. Of note, the US Women’s National Team (soccer) will be playing a game vs South Korea on Saturday, June 1 at 2pm in Commerce City, CO which is about 13 miles southwest of the airport. Please plan accordingly by checking traffic conditions and allowing extra commute time on Saturday.

WUL Releases Third Edition Rulebook for 2024 Season

March 21, 2024

The Western Ultimate League released the third edition rulebook to be applied for the 2024 season. 

There were no major changes to the ruleset. Any changes that were made were to add clarity to verbiage. 

Other Time Stoppages: 

• Clarified that the clock stops in the last two minutes of play when any call is made, when the disc becomes out-of-bounds, or when an in-bounds disc comes to rest completely in the end zone.

• Clarified that if time expires during or immediately after a call, the team that has possession following the call shall have one possession. 

Time Violations Between Points: Clarified that Observers may issue a technical violation to coaches and non-players that do not vacate the field prior to signaling readiness or upon the pull. As specified in the USAU Misconduct System, more than two technical violations will result in a Misconduct Penalty.

Timeouts: 

• Clarified that in the event a team calls a timeout but does not have a timeout, play stops and the marker shall resume the stall count with the number last uttered before the call plus three (3). If this results in a stall count of seven or above, this is a turnover.

• Clarified that upon a change of possession in the central zone, the coach of the team that is now on offense can only call a timeout once a player on said team has physical possession of the disc.

Stall Counting: Clarified in the event of a retracted defensive call, the stall shall resume at stall 1.   

Movement After Calls (Not Applicable to Resolved Instant Referral Calls or Timeouts):

• Re-named this process to “pre-check” so as to minimize confusion with the 10 second and 20 second pre-stall. 

• Clarified that if a pre-check occurs when the disc is in possession of a player in the end zone, during the pre-check period the thrower may move to the spot on the end zone line where the disc is to be put into play. 

• Clarified that a pre-check is used when an injury substitutions occurs while a team is in possession of the disc and a pre-stall has not commenced

Rosters: Gameday roster: 22 players max, 17 players minimum. 

Special Thanks to Manisha Daryani, Qxhna Titcomb, Remy Schor, Brian Bradburn, Janna Hamaker, Kate Monforti, Mike Ferguson, and Wally Kwong for their feedback and assistance in creating the Third Edition.

March Means One Thing - Opening Weekend!

March 11, 2024

Dear WUL Community,

As we welcome March, we can feel the excitement building for our 2024 season!

Before we get to that, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of you who participated in our Be A Megafan sale. You all collectively generated just shy of $100,000 in revenue through player jersey sales, and another $500+ in donations to the league. Your financial support is a huge reason why the league is still here today, so thank you again for showing up for our players and our teams.

We’re now just two weeks away from Opening Weekend, which will feature three games and a chance to see all six WUL teams in action: 

3/23: Arizona Sidewinders @ Colorado Alpenglow, 1pm PT
3/23: Bay Area Falcons @ Utah Wild, 4pm PT
3/23: San Diego Super Bloom @ Seattle Tempest, 5pm PT

Can’t make it in person? We will once again be streaming all WUL games free of charge on our WUL YouTube channel. Here’s a link to our full season schedule – mark your calendars now!

There’s something special about seeing this season take shape, and experiencing all the time, energy, and effort that goes into making this league what it is. In January, we welcomed three new At-Large Board Members – Brenda Stevens, Kalene Morozumi, and Karen Ko. Each brings their own experience in the sport, along with unique backgrounds and perspectives that will contribute to the growth of our league. They’ve all jumped into their Committee assignments and Task Forces with ease, and we look forward to the impact they’ll have on our Board. You can see our full leadership team here.

In addition to welcoming these new Board Members, I’ve been keenly aware of all the momentum and success we’re seeing across the women’s sports landscape. The Professional Women’s Hockey League rang in the New Year setting attendance records across the US and Canada, and the NWSL kicks off this month having just landed their largest broadcast deal to date. Caitlin Clark is selling out every stadium the Iowa Women’s Basketball team travels to, and we have March Madness, the WNBA Draft, and the WNBA season just around the corner. 

Just over a year ago, The Sports Bra in Portland hadn’t even opened yet. Now, we see women’s sports bars in Seattle & Minneapolis, and coming soon to Long Beach, New York City, and even the United Kingdom. 

This is the spirit and the energy that carries us into our 2024 season. Our teams are clear-eyed and focused, ready to bring you another successful season showcasing our unbelievably talented female-matching and non-binary players across the league.

We can’t wait to see you out on the field!

Megan Andrews

WUL Executive Director

League Update December 2023

December 5, 2023

Dear WUL Community,

Earlier today, the Los Angeles Astra announced their departure from the Western Ultimate League. This decision came after many hard conversations between the LA Astra ownership group and the WUL leadership team.

Ultimate is a unique sport with a rich history and boundless potential. Our sport encompasses a vast and diverse group of players at every level – from youth to grand masters – and we take pride in the fact that we’ve created opportunities for every type of athlete. Our robust college and club communities have propelled our sport for decades and fostered incredible competition along the way. In the grand scheme of things, professional ultimate is actually the “new kid on the block”, particularly for women and non-binary players.

When the WUL formed in 2019, we had a strong vision for what the future of ultimate could be. We imagined a world where these extraordinary athletes, from every corner of our sport, could showcase their talents on a professional stage. Our inaugural season in 2022 included seven teams across five states in the Western U.S, supported by unique ownership groups who were willing to take the leap and invest in this sport and this community alongside us.

As with any new venture, the early days are filled with risk and uncertainty. The owners in our league have all committed immense resources and energy into the teams and have shaped the WUL into what it is today. The LA Astra ownership group has determined that their great experiment into professional ultimate for women and non-binary players may need to be reimagined. They have learned important lessons, and they are working to align their local community around future opportunities to support a team in a more sustainable way.

Their departure from the 2024 season is, in many ways, part of the reality of new sports leagues. They’ve made the decision that was right for them, and that reflects their commitment to building a strong and viable organization down the road. We encourage the LA community to reach out to Astra leadership and ask about how they can support and stay involved during this time.

The WUL is excited about a competitive 2024 season ahead, and we look forward to continuing to build our fan base across the country. We’ll be releasing our schedule very soon, so be sure to follow your favorite teams as they roll out ticket sales, new merch, rosters, and pre-season announcements!

Megan Andrews

WUL Executive Director

League Update October 2023

October 27, 2023

Dear WUL Community,

As we prepare for the upcoming 2024 season, we need to announce a significant change to our league's composition.

Oregon Onyx will not be returning as a participating team in the Western Ultimate League for the 2024 season. The WUL Board has voted Onyx’s ownership group - Pearl Sports Group - ineligible to operate a team.

Oregon Onyx has been a valued member of our organization, contributing to the growth and competitiveness of our sport and our league. We would like to express our gratitude to the players, coaches, staff and the many supporters of Oregon Onyx for their dedication and commitment.

We are hopeful new ownership will come together in the future to bring a WUL team back to Oregon.

The seven remaining teams participating in the upcoming season are committed to promoting the growth of our sport and providing a platform to showcase and amplify women and non-binary athletes.

We appreciate your support and look forward to a successful and memorable 2024 season!

Thank you for being part of our continued success.

Megan Andrews

WUL Executive Director

Introducing Megan Andrews as the New Executive Director of the Western Ultimate League

[June 28, 2023] - The Western Ultimate League (WUL) proudly announces the appointment of Megan Andrews as its new Executive Director. Andrews, based in the Bay Area, brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for advancing women's sports and promoting gender inclusivity within the ultimate community.

As a leader in the sports industry, Andrews has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering opportunities for female and non-binary athletes. Their appointment as Executive Director marks a significant milestone for the WUL, solidifying its dedication to empowering women in the sport.

"In just two seasons, the WUL has quickly established itself as a powerful league, creating an opportunity for high-level competition that showcases the enormous talent of female and non-binary athletes in our sport," says Andrews. "The athletes, owners, league leadership, and fans have all been a part of this historic moment together -- what a huge accomplishment!"

 Recognizing the undeniable momentum behind women's sports, Andrews believes there has never been a better time to invest in these exceptional athletes and emerging leagues.

In light of this transition, the WUL expresses its sincere gratitude to former Executive Director and WUL Founder, Felicia Yang. Yang played a pivotal role in shaping the league and fostering its growth during her tenure. Her visionary leadership and unwavering dedication have been instrumental in establishing the WUL as an undeniable force in the world of ultimate.

"I am so appreciative for what this organization has accomplished," says Yang. "What started as 3 ad hoc teams in the 2019 West Coast Women's Ultimate showcase series, to a delayed inaugural season when the world shut down due to COVID, to where we are here today - 8 teams in 6 states - it has been incredible to watch our sport grow and see our communities rally around our teams. I am deeply grateful for the support the teams, league, and I personally, have received during my tenure as Executive Director. From the bottom of my heart - thank you."

Yang's leadership laid the foundation for the Western Ultimate League, and the WUL looks forward to having Megan Andrews  continue to propel the league forward into 2024 and beyond.

–

The Western Ultimate League was established to advance the sport of ultimate frisbee by showcasing and amplifying women and non-binary athletes. Recognizing the privilege that got us here, our mission is to: Increase accessibility, promote the visibility of underrepresented athletes, cultivate a culture of inclusion and equity, and use our influence and platform to broaden the spaces where our sport grows and develops.

Interested in becoming a sponsor or supporter of the Western Ultimate League? Contact marketing@westernultimateleague.com.

2023 League Award Winners Announced

The 2023 Western Ultimate League Awards were announced live at the conclusion of game one of semi-finals on Saturday, June 3rd in Seattle, Washington. Congratulations to all of our winners!

COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR

San Diego led the league in Offensive Efficiency and was second in Defensive Efficiency this season.

Congratulations to the coaching staff of the San Diego Super Bloom, led by Head Coach Angela Wells, with Assistant Coaches:

• Benjamin Eto

• Alisha Stoun

• Jonathan Helton

• Carlos Ruiz

• Shar Stuht

• Henry Argetsinger

• Jeremy Cho

---

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to Molly Robbins of the Utah Wild!

On her way to leading the league in blocks, Robbins was one of two players to record a block in all eight games. Any way you look at it, Robbins got blocks. She led the league in blocks, led the league in blocks per game, and was fourth in block rate among qualifying players - the only player to be top-5 in each of those categories.

Finalists for Defensive Player of the Year Were:

• Avalon Igawa - LOS ANGELES ASTRA

• Dena Elimelech - SAN DIEGO SUPER BLOOM

• Kristen Pojunis - SAN DIEGO SUPER BLOOM

• Molly Robbins - UTAH WILD

• Rory Veldman - COLORADO ALPENGLOW

---

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to Paige Kercher of the Utah Wild!

Kercher’s 3970 total yards led the league and were over 1,000 more than the next-highest total. She also tied for the league lead with 23 assists. Kercher led the league with 496 yards per game - almost 100 more than second place. Among handlers, she was first in usage and points played and fourth in offensive impact score, effective yards per turnover, and receiving yards per possession.

Finalists for Offensive Player of the Year Were:

• Alex Diaz - SAN DIEGO SUPER BLOOM

• Chip Chang - ARIZONA SIDEWINDERS

• Maggie O'Connor - LOS ANGELES ASTRA

• Paige Applegate - ARIZONA SIDEWINDERS

• Paige Kercher - UTAH WILD

---

BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to Kez Gesell of the Arizona Sidewinders!

In her first WUL season, Gesell recorded 15 goals and 9 blocks and led her team with 1319 receiving yards. Gesell was her team’s fourth most-played player over the course of the season, playing in 44% of Arizona’s points. She was second on the team in goal rate, scoring a goal on 8.4% of the offensive possessions she played, and second in yards per reception, gaining an average of 12.4 yards on every catch.

Finalists for Breakout Player of the Year Were:

• Abby Thorpe - COLORADO ALPENGLOW

• Blair Messner - SAN DIEGO SUPER BLOOM

• Kez Gesell - ARIZONA SIDEWINDERS

• Molly Robbins - UTAH WILD

• Raina Kamrat - OREGON ONYX

---

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Congratulations to Kaela Helton of the San Diego Super Bloom!

Helton was the only player in the league to record at least 20 goals and 20 assists, and she finished third in the league in total yards while recording 13 blocks. Helton finished third in the league in goals per game, third in assists per game, eighth in blocks per game, 15th in throwing yards per game, and fifth in receiving yards per game - the only player to finish in the top 25 in each category.

Finalists for Breakout Player of the Year Were:

• Abby Thorpe - COLORADO ALPENGLOW

• Jade McLaughlin- COLORADO ALPENGLOW

• Kaela Helton - SAN DIEGO SUPER BLOOM

• Kaitlyn Weaver - LOS ANGELES ASTRA

• Paige Kercher - UTAH WILD

---

TRAILBLAZER AWARD

The trailblazer award recognizes someone who has put their heart and soul into the league. Their consistent investment in the sport of ultimate and the Western Ultimate League has made us all better players and people.

The winner of the Trailblazer Award has devoted the past three years to the Western Ultimate League. Without Felicia, the Western Ultimate League wouldn’t exist.

---

AWARD CRITERIA

For DPOTY, OPOTY, and MVP, players were ranked according to the following metrics and those rankings were aggregated to produce an overall ranking. The top 21 players were then nominated given the following constraints:

• At least two players from each team

• No more than four players from each team

• Players must have played in at least five games

Finalists were determined through voting by WUL Players, Coaches, Staff, and members of the media.

Most Valuable Player Criteria

• Points Played %

• Usage

• Offensive Impact Score

• Effective Yards Per Turnover

• Block Rate

• Relative Offensive Efficiency

• Relative Defensive Efficiency

Offensive Player of the Year Criteria

• Offensive Points Played %

• Usage

• Offensive Impact Score

• Effective Yards Per Turnover

• Relative Offensive Efficiency

Defensive Most Valuable Player Criteria

• Defensive Points Played %

• Block Rate

• Relative Defensive Efficiency

2023 WUL Championship Weekend Fantasy Challenge

May 25th, 2023

Are you confident you can predict the top performers at Championship Weekend? Do you want to win a miniature trophy to showcase your prognosticating acumen? If you answered yes, we’ve got the game for you. The WUL fantasy challenge is back!

This year, we’re mixing things up. You can submit an entry to THE fantasy game where you compete against everyone else for massive bragging rights (plus a petite trophy and the right to vote for the Fan Favorite player award), or you can hold a league draft with your closest WUL MegaFriends and submit your rosters for scoring and safekeeping. We even created this sheet so you can keep track of who’s still available on the board.

The link to the form is here: LINK

Make sure to submit your rosters before 2 pm PT on June 3rd.

The rules are simple: pick eight players, set a captain, get points.

Scoring

• Goals: 1 pt 

• Assists: 1 pt

• Blocks: 2 pt 

• Throwing Yards: 1 point / 100 yards 

• Receiving Yards: 1 point / 100 yards

• Turnovers: -1 point

The points for your captain are doubled.

Happy fantasizing!

Disclaimers: (a) This contest will be open until the first pull of the first game of the stated week's play, (b) This contest is operated by WUL; players, coaches and other paid team staff are not eligible to win prizes, (c) Winners will be contacted by email and prizes will be delivered within a reasonable time frame, (e) WUL reserves the right to make updates, clarifications, and changes to the rules of this competition at any time, (f) Multiple entries by the same person are not permitted for the Fantasy Challenge. If you enter more than once, the last entry will be considered final, (g) Entries on behalf of other people are not permitted. Entries must be submitted by the person who is interested in entering the contest, (h) WUL reserves the right to contact individuals by email to verify the genuineness of the contest submission.

League Update April 2023

Apr 3, 2023

WUL community,

I can’t believe we are almost halfway through our second season!  We’ve already had plenty of exciting matchups, and it looks like who will qualify for Championship Weekend will come down to the wire!  As always, you can catch the replays of any of our games on our YouTube channel.  These games are available free of charge thanks to the generous donations you made to our GoFundMe last year.

We also need to take a moment and offer our gratitude for your support of our Be A Megafan (BAM) jersey fundraiser.  With over 1000 jerseys purchased, our teams and league brought in $122K+ in total revenue. This money helps the teams and league cover the cost of travel and gameday operations. Breakmark has been an invaluable partner in advancing the visibility of this league and currently is working tirelessly to deliver these one-of-a-kind jerseys to you and others around the country. You will see them in your mailbox soon!

If you missed a chance at getting one of the BAM jerseys, no worries! You can still represent your favorite teams and players with Official Replica apparel by visiting the Breakmark WUL Store and customizing your favorite gear. Also, I hope you’ve been enjoying the Breakmark Breakdown videos on our social media channels which highlight the unique features on each teams’ jerseys.

As we near the halfway mark of our season, I want to spotlight the incredible work being done by our stats team. If you haven’t yet checked out our new stats dashboard – which has an array of detailed search and filter functionalities – you are missing out!  After every weekend of games, our stats team works diligently to extract some of the most advanced stat metrics available in the game today, and each week we feature these stats in our social media updates.  Have a question about the stats? Just ask WULinsider on Twitter @WULinsider! Be sure to follow along so you’ll be ready for our Fan Fantasy Contest for Championship Weekend!

Speaking of Championship Weekend, the event will take place in Seattle on June 3-4, 2023 at Memorial Stadium.  We are thrilled to announce that we will, once again, feature an all women and non-binary observer crew and livestream commentators. It is going to be an incredible event, and you can get your tickets here!
Thanks for continuing to support our league and the incredible performances of our athletes. I hope that you find your way to a game soon! Ticket information for ALL games can be found on our website.

Felicia Yang 

WUL Executive Director

2023 Standings Tiebreakers Announced

The WUL announced 2023 standings tiebreaker procedures today, in advance of our season opening games to be played on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

The 2023 WUL schedule is a hybrid of traditional home vs away games intermixed with weekend-long special events. With the addition of an eighth team in 2023, we have also created two conferences: Northwest & Southwest. Each team will play every in conference team twice and play two out of conference teams during the regular season.  The top two teams in each conference will go to Championship Weekend.

Northwest Conference Teams: Colorado, Oregon, Seattle, and Utah
Southwest Conference Teams: Arizona, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco 

All games (in and out of conference) are weighted the same and in the event of a tie, the following tie breaks will apply:

1. Win/Loss record overall

2. Head to Head record, between tied teams

3. Point Differential, between tied teams

4. Point Differential, amongst common opponents

5. Point Differential, full season

6. Coin flip

To keep up with all the exciting action, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and keep an eye on our regularly updated Schedule & Standings page.

WUL Releases Second Edition Rulebook for 2023 Season

The Western Ultimate League released the second edition rulebook to be applied for the 2023 season.

Changes to the ruleset are minor, largely consisting of clarifications in the following sections:

• Observers: added the option to signal active calls via hand signal in addition to whistle.

• Flip: added clarification that “Teams shall defend the same end zone at the start of the first and second quarters (Q1 & Q2) and will switch for the third and fourth quarters (Q3 & Q4), as shown in the graphic below.”

• Time Prior to the Start of Each Quarter and Between Points: Added clarification to the 60 second limit, “The receiving team has up to 40 seconds to signal readiness after the previous goal was scored, but must wait a minimum of 20 seconds to signal readiness. The pulling team must release the pull within 20 seconds of the receiving team signaling readiness.”

• Other Time Stoppages: Added the following clarification, “During the last two minutes of play in each quarter (and any overtime period), if the pull lands out of bounds, the clock is stopped as soon as the disc makes contact with the out-of-bounds ground. If the pull rolls out of bounds, the clock stops as soon as the disc crosses out of bounds. Restart of the clock occurs when the disc is put back in play.“

• Time Violations Between Points: added “If a time violation occurs, the pulling team has up to 20 seconds to check the disc into play. If the time limit is exceeded by either team, a player at the location where the disc is to be put into play may self-check the disc in without acknowledgement by the opposing team.  “

• Specific Usage of Pre-Stall: Added clarification to the “Do NOT Use” column to include Overruled Pick Calls and Overruled Stall Calls.

Finally, changes were made to the timing of dangerous play submissions and petitions.

View the first edition of the WUL rule set here.

StudySoup Signs on as an WUL Official Sponsor

StudySoup is partnering with the Western Ultimate League for the 2023 season to support the WUL’s mission of increasing opportunity, resources, and visibility for women and non-binary athletes .

Founded in 2014, StudySoup provides alternative and accessible methods of learning to help students achieve their academic goals. Many of the students StudySoup supports identify as women and non-binary, and have been historically undersupported by traditional academic materials. 

StudySoup offers study materials like study guides, textbook solutions, and class notes to help student-athletes achieve their goals both on and off the field.

WUL's mission is to amplify women and non-binary athletes and together, WUL and StudySoup believe this partnership will help inspire women and non-binary college athletes to pursue their dreams in professional sports.

"StudySoup is excited to help the WUL continue its mission of inspiring and motivating female athletes who want to play ultimate frisbee at an elite level,” says Jeff Silverman, the founder of StudySoup. “We have a vision: to be the ultimate college student empowerment platform, providing all the materials that nurture students' success. We now do that by sponsoring the Western Ultimate League to help more women and non-binary players follow their dreams. We believe in gender equity, like supporting women and non-binary players as they chase their dreams and helping them break new barriers in professional sports."

See what StudySoup is all about at StudySoup.com and stay tuned for an exciting season of WUL Ultimate, kicking off on March 11, 2023!

WUL Championship Weekend 2023 Location Announced

The Western Ultimate League is pleased to announce the host city for our 2023 Championship Weekend: Seattle, Washington.

Taking place June 3-4, 2023, WUL Championship Weekend will see the top two teams from each conference (4 total) compete for the cup at Memorial Stadium, under the iconic Space Needle.

Championship Weekend will be hosted by 2022 WUL champions, the undefeated Seattle Tempest. Full event details are available through the host team here.

All four games will be broadcast live on the WUL’s YouTube channel in partnership with Ultiworld.

Opening weekend of our 2023 season is just a few weeks away, and will feature rematches of 2022’s third place game (OR @ AZ) and first place game (SEA vs SD) right out of the gates.

With the addition of an 8th team for 2023, the Colorado Alpenglow, the WUL has divided teams into two conferences: Northwest and Southwest. The Northwest Conference includes Colorado, Oregon, Seattle, and Utah. The Southwest Conference is comprised of Arizona, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

During the 2023 season, conference play is emphasized with each team playing 6 in-conference games, facing each in-conference opponent twice with two cross-conference games, for a total of 8 games per team.

We’re gearing up for another exciting season of ultimate and are looking forward to closing the 2023 season in style in Seattle.

Stay up to date with our 2023 schedule & standings here. Make sure you never miss a game, subscribe to our YouTube channel here.

Quarterly League Update January 2023

January 25, 2022

Happy New Year! We are so excited to build upon the momentum from our inaugural season in 2022 and share some of what we’re looking forward to for our upcoming season.

Teams have been hard at work in the off-season to prepare for the 2023 season, which begins in March! In fact, our schedule dropped today and we’ll be announcing our host city for 2023 finals later this week.

Looking back, we are thrilled to report that our GoFundMe, which was created to offset the costs associated with keeping our games live-streamed and accessible for FREE, has raised over $19,000 so far! We also received a generous contribution from our premier sponsor, Breakmark, for an additional $5,000.

This money is being distributed to our teams to help ensure that all 36 of our regular season and postseason games will be available for you to watch, for FREE!  Visibility and accessibility are at the core of our mission and we cannot thank you enough for helping us stay true to that commitment. If you’re interested in supporting this initiative, there is still time to participate at GoFundMe and help us reach our goal of $45,000 to fully cover all streaming costs for the 2023 season. 

The WUL is still a young, growing league. As you probably know, women’s sports have historically been underfunded and under-exposed. We aspire to build an enduring and durable organization that pays athletes, coaches, and support staff what they are worth. But right now, we’re building from the ground up. To help our teams fund their 2023 season, we’re launching a collection of ultra-limited edition Megafan jerseys, available starting on Monday, January 30 at 9am PT! 

Your purchase of a Megafan jersey helps to fund your favorite team, and the Western Ultimate League’s 2023 season. This limited edition merchandise is just one way we’re working toward a profitable, sustainable professional sports business model. Available in short sleeve ($150) or long sleeve ($175). A whopping 60% from each jersey sale will go directly to the team you want to support. Popular player jerseys will go FAST, so don’t wait to order yours. Learn more about the program here.

We hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen from the WUL so far! We've loved creating it and are looking forward to getting even better in 2023. 

Felicia Yang 

WUL Executive Director

WUL ANNOUNCES COLORADO’S FIRST PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S ULTIMATE TEAM

One of eight professional teams in the Western Ultimate League, 2023 will be the inaugural year for the Colorado Alpenglow

[Denver, Colo.], [October 26, 2022] – In a historic move, The Western Ultimate League (WUL) has announced today that it has expanded to include Colorado. The Colorado Alpenglow is the first professional women’s ultimate team in the state of Colorado and is one of eight professional women’s ultimate teams across the western United States. 

Colorado joins established teams from Washington (Seattle), Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego). 

“The opportunity to showcase the incredible skill, dedication, and athleticism of our Colorado ultimate community on the professional stage was too important to pass up,” said Betsy Basch, one of the founders of the newly formed Alpenglow team. “Glow is excited to raise the bar with our youth community, fan engagement, and spirited play to positively impact ultimate for years to come!”

Established in 2020, with 2022 officially marking the WUL’s inaugural season as a fully-fledged league, the WUL’s mission is to advance both visibility and equity within the sport of ultimate and to provide a way for all women to compete on a stage that showcases high-level, competitive ultimate.

Felicia Yang, WUL Executive Director, added her excitement about the expansion. “I am hopeful that the greater ultimate community will continue to support the WUL as our professional development flourishes with the hard work and determination of the leaders in each of these communities.” 

The Alpenglow will hold tryouts in the next few months and announce its inaugural roster in early 2023, which will include talent from Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and Boulder. The roster will likely include players from USA Ultimate College Championships; USA Ultimate Club National Championships; USA Ultimate Masters National Championships; and other accolades.

The 2023 WUL season will run from March - May 2023, culminating in a championship finals event with the top teams in the league in May 2023. 

In the spirit of accessibility and visibility for female and non-binary athletes, all WUL games have been streamed for free on YouTube thanks, in part, to public funding. Help keep the live streams free for all in 2023 by supporting our broadcast fund at www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-wul-livestreams-free. 

You can learn more about the Colorado Alpenglow at www.coloradoalpenglow.com 

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The Western Ultimate League was established to advance the sport of ultimate frisbee by showcasing and amplifying women and non-binary athletes. Recognizing the privilege that got us here, our mission is to: Increase accessibility, promote the visibility of underrepresented athletes, cultivate a culture of inclusion and equity, and use our influence and platform to broaden the spaces where our sport grows and develops.

Interested in becoming a sponsor or supporter of the Alpenglow or the Western Ultimate League? Contact marketing@westernultimateleague.com or donate to keep live streams free at www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-wul-livestreams-free. 

Quarterly League Update October 2022

October 6, 2022

WUL community,

We’re back!  We have been quietly gearing up for our second full season and want to provide a preview of the exciting things to come. We are all so proud of the product we produced in our first full season as a league, and we look forward to building on that as we continue to grow and learn. 

On to announcements! First, I feel honored that the Board has voted for me to continue in my role as Executive Director of the WUL for the 2022-2023 season. I am immensely proud to be a part of this league and I am committed to continuing the needed work of highlighting and showcasing the incredible role models in our league. One cannot help but feel optimistic at the growing economy for products like ours and I am eager for us to claim our space in this market.

We are also excited to welcome back Breakmark as our jersey sponsor for the 2023-2025 seasons. As an early sponsor of the league, Breakmark was an integral member of the WUL’s debut and we are thrilled  to continue our partnership. Find WUL gear and more at www.breakmark.com/wul. It just may be your last chance to own some of the 2022 jersey designs and brand logos!

Behind the scenes, we are hard at work planning the next season. Such important work requires many hands, and so we wanted to put out a call for those interested in collaborating or working with us to improve our stat keeping and stats operation. Please reach out if interested! 

As always, your support is what keeps this league going. Please continue to support us by sharing, liking and commenting on social media, and don’t forget that your dollars go a long way to help ensure that we continue to put forth a product we can all be proud of.

Felicia Yang 

WUL Executive Director

Quarterly League Update June 2022

June 23, 2022

WUL community,

We did it! Our first season is in the books and I could not be more proud to be a part of the group who came together to make this happen. It really took a village! Between our board, our incredible consultant Meaghan Rodeck, the volunteers, and team staff - many of whom volunteered not only their time, but also their airline and hotel points - this event would not have been possible. I know their time and effort is a testament to the importance of our mission and I am hopeful that we have laid down a solid foundation in our long term journey to amplify and showcase the incredible athletes that make up the WUL.  

Of course, we need to wish a hearty congratulations to Seattle Tempest for winning the inaugural WUL Championship after an undefeated regular season. You can catch every game they, and the rest of the WUL, played this season for free on our YouTube channel.  We committed to making the game accessible and the results speak for themselves. We had 105,000+ views over the course of our inaugural season, totaling over 32,000+ hours of WUL ultimate enjoyed by fans. One of my favorite mission-forward accomplishments this year was featuring an all-women and non-binary observing and broadcast crew for Championship weekend.  

To cap it all off, this past weekend we hosted a special showcase game in Denver, Colorado that featured players from all seven teams playing together in combination squads embodying Fire and Ice. If you didn’t catch the game, all I can tell you is that you have to watch!  It was such a wonderful opportunity to put a finishing touch on our inaugural season and celebrate this amazing product we have been able to create and showcase. Many thanks to the Colorado Summit for their collaboration and willingness to support our mission and our players, and for making this showcase game possible.

We’d love to have your support as well! The future of our league does need your donations, it needs you to purchase our merchandise, watch our games, and of course, continue to cheer for our teams and players. Thank you again for being amazing fans of the Western Ultimate League - we are so excited for what our future holds, together.

Felicia Yang 

WUL Executive Director

Quarterly League Update March 2022

March 31, 2022

WUL community,

It’s finally happening! Our inaugural season started with a bang on March 11 and we’ve already had a number of thrilling games with exciting finishes! We are incredibly thankful for the engagement, feedback and donations we’ve received to date and I encourage you to make your own donation here if you haven’t done so yet. Showcasing our athletes in stadiums and on film to increase visibility and representation is why this league was built, and we hope you all are enjoying the results as much as we have enjoyed creating it. 

If you are not yet aware, each week there is an opportunity to engage by playing fan fantasy. Pick the players you think will rack up stats each week, and compete against other fans of the WUL. You can always watch highlights and game replays on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss a thing! 

Looking ahead - our first Championship Weekend will be on May 14-15, 2022 at Mira Mesa High School in San Diego! The top four ranked teams will qualify, and the weekend will include four games total: two semi-finals on Saturday, and finals as well as third place game on Sunday.

Although COVID infections are decreasing nationwide, we remain mindful that this pandemic is not over yet and are continuing to strive to provide a safe environment for everyone. Prior to the start of the season, we updated our policies and implemented a booster requirement, in addition to our vaccinate mandate, for players, coaches, and team staff. To further protect our team members and communities, we are still requiring negative COVID tests prior to all league events, games, and team travel.

In line with our commitment to be an equitable and inclusive space, and now that rosters are set and our 2022 season is underway, we are providing everyone in the league the opportunity to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through short, online DEI education units. Most of us have already completed the first series, “Introduction to DEI”, and are ready to explore the next topic, “Power and Privilege”. As we progress through the season, we will also be learning more about Gender and Sexuality, Race and Racism, Allyship, and Recognizing and Responding to Discrimination. These topics could not be more timely, especially considering the recent headlines and the need to create inclusive spaces for gender diverse athletes.

Thank you again for being amazing fans of the Western Ultimate League. We’d love to see your support continue throughout the season through donations, purchasing our merchandise, viewership, and cheering for our teams and players.

Felicia Yang 

WUL Executive Director

Quarterly League Update January 2022

January 7, 2022

WUL community,

So many exciting things have taken place since our last update!

First and foremost, we held our first official league event, the WUL Winter Cup, in San Diego on December 11-12, 2021. It was a huge success that was made possible thanks to the incredible collaboration of our board, teams, sponsors, partners, staff and volunteers. 

Going into this event, we defined the metrics we wanted to execute on: player experience, fan engagement, media production, and above all else, COVID safety. As we updated back in October, the league mandated vaccinations as well as negative PCR tests for all players, coaches, and team staff prior to traveling to Winter Cup, and we can report that no positive tests occurred as a result of the event! That said, our board continues to discuss the ongoing variants of the virus and is considering implementing additional policies for our 2022 season. 

Winter Cup was also a sneak peak into the incredible players that make up the WUL and I’m thrilled that we got to celebrate the Utah Wild as the winners of the first WUL Winter Cup. In addition to going 2-0 on the weekend and tallying points through individual statistics, our unique fan fantasy game helped Utah eek out a win over host San Diego Super Bloom. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the games, they are available on our Youtube channel. We also had TWO highlight plays featured on ESPN SportsCenter Top 10!

Next, we announced the addition of a new team to our league, Oregon Onyx. We are thrilled to add another team in the Pacific Northwest and to add Jaycee Jones to our Board of Directors. We have also welcomed Leah Smith to the Board of Directors as the new Utah Wild representative.

Currently, many of our teams are in the midst of holding tryouts to select the rosters that will be playing in our renewed inaugural season from March through May of 2022. Our schedule will be announced shortly, and we hope that you continue to support these players by attending games, watching streams, buying their jerseys, or offering to sponsor both the teams and the league. One great way for individuals to support the league is with a donation. Your support helps us continue to push the envelope for what we can accomplish!

Felicia Yang 

WUL Executive Director