Support Wasabi – Fall Fundraiser has begun

We are Wasabi: Colorado College’s gender-inclusive ultimate frisbee team competing in Men’s Division III. A known force in Division III ultimate, last year we brought home the national championship to Colorado College for the first time in program history. Winning was a monumental achievement – the pinnacle of our division. However, our accomplishments have not dulled our determination. This year, we’re intensifying our efforts to improve while maintaining the camaraderie that defines Wasabi. Our aspirationΒ is to once again compete for the DIII title at nationals in May 2024.Β 

Our season has already begun with Choice City, our rookie development tournament in Fort Collins. Choice City was a success with vast improvement seen from everyone on the team. Having secured our freshman class, practices have begun to ramp up in preparation for our tournament kickoff in November: Missouri Loves Company.  With over six tournaments planned for the spring season, we recognize the importance of maintaining our efforts to consistently surpass expectations and act with intention.  

With strong freshmen and ever improving upperclassmen, Wasabi is continuing to stay spicy this year. Our disk loving team has an established record of work ethic and β€˜spirit of the game’, values we will maintain this season. We are grinding at practices and events to bring out the best in everyone on the team, while strengthening the Wasabi family.  

In addition to dedicating countless hours to training on the field and in the gym to be at our best, our journey also entails significant expenses such as tournament fees, travel, and lodging. These financial commitments pose the greatest challenge for us throughout the season. We are dedicated, passionate, and love frisbee. But to compete at the highest level, we need your help. Your generosity in contributing to and spreading the word about this campaign is greatly appreciated. With your support, we willΒ showcase Wasabi’s strength on the national stage once more. Thank you – stay spicy!!!Β Β 

Check out our linktree to follow us on our socials and check out our team store: https://linktr.ee/wasabiultima…  

Donations to Wasabi are tax deductible as it goes through CC, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. In donating, you will receive an email receipt which the IRS accepts as official documentation of the contribution.

Wasabi Coaching Staff Earns 1st Runner-up in Coach of the Year.

Rarely do you see a team win a national championship without having strong coaching leading the way.Β Colorado CollegeΒ was led by the team of Jimmy Donnellon, Ben Jelinek, and Spencer Hawkins on their path to glory. While the Wasabi coaches did a number of things well this year, perhaps their most impressive accomplishment was finding the best roles for all of the talent on their roster. It takes guts to hand the keys of your offense to a freshman, even one as talented asΒ Oliver van Linder. It takes trust to get the buy-in from an all-around star likeΒ Lincoln GrenchΒ to ask him to focus almost solely on offense. Choosing to put the eventualΒ Player of the YearΒ on D-line, maximizing that group’s efficiency and creating the best D-line in the division, was a masterstroke. Colorado College were incredibly talented, but the coaching staff put the chess pieces in all of the right places to secure a championship. (Text from Ultiworld article)

Oliver van Linder Named D-III Men’s 2023 Rookie Of The Year

Every college coach dreams of having a handler they can trust in all the big moments. Someone they can center the disc to on every pull and know they’ll make the right decision, and have the skill to execute that choice. Now imagine having that in a freshman and getting to coach that player for (at least) three more years.

Nobody watching van Linder for the first time would ever guess he was a freshman this year. He’s everything you need in a modern handler. His quickness and ability to break the mark make him an absolute nightmare in handler and dominator sets, and he has a cannon for an arm to be able to punish defenses that poach or play under to take away the small ball stuff.

While van Linder was spectacular for Wasabi all season, he saved his best stuff for the biggest stage. In the semifinal and final against Richmond and Middlebury, respectively, he combined for 10 assists. Most importantly, van Linder only had four turnovers, and it wasn’t because he was shy or conservative with his decision-making. Take a look at this huck on just the second O-point of the final. Sure, it was a wide open receiver, but that’s a 70 yard huck perfectly in stride. How many freshmen are making that throw?

Colorado College are graduating a lot of talent this year, but their underclassmen are incredibly talented and ready to step up. Van Linder already had a big role for Wasabi this year, but the offense will be completely his next year. He should be more than capable of handling it. (Text from Ultiworld article)

Grace Tumavicus Named 2nd Runner up for Defensive Player of the Year!

If you go back and watch the tape of Colorado College’s opening game againstΒ CarletonΒ Eclipse, you can hear Grace’s name being called again and again for making blocks. Zenith would end up losing that game 15-7, but the margin would have been a lot larger without Grace chasing down deep puts from the Eclipse throwers. In person matchups, Tumavicus wasn’t just generating blocks, she was shutting down receivers and neutralizing some of the best cutters in the nation both downfield and near the disc. Zenith ended up breaking seed and finishing the tournament T-5, and while their offense was smooth and flowed well, they played a gritty, hard-nosed defense. That defense was led by Grace Tumavicus. (text from Ultiworld article)