On the 4th day of Christmas, Ultiworld gave me…DI Staff Picks!
December 15, 2023 by The final world In preview with comments
Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2024 collegiate season is presented by Spin Ultimate; All opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can make you and your team look your best this season.
It’s time to uncover some gifts as we introduce the 12 Days of College Ultimate. Over the next 12 days, we’ll be releasing one giveaway a day, but don’t count on getting any holiday chicken: it’s all about college. From highlight videos to player chats to season predictions, we’ve got a little something for everyone. On Day 4 of 12 Days of College Ultimate, we’re bringing you our staff’s picks for the DI Championship!
women section
Call it a gambler’s hunch, but it looks to me like we’re going to see some big changes at the top of the women’s division this year. The finalists from the last two seasons, UNC and Colorado, simply haven’t reloaded their tanks at the rate of many teams chasing them. They’ve retained enough top talent (Erica Birdsong, Kaleel Phillips, Dawn Colton, Stacey Gaskell) that it wouldn’t be surprising to see either of them in the semi-finals again. In fact, this may be the expectation. But we saw the kind of impact first-year players had last season when they were added to teams that didn’t have a full roster of national-caliber players already on board: Think Oregon State’s Ezra Waybright and Georgia’s Quincy Booth. Now take that same philosophy and apply it to rosters that already feature some of the game’s top performers. This is what we will see with Stanford, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon universities, all of which dominated the recruiting process in the first year. In my opinion, we’ll see the fruit of that crop next May with an almost entirely new group of semi-finalists. Stanford gets my official endorsement as the most likely to win it all out of these four thanks to Esther Filipeck’s great coaching and possession game.
-Edward Stevens
Seeding being at: 1) UNC 2) UBC 3) UVM 4) Colorado 5) Stanford. Stanford upsets Colorado in pool play and Colorado bows out of the quarterfinals in a tight matchup against UVM. This sets up the semi-finals to be showdowns between sport-happy teams versus ball-handling teams. I think UNC’s discipline and experience in big moments helps them beat Stanford. I expect UBC will have learned and reloaded itself from their semifinal loss last year and will outlast UVM, who will be feeling fatigued from their quarterfinal matchup at Colorado.
-Grace Connerly
It’s bold to suggest that the three-time undefeated national champions will be eliminated in the semifinals, but the preseason is a time of hot and improbable events. Allow me to make my case. Vermont returns some of its centerpieces along with a talented rookie class. Colorado looks as worthy as ever, with Phillips, Gaskell and Emma Williamson back for another season. More importantly, both teams are hungry for it, with Colorado having been denied the title twice before and Vermont’s momentum building season after season. With both desire and talent to execute, if these teams get hot at the right time, either could unseat UNC. Then it’s just a matter of who will actually take the title. My money is on Colorado, you have to lose on the big stage before you can win, and Quandary’s experience in the finals will give them the edge in the end.
– Felicia Cheng
Men’s section
UNC Darkside would win their fourth straight national title in 2024 before finally relinquishing the crown in 2025. They are the most talented, dedicated, and resilient team in the country – again. I actually feel more confident this year than I ever have during this miraculous journey. As for who will join them in the semi-finals? My picks above are a complete dartboard. I like Colorado, Oregon, and Cal Poly SL a lot, but not more than Pitt, Texas, Georgia, UMass, or Brown. You could even sneak a Washington or a Carleton in there without raising an eyebrow too much. The fight for first place (hopefully for the last time) is a given, but the fight for second place could be the hottest we’ve seen in years.
-Edward Stevens
The scene: A marble sculpture of the likeness of Matt Gutschow-Hannas, the head of the statue that once stood proud and tall now rests, half covered in the sands of time, at the base of a panel from which two legs rise, decorated with steamed edges and mid-calf BE stockings.
The plaque says “Darkside has won three titles in a row (sort of).” We’re seniors in a kids’ section, most of us have been going to the kids club since we were in middle school, and we don’t let anyone take geography lessons, in case someone finds out that there are other places in the world where people can live. Look at our deeds, you mighty and desperate people.
There was nothing left beside him.
-Patrick Stegmuller
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The final world
Tagged: USAU College, USAU College DI for Men, USAU College DI for Women, 12 Days of College Ultimate, Esther Filipek, Presented by Spin Ultimate, Stacy Gaskill
difference: British Columbia, brown, Cal Poly Slaw, Colorado, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Carolina, Oregon, Oregon, pittsburgh, Stanford, Vermont, Washington
As the end of the semester approaches, college students everywhere are gearing up for the dreaded 12 days of finals. This year, our team at DI has put together a list of staff picks for surviving and thriving during this stressful time. From study tips to self-care strategies, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to conquer your exams and finish the semester strong. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, our tips and advice are sure to help you make it through the 12 days of college finals in 2024.