Women’s Division I is looking a little different this year, with only ten teams choosing the pursuit of elite glory. There are no crossover games, meaning the fight to the top (and the fight to avoid the bottom of the pool) has never been more ferocious. Seven-time champions Ellipsis have been showing a few cracks this season with some uncharacteristic losses at Canberra Cup and VIC Regionals, while Manly is on an undefeated run after only a couple of losses at the start of the season. The absence of a New Zealand team this year could also present an opportunity, as NZ has often previously taken a top four spot. In a worlds year, Nationals is always top quality, and we can’t wait to see how the matchups play out.
We were ecstatic to hear that Ulti.tv has been reinstated as the streaming partner for this event. Look out for the many streamed games on YouTube throughout the weekend.
These ten teams have been training industriously for the past few months and will take the field in Ballarat, Victoria for four days this weekend to crown a winner. Read on for a preview of each team and some talent to keep an eye out for!
Ellipsis
Seeds: Asterisk - 1, Ampersand - 2
After ruthlessly dominating the women’s ultimate scene since their inception, Ellipsis have not had such a stellar record this season. However, a few injuries healed and absent players returned might just be what they need to pull it together for their eighth national title. Each team boasts stacks of worlds players - no doubt we’ll see their exceptional skills showcased time and time again. Ampersand boasts the dream team Caroline Ma, Olivia Carr and Lucy Deller, and on Asterisk we’ll see Cat Phillips, Alex Prentice and the unstoppable Eva Weatherall. Expect Ellipsis to show up with their usual clinical and professional brand of ultimate - they’re not ones to give up easy. But with no streamed pool games, let’s hope they make the championship round so their fans at home can watch them shine online.
Manly
Seed: 3
For the Mavericks, the 2024 season is all about connections. Book-ended by the returning trio of Moore, Nicholls, and Wentworth, and inseparable Rickards-Tang and Gregory, the Mavs have spent their game-heavy season integrating exciting new picks. Alongside the world-wide recruits coming from as far as New Zealand, Denmark, USA, and Newcastle, Manly's newest D1 rookies Kim and Wentworth-Ping have stepped up to the plate, generating blocks everywhere. Although some familiar faces have swung between O and D, the team is in the safest of hands under OG Manly founders and coaches, Diana Worman and Nikki Shires, determined for everyone to uncover their potential. Driven by the unmatched bonding experienced commuting every week from the inner west, Mileck and Wu have connections paralleled only by the infamous 'Stod-alie', who are welcoming McCarthy back onto the pitch. This club has spent years developing their players - is it about to pay off?
Factory
Seed: 4
Factory Flash are back this year with some fresh faces and returning veterans. Factory is fuelled by grit and good vibes - led by Aus reps Rosa Wang and Lyla Appel. It's been a hot minute since we've seen Rosa Wang in Factory red but she's cleating up alongside Firetail teammate - Caitlin Grange. Keep an eye out for big defensive plays from Caitlin, Ju Birchall, and Hannah Nandan. Expect to see huge hucks from Lyla and Thea Osmond, and if you blink you'll miss Kate Bailey and Susan Dedman turning on the wheels to score goals. Closing out the roster are all-rounder work horses like Grace Spratt and Angie To, showcasing their versatility all over the field. Get excited and get around the red!
Fuse
Seed: 5
With a lot of roster changes since last season - including some mid season changes - this team could score some surprising wins. Look out for Fuse regulars steadying the ship with rising star and Terra captain Ellie Koning causing headaches for the opposition. The team will also feature four Irish players who are looking forward to seeing single digit temperatures again. Upon laying eyes on Fuse' new kit, some might argue that they have two light strips…but we'll see what they have to say after four days’ play on dirt.
Rogue
Seed: 6
Rogue is back in their signature pink for AUC 2024, this year celebrating their 10th nationals as a club. After some close losses by a point or two to the likes of Ellipsis and Manly in the 2023 season, Rogue are hoping to have found the missing piece to get some Ws on the board against fierce competition this year. Some additions to the roster from other NSW clubs, and the introduction of coach Cat Ashton have made for some exciting changes in the team this year. While Rogue will undoubtedly look to the experience of the seven players selected to represent Australia at WUC later this year, some of their newer recruits such as Brio Dos Santos-Lee and Evelyn Ha are certainly ones to watch for their speed and big moment plays. With two of their three lines being named Pookie and Jett, Rogue are certainly aiming to look absolutely fire out there.
Spicy Chilly
Seed: 7
Heading into Nationals, Spicy is living up to its name in every sense—S.P.I.C.Y. and ready! They’ve whipped up a unique blend of cultures, styles, and spirits from Australia, Japan, and Colombia, creating a powerhouse for the women’s ultimate community that goes beyond borders. Their ethos? Building something greater, something inclusive, and above all, fun. This isn’t just about playing hard; it’s about celebrating our diverse backgrounds and uniting them on the field to add that extra flavour to our game. As they gear up for the competition, spirits are high, and their connections are strong. Watch out, nationals—Spicy is here to bring the heat and the heart!
GWS Blaze
Seed: 8
GWS is hitting the field with a fresh vibe this season! There’s plenty of new faces on the team this year with a rookie contingent bursting with energy and speed. Now in their 8th year, GWS is bringing seasoned strategies with their returning players set to guide the team through some tough matchups over the tournament. Keep an eye out for Betty Tan making huge plays, KMorts shutting everything down on defence, and Simmo managing to be everywhere at once, with plenty of names you’ll recognise on the squad (and plenty more you’ll want to remember.) It’s going to be an interesting tournament for GWS, but despite the relative greenness of this year’s lineup they’re gunning to be a dark horse of Nationals, proving that playing age isn’t everything…
P.S. if you see Perko at the fields on Friday, make sure you sing her happy birthday - she loves attention.
Zig Theory
Seed: 9
Zig Theory are powered up! They have a bunch of women training hard for their Aussie rep teams, and it is showing with some tight games at Southern Regionals. The team is a bit light on numbers with a squad of sweet 16, but very lucky to have the addition of interstate recruit Daria Salnikova. The big question is: can this tight-knit albeit small group keep up the intensity for the 4 days? The O line has head handler Deborah Lee making the shots with Grace Andrews and Alice Si and some new players to watch. The D line is fierce with Rosie Foley returning to Zig as player and assistant coach working closely with Sarah Lee, Tori Battersby and then Jessica Smith giving height matched with speed in the deep. We could easily go on about the contributions that all sixteen players can make, but instead it would be much more fun to come out and see for yourselves how Zig will go!
Kaos
Seed: 10
Kaos had a great start to the season with a strong performance at the Tomodachi Invite and have since added some star recruits. Bec Brereton is back playing frisbee for the first time since the 2017 Crocs campaign, and Fuka Ugai and Nana Kinouchi have been recruited from the Tokyo Mavericks after bonding with Kaos over a Japanese performance of The Wiggles song 'Hot Potato' at Tomodachi Invite. Among the returning Kaos players, there are eleven players training for representative teams this year across various Beach, Worlds and Masters teams, which is unheard of and absolutely amazing for WA. With a deeper roster than recent years and young guns Nikki Maher, Neka Elliott and Tash Main all pulling out their best ultimate, 2024 feels like a big opportunity for Kaos.
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Watch all the action unfold by tuning into the streamed games - and share the links with friends and family:
https://www.youtube.com/@ULTIdotTV
By Helen Epstein and IOU contributors
Disclaimer: Our hot takes are just that. We have made a pretty good effort to source correct information, however factual accuracy is not guaranteed. If you would like to improve IOU content, please consider contributing to our writing efforts and/or subscribing!