The UC San Diego's Men's Ultimate program is considered one of the top programs in the country. This year the team is young, but they are returning a large number of players whose athletic ability is a step above the competition. As always, the A team continues its pursuit of a national title while the B team consistently takes down some big name A Teams from other schools. Anyone who loves frisbee, fun, competition, and camaraderie should give the infamous Air Squids a try.

The Sport of Ultimate

Ultimate combines elements of soccer, football and basketball in a fast-paced game, played with a frisbee, where everyone is a quarterback and everyone is a receiver.

Ultimate began in 1968 in Maplewood, New Jersey when a group of Columbia High School students first played on an asphalt parking lot at their high school. As those students graduated from high school, the game spread to the college level. The first intercollegiate Ultimate game occurred on Nov. 6, 1972, between Princeton and Rutgers, in New Brunswick, NJ. They played on the anniversary of the first ever intercollegiate football game, also played between those same two schools.

Today, the game is played competitively by over 25,000 UPA and WFDF amateur athletes in over 35 countries, as well as countless casual players. Ultimate is played by people from all walks of life. From high school students, to the still thriving college game, to the highly competitive club teams all over the world, to the many thousands of people who play in informal summer leagues, Ultimate is a game for everyone.

2025-2026 | Game Recaps

Game 1: Pomona Cows: With a few sanctioned tournaments on the horizon and Dev Regionals looming closer, Squid Lite traveled up to Pomona this past weekend to practice and prepare. The Squids started out the tournament bright and early Saturday, facing the Cal Poly Pomona Cows, a familiar foe who also happened to be the ones hosting the tournament. Coming off of a 12-4 loss in their last matchup with the Cows, they knew something had to change. The Squids initially tried running their new zone defense against the Cows; however, this would prove costly as they were easily able to break through the Squids’ cup and push downfield, leading to an early deficit. With insight from their captains and coaches, the Squids quickly transitioned back to their trusted man-to-man defense and saw near-instant success. The man defense fared much better against the Cows’ attack, while the horizontal stack offense pressured the Cows’ man coverage. The Suids ended up tying the game 6-6 going into half courtesy of two huge defensive breaks. The Squids began to fall flat in the second half as Pomona ramped up the pressure on defense. However, some offensive adjustments and a pivotal captain-to-captain connection from WayBac to Fan Fan brought them right back into the game. A 7-10 deficit was now 10-10, and with the fate of the “universe” on the line, the Squids sent out the best line they could muster. An early turn from the Cows sparked hope, but the offense was unable to convert, and the comeback fell just short in a tragic 10-11 defeat. Despite starting out the tournament with a crushing loss, the Squids proved to put up an incredibly strong fight against a powerful Pomona team that would go on to win the entire tournament.

Game 2: UCI Bedtime: After a crushing defeat on universe point to Pomona, the Squids looked to bounce back against UC Irvine. Unbeknownst to the Squids, Irvine had brought a large portion of their A-team roster, with only a handful of actual Bedtime players sprinkled into the mix. Either way, the Squids were ready for battle. Despite being outsized, the Squids fought and stayed true to their calm horizontal stack offense, leading to just a 5-6 deficit at halftime. The Squids came out in the second half a bit sluggish, and a few untimely turnovers felt like they could prove costly as Bedtime jumped to an 8-5 lead. With the soft cap soon to go off, the Squids knew they needed to give everything they had in order to fight back. With Casa finding the end zone on back-to-back points and Unc B-day dishing out numerous clutch assists, the Squids showed true resiliency, resulting in another 10-10 universe point. With the final point ensuing, the Squids sent out one last line in hopes of finding just one more break. Unfortunately, the lights were too bright once more, and a clean hold from UCI crushed the Squids’ hearts. Despite another 10-11 loss, the Squids showed they were capable of hanging with an A-team-level squad.

Game 3: USD Flat Tax was the final game of day one, which was exciting since the two teams have very good connections with each other through regular scrimmaging. During the first half the Squids were energized; coming off of two lost universe points, they really wanted to win. The Squids were looking extremely good with an 8-4 lead at halftime. They were keeping the disc in their hands and breaking their man and zone defenses consistently. The things that the Squids had practiced were paying off and were successful. One thing that contributed to their success was taking note of two of their fastest players (26) and one of their best throwers (1), which the Squids combated by creating good defensive matchups and calling “no big” to stop any deep throws from going off. The second half didn’t go as expected or as planned, as the Squids made multiple poor decisions that led to turnovers. They let go of the gas and allowed USD to catch up. The Squids underestimated their team, and with the game going to universe point at 9-9, they were luckily bailed out by the captain, Fan Fan, who made a spectacular one-handed catch over a defender in the end zone. This game served as a lesson to play hard, win both halves, and never underestimate the other team.

Game 4: Blackout: The Squids started our first match of the second day against UCSB Blackout. Having played this team previously at SBQ, the Squids knew that it was within their ability to keep the game close. Their main strategy was to force them under, as they had 2 tall players as well as 2 very quick players that could easily threaten the deep space. The Squids kept it close as the game was 4-4, but unfortunately after a couple of defensive breaks, Blackout pulled ahead to lead 7-4 at half. With a few key players having gotten injured on the first day and now unable to play, there was an obvious missing presence on the field as the squids struggled to catch up and bring the same energy into the second half. After a few consecutive breaks and scores from UCSB, the Squids fell 12-6.

Game 5: Our second matchup of day 2 pitted the Squids against UCLA Smoke, another team that they’ve become familiar with facing all season long. Starting the match, the Squids were met with a unique offensive formation from UCLA. It consisted of a vertical stack that was pushed to a sideline, tunneling their players to take up the huge middle space to have easier short passive passes. The game was a mix of big throws, with each team trying to beat one another in an athletic sprint downfield. However, it soon showed that if these throws couldn’t be completed, it would result in very long points. A combination of the sun starting to beam down and everyone bolting for the deep hucks left players from both sides feeling exhausted. These long points resulted in little scoring on either end, as it was just 2-5 as the teams headed to the sidelines for halftime. The second half continued with this aggressive style of play. Unfortunately for the Squids, exhaustion continued to set in, and UCLA’s size and quickness allowed them to take better advantage of the deep space, resulting in a tough 5-10 loss.

Game 6: USD + Claremont Tax Beaters: In the Squids' sixth and final game of the tournament, we played an exhausted Claremont team who ended up recruiting a few USD players for reinforcements. Given that Claremont had to forfeit the game in order to have the USD players join, the Squids decided to use this extra game as a way to practice their new zone defense. The game started out slow for the Squids as they traded points back and forth with neither defense being able to find a stop. A few spectacular catches and some calm offense led the Squids to taking a 4-3 lead going into halftime. Coming out of halftime, the zone defense saw great improvement, as they were finally able to limit Claremont from pushing the disc down the field. A Fan Fan assist to Wigglytuff in the back of the end zone concluded an 8-6 victory, officially leaving the Squids with a 7th place finish. With only two weeks until Southwest Showdown and just over a month until Regionals, the Squid Lite season is now full steam ahead.

Game 1, Cal

This was the Squids’ first game of the tournament, and Cal was a team that they had lost to previously. This game however, the Squids improved on their ability to move the disk at a lower stall. This made it easier to break the mark because the defense didn’t have time to set up. Tyler “SawSee” Bourke also led the team to break after break, getting many deep hucks, and Cal couldn’t keep up. Jonathan “PSI” McGurrin, as always, was taking on Carter LanKford, their best player. Spirits were up for most of the game judging by the talking and cheering from the sidelines. Near the end of the game Benjamin “Botta” Lamperti hit an amazing layout to give the Squids a chance at an extra game. The D line was able to force turnovers and get breaks through big hucks and the O line was patient and moved the disc quickly. The Squids were able to beat them in a good game, which gave them an excellent start to the tournament.

Game 2, Oregon State

The Squids started the game off up 3 breaks capitalizing off of dropped discs made by Oregon State. They lost their momentum however as the wind picked up and pressure defense allowed Oregon State to get multiple breaks of their own. There was also an atrocious foul call made that allowed OSU to convert on a break off of a foot block they got earlier. The Squids also struggled when they looked dump too late causing them to panic with the disc and make risky throws. This gave the team something to work on for the weekend, as they struggled to move the disc off the sideline quickly on O-line. OSU also played really strong open side defense stopping the Squids’ first few looks and forced them to look dump or throw a lot of breakside throws. Towards the end of the game OSU gained their confidence and started shooting it deep to many of their big receivers that were confident in the air sealing out the game.

Game 3, Santa Cruz

After playing some solid frisbee against Cal and OSU, the Squids carried that momentum into their third game of the day. With a turn from the slugs right off the bat, they were able to convert and get a break for the first point of the game. Both teams fought with a lot of energy, but unfortunately, Santa Cruz was able to get a couple of breaks in the first half. The Squids were able to contend with them a little better in the second half. Bodhi “Cass” Brenner also hit an insane trailing edge bid to score on a deep huck from Tyler “Dumpty” Kurpanek. This was a game of amazing plays from the Squids, with Elliot “Crum” Wu making a goal line bid to score with a Santa Cruz defender on top of him. The Squids went hold for hold to end the game, ending 10-12, which was remarkably close against such a top-seeded team.

Game 4, Utah

The first game of day two was a must-win situation. If the Squids win, they move on to the prequarters, but if they lose they’re out of the bracket. To start off the game Dumpty made a massive layout catch in the endzone for the score off an errant throw. However, Utah was another team that liked shooting it deep. The Squids tried to counter this by having a last back in their defensive setup but throws were made to bidding receivers where the help deep had no play on the disc. The team seemed to still be asleep, making uncharacteristic turnovers and drops. They overall played very strong O and D but the reset poaches by Utah gave them some trouble and led to a few breaks. The d line got a few turns early on in the game but were unable to convert them. The Squids were a little frantic with the disc off a turn which led to a lack of conversion. This was not the start they wanted on the day, but their next game at Warren Field would prove to be more positive.

Game 5, Stanford

The Air Squids had something to prove coming into this ninth place quarters matchup. At SBI they played a close game against Stanford, but unfortunately could not convert on their D-Offense points. This game was different. The first D-point, David “Nette” Schwartz hit a huge layout D in the dumpset which was called back on a horrendous foul call by Stanford.The d-line got turn after turn, and was able to convert on many of those opportunities. On the other side of the field, the O-line was easily converting, shredding the Stanford zone into pieces. Besides a few poor throws the O-line was clean the whole game. As the lead grew, some of the Squids big throwers such as PSI and Janeil “Cumin” Guada started to attempt huck after huck, although they got the disc back often. Later in the game, Stanford tried to come back with poor calls, but a huge bid into huck for the score by Bradley “Cosmo” Zanteson sealed the game. This was a statement by the Air Squids, decisively beating Stanford 12-7.

Game 6, Utah Valley

The Squids came into this game riding high from the Stanford blowout. However, they just couldn’t figure out how to focus on this important game to make it to ninth place finals. After a few clean holds in the beginning, the O-line started to make unfocused throws that led to turnovers and breaks for Utah Valley. D-line was able to get turnovers, but struggled to convert them into breaks, often making off-target throws in the wind or being unable to move up the field. They were ultimately unable to keep the momentum going from Stanford, and Utah Valley ended the game on an anti-climactic hold to win 13-9.

Game 7, Colorado State

Besides maybe an actual hurricane, this was the worst weather possible to play frisbee in. Spirits were already low from the weather, and with every point that Colorado scored, the Squids just dug themselves into a deeper and deeper pit of gloom. The torrential downpour made the disk incredibly difficult to catch, while the wind made the disk nearly impossible to throw with precision. In weather like this, it is very important to throw short direct passes to mitigate the effect of the wind. Unfortunately this was something that many of the Squids struggle with and will have to work on in the future.

1/31/26-2/1/26 - President’s Day Qualifier 2026

Day 1

Game 1 – Cal Poly SLO B: 5–13 Loss
The first game against SLO B began very early, but the team was wide awake following a strong warmup. The squad felt confident and played well against one of the top teams at the tournament. Throughout the first half, the team put everything on the line and maintained the same tempo for the entirety of the game, applying strong defensive pressure. Although the offense performed well overall, any mistakes were quickly capitalized on by SLO B, resulting in breaks. Despite the loss, the team was proud of the effort displayed during the match.

Game 2 – UC Berkeley B: 8–10 Loss
In the second game of the day, the team maintained the same level of effort shown in the first matchup. Berkeley’s offense was effectively shut down, and the team moved the disc well against Cal B’s zone defense. Strong play continued through halftime, with a 7–6 lead. In the second half, momentum shifted as execution against the zone faltered, allowing Cal B to earn multiple breaks and ultimately secure the win at hard cap. While effort remained consistent, too many mistakes in key points led to the loss. Spirits were low afterward, but a refuel and rest during a bye helped the team reset for the next game.

Game 3 – UC Santa Cruz B: 7–12 Loss
At the start of the match, overall energy was lower than usual. Having faced this team before, the Squids knew the matchup would be challenging. Ooze’s tall last back shut down deep looks, forcing the Squids to rely on under cuts. Several turnovers in the handler set led to conceded points, resulting in a 7–12 loss to Santa Cruz. Despite the result, the Squids performed significantly better than in previous meetings. With one final game remaining, the team took time to refocus and prepare to leave everything on the field.

Game 4 – Chico State: 7–13 Loss
Due to an odd number of teams in the pool, the Squids played four games—one more than most other teams. Fatigue was evident after a long day, though the team was aware that Chico State’s offense relied heavily on handler movement rather than cutters. In blistering heat and mounting exhaustion, the Squids struggled to stop consistent under cuts. The game ended in a 7–13 loss, but the team still put forth a strong effort considering the demanding schedule that began at 8 a.m.

Day 2

Game 5 – San Diego State B: 11–5 Win
The first game of the following day featured strong winds early on, disrupting offensive flow for both teams. Despite the conditions, the Squids built and maintained a steady lead, earning several breaks in a row. The team matched up athletically and executed systems efficiently, securing the first official win of the season. While proud of the result and effort, the team recognized that execution errors remained and could have been costly if capitalized on.

Game 6 – Cal Poly–Pomona: 4–12 Loss
Entering the next matchup feeling confident, the Squids struggled to overcome Pomona’s zone defense in unpredictable wind conditions. After a difficult first half, the team elevated its play on both offense and defense, making the second half competitive at 4–5. With limited experience against zone defenses and windy conditions, the Squids still delivered a solid performance highlighted by aggressive defense, though significant pressure on handlers proved difficult to overcome.

Game 7 – Cal Poly SLO C: 11–9 Win
Following a tough loss, the Squids entered the final game motivated to finish strong. The team opened the first half with a couple of holds and a break but went into halftime trailing 4–7. Fatigue and wind were factors, but with it being the last game of the tournament, the Squids pushed forward and battled back to tie the game at 9–9. During a long point approximately 20 yards from the end zone, a timeout was called to set up an anti-abyss play, which succeeded and gave the Squids a 10–9 lead. Another break followed, highlighted by strong handler movement, sealing an 11–9 victory.

1/24/26-1/25/26 - Air Squids Start the Regular Season with SBI

Game 1: University of California
The tournament opened against the highest-seeded opponent in the pool, Cal. A combination of facing a top seed, missing several key players, and early chemistry issues resulted in low intensity throughout the game. While the effort kept the contest relatively competitive, numerous drops and inconsistent communication hindered performance. A late-game Callahan ultimately sealed a 13–5 loss. Despite the scoreline, the result did not fully reflect the level of play, and the team entered the next game with increased motivation against another strong opponent.

Game 2: University of Victoria
The game began with both teams trading clean holds for most of the first half, as offensive lines consistently worked the disc up the field. The O-line showed significant improvement in consistency compared to the previous game against Cal. Many of UVic’s early points appeared unstable, relying on high-stall hucks and emergency resets. Sawsee recorded a massive layout defensive play that was controversially called back as a foul. With the score around 5–5, UVic earned a break on a fast-break huck, shifting momentum in their favor. In the second half, UVic repeatedly returned to their deep game, widening the score gap. As pressure mounted, forced hucks led to additional turnovers and breaks. After several disputed calls and a grueling 20-minute point scored as time expired, the game ended in a 10–7 loss. Despite the disappointment, the performance marked a significant improvement against a strong UVic squad. UVic would go on to win the tournament, defeating seventh-seeded Utah 13–10 in the final.

Game 3: Cal Poly SLO B
The opening points were marked by drops and errant throws, likely due to fatigue. Fortunately, the opponent posed less of a challenge than the previous matchups, allowing recovery and consistent holds. Slob employed defensive poaches in the vertical stack, which initially caused difficulties. As the game progressed, quick disc movement and well-timed hucks successfully exploited those poaches. Despite below-average execution and lingering chemistry issues, the team secured an 11–6 win in a must-win matchup to advance to prequarters.

Game 4: Stanford University
Stanford’s offense featured heavy dominator usage and rapid ball movement. The game began with an early break against UCSD, followed by a series of traded holds. Stanford frequently used no-pivot backhands on the trap sideline to move the disc efficiently. Late in the game, Nico “Corn” Nonemaker made an exceptional catch on a hucked disc several feet out of bounds, keeping his toes in while fully extended. Stanford responded with a full-field back-corner huck shortly after. Defensively, turnovers were generated, but the D-line struggled to convert them into scores. Fatigue set in toward the end of the long day, allowing Stanford to extend its lead and secure a 12–9 win. The loss concluded Day 1 and pushed the team into the 9th-place bracket for Day 2.

Game 5: UCSB
Day 2 opened with a matchup against a major rival, UCSB, with the return of several previously absent players providing a boost. UCSB opened the game with a huck for an easy score. Defensive adjustments, including backing UCSB, forced longer possessions and led to increased errors. The first break came on an inside break throw to the end zone from Jonathan “PSI” McGurrin. In the second half, UCSB shifted to a zone defense, causing a few turnovers, though their D-line failed to capitalize. Consistent holds and patient offense led to a hard-fought 12–9 victory and advancement to the 9th-place game.

Game 6: UCLA
The final game began with two early breaks against UCSD. A break was earned after a dropped UCLA throw near the end zone, highlighted by a big upline from David “Nette” Schwartz to Azkaban and a full-field swing for the score. Late in the game, Bodhi “Cass” Brenner recorded a spectacular layout defensive play that was negated by a preceding call. UCLA opened points in a zone defense before transitioning to man coverage, likely aimed at slowing the offense and preventing quick scores. Fatigue and effective defensive adjustments ultimately led to an 11–8 loss. The tournament concluded with a 10th-place finish, matching the team’s initial seed.

1/10/26–1/11/26 – Santa Barbara Qualifier 2026

The Santa Barbara Qualifier was a two-day tournament hosted in Santa Maria, around 5–6 hours away from UCSD, Squid Lite’s home turf. This meant the Squids had to battle long drives and poor sleeping conditions in order to participate. However, car games like Wavelength and drafts, along with visits to iconic locations like Denny’s, kept spirits high throughout the tournament.

Game 1 (UCSC Ooze):

This was the first game of the tournament, beginning early in cold conditions. During warmups, the familiar sensations of playing frisbee slowly returned to post–winter break bodies. There were clear first-game jitters, leading to simple mistakes that proved costly. The score only partially reflected the level of play. With more than half of the roster playing together for the first time, team chemistry was still developing, which was evident throughout the game. Despite this, the Ho Stack was executed reasonably well, even with lingering rust from the break. The game provided valuable insight into team dynamics, especially the role motivation plays in performance. As mistakes accumulated, motivation dropped, creating a negative spiral that largely contributed to the 2–13 loss. Still, as the opening game of the tournament, it offered clarity on areas for improvement and set the stage for a stronger showing moving forward.

Game 2 (Santa Clara Altered Beasts):

After sitting out due to a second-game bye, the Squids were able to watch Santa Clara Altered Beasts (SCAB) play against UCSC Ooze to gauge their skill level. The match was very close, signaling a tough challenge ahead. SCAB proved to be a strong opponent for several reasons. Their three rotating handlers displayed accurate throws and strong movement, making it difficult to stop their progress up the field or force turnovers. Additionally, SCAB’s overall athleticism stood out; the team was tall and fast, forcing defensive adjustments to prevent deep threats. While the deep game was largely contained, the consistency of SCAB’s handlers allowed them to steadily march toward the end zone. Although the Squids lost 3–13, this game marked a noticeable improvement in energy and intensity. Strong sideline support and several impressive scores and defensive plays highlighted a much more engaged performance despite the result.

Game 3 (UCSB Blackout):

The final game of the day presented a crossroads: prioritize equal playing time or focus on winning to advance to more games the following day. In a unanimous decision, the team chose to compete as hard as possible by leaning on returners. Coach Gil emphasized treating matches as sets of three points, which helped the Squids secure their first lead of the tournament. Energy levels were high in the first half, reflecting a strong desire to win. At one point, the Squids led 7–6, but after two breaks, trailed 7–8 at halftime. The reminder to maintain pressure and energy carried into the second half, but the effects of limited sleep and the long drive appeared to catch up to the team. Blackout ultimately pulled away to win 11–8.

Game 4 (UCLA Smoke):

This game was entered with arguably the highest energy of the entire tournament. As the first game of the day, warmups and drills were conducted with full focus on beating UCLA. The game started slowly, with UCLA taking a 2–0 lead, but the Squids responded with four breaks in a row, raising hopes of winning the half. Once UCLA fully warmed up, the teams traded points, but the early breaks allowed the Squids to take the half. Halftime brought strong motivation to close out the game. However, the second half included some unfortunate offensive starts, including one Callahan and one near-Callahan, giving UCLA two easy points. These moments proved costly, and UCLA went on to win. Despite the loss, the game demonstrated how high energy levels significantly elevate performance, highlighting areas for improvement in decision-making and execution.

Game 5 (SB Flow):

This was the most wholesome and enjoyable game of the tournament. Despite the fatigue and frustration from four consecutive losses, the team continued to give full effort, with players using their remaining energy in pursuit of a win. The defensive strategy of protecting the deep space proved ineffective against SB Flow, who relied on quick under throws and constant movement. Their speed and ability to win short bursts of distance posed consistent challenges. While adjustments were made and points were earned in the first half, exhaustion and waning motivation set in during the second half, resulting in a 6–12 loss. SB Flow was exceptionally kind and positive throughout the game, making it a genuinely enjoyable experience despite the outcome.

Afterward, the team went to Canes, and morale improved. While the results were not ideal, the tournament provided valuable lessons and growth opportunities.

This past Sunday, Squid LITE headed to the University of San Diego for Turkey Tax. With finals under way and the quarter coming to an end, the tournament was a chance for them to shake off the academic stress and get valuable reps against familiar local teams, while testing new systems that had only just been introduced at practice.

The first game of the day was against Point Loma, who rolled out a unique 5 person zone defense that LITE had not seen before. As it was so early in the season, they had not practiced their zone offense, and were out of their depth. There were flashes of success however, with a few possessions and hucks nearly leading to scores, but consistency was hard to come by this early in the day. Despite the final score of 1-13, which looked brutal on paper, the effort on the field told a different story.

Game two matched LITE up against the hosts, USD. Having already gotten experience with zone in the earlier game, they came into this one more prepared and far more composed. From the opening pull, the offense looked more comfortable. The early points were back and forth, and at halftime, the game felt within reach. But as the second half wore on, the Squids’ inexperience with zone began to show. USD’s zone stiffened, and a couple of rushed throws and drops from LITE turned into costly breaks. Though they continued to fight and generated several chances to claw back late, they couldn’t quite convert into a win. The final score was 6-9.

After lunch, the Squids faced UCI, and with them, a welcome shift back toward LITE’s usual offensive system. The Squids were finally able to run the horizontal stack sets they’d been drilling in practice. From the start, it felt like an entirely different type of game. Neither team could pull away, with a few brutally long points testing both teams. The game marched all the way to universe point. With a chance to win, LITE worked the disc down patiently, but a missed huck gave UCI the disc back. One clean possession later, UCI punched in the winning score, handing the Squids a heartbreaking loss in the most competitive game of the day. Final score: 7-8

The final matchup of the tournament saw LITE facing off against Cal Poly Pomona. The Squids came out of the break a little too relaxed, and Pomona immediately punished them. Pomona’s cutters attacked deep early and often, using their speed and physicality to punish any hesitation, in addition LITE’s offense, still shaking off the post-break lull, struggled to find flow in the opening points. But as the game wore on, after half-time the Squids found their second wind. Slowly but surely, the gap stopped growing. While the early deficit proved too steep to fully overcome before cap, the second half showed a different LITE. The game ended with a final score of 4-11.

11/1/25-11/2/25 - K-Fall Tournament at UCSD

Team A:

This past weekend, the UCSD Air Squids hosted the Kendra Fallon Tournament for many teams in Southern California, as well as some teams from Arizona. Besides our 7 on 7 practice scrimmages, this was our new members’ first time playing official matches together. Team A, the Avatars, was made up of returning squids and newly initiated fish which made up an impressive squad. Our team arrived early to make custom jerseys using spray paint which mainly consisted of Aang’s blue arrow and orange flames to represent our names sake, the animated show, Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Our first game of the tournament was against the University of Southern California’s Lockdown. Without an official coach, we had to organize our own line ups and playing time, which was something that we optimized over time. We began with a motivational speech from our team captain, Nico "Corn" Nonemaker, who reminded us that a lion doesn’t back down from a fight. UCSD A started off strong, opening with an early lead at half time which boosted our morale. We were reminded that our defense would inevitably be broken, but to preserve and stay positive through the rest of the match. At the start of the second half we remained strong, but did end up conceding two points in a row in the last quarter. Despite the thunderous “We are SC” chants after every point and their pokemon themed line names, the Air Squids emerged victorious 10-8 against USC.

The second game against the University of Arizona was a hard fought. After a long game against USC, it was difficult for the weathered squids to keep up with the tall line ups of the Sunburns. During this game, the squids struggled with two main issues. The Sunburns used a “bracketing” defense that deterred both inside and deep cuts, which required the squids to adapt their offensive gameplay and overload the lanes. Additionally, without set line ups, UCSD A struggled to have handlers on one of the lines. Down 5-7 at half, the squids kept it close but ultimately lost 9-11.

Team A faced off against CSULB for the final match. Having been revitalized with gatorades, grapes, and special peanut butter cookies, the squids were as strong as ever, having improved greatly over the course of the day. With the wind picking up and weaker throwers on the opponents team, we forced them to throw upwind and deep, making it very difficult for them to find and connect passes. Up big at half, the A's put in an all-rookie line up, and they scored! The Squids ended the day off with an outstanding 11-4 against the Pyramid Scheme of CSULB.

Day 2 game 1: When day two came the whole team was still on a rush from day one. We were all eager to get back out and play. Our first match was against USD. For some players who couldn’t make it to day one, this was going to be their first match of the tournament adding to the already exciting atmosphere. When the match started we didn’t know what to expect but we soon realized it was going to be a great match. Going against USD was a rewarding and enjoyable experience. They pushed us to improve and adapt on the spot yet simultaneously being uplifting and down to earth. Even though they had sportsmanship they were just as eager to win. However only one team was leaving the field as the victors. With team work and love of the game UCSD took the win. A fantastic start to day two.

On game 2 of day 2, we played the San Diego community team, we had more players, but less experience. They varied strategies, and had a close, hard fought game throughout, and the San Diego community ultimately came out on top , but only by one point, with a final score of 10-11. On game 3 of day 2, we played UCLA. Despite everyone being tired, we had a steady lead the entire game, with some questionable “fouls” called, and long points, some of the all-fish lines struggled to consistently gain points. And several all-fish points were played. Even with everyone exhausted, all the fish greatly improved by day 2, having good offensive and defensive plays, only really failing by occasional slight mistakes. The final score was 11-7.

Team B:

Team B performed phenomenally this past weekend at the Kendra Fallon tournament. Our first game was against SDSU. The game started neck and neck, as our team had barely played together (2 days) and needed to still work on its chemistry. However, as pressure makes diamonds our team began to work hard and push through, securing an early lead against them, forcing them to use a timeout. We kept that energy up throughout the entire game, securing a 9-5 victory against them.

Feeling confident, we jumped straight into the next game against ASU. However, this game would be the most physically taxing game for all of us, with points lasting for a long time while everyone was still playing as hard as they could. We took no timeouts on either side, as both teams were eager to win and could not lose their focus. The game was neck and neck, getting us to 12-12, when our returners, exhausted from constant play, allowed ASU to score the winning point. It was a hard fought battle, but it did not destroy our spirits, because as a newly formed team we were able to stand up to people who have worked so hard as a group for a long time.

Our last game of Saturday was a fun yet very taxing game, where we had to learn on the fly a new zoning technique that the other used. While it gave us a bit of trouble, we were able to secure a 13-6 victory with an all fish point at the end to top it off. Overall it was an amazing day and our efforts allowed us to qualify for the top 8 bracket.

We kicked off our Sunday with confidence in our game against USC. Despite having a slightly reduced active roster, team B showed out - with completion rates nearing 100%, we held USC to only 1 point in the first half. Energy levels remained high throughout the game, and we ended with a 13-2 blowout dub. Chemistry, confidence, and above all else, execution were the determining factors in this victory for team B.

Team C:

The UCSD Chair Squids played with grit and determination throughout the Kendra Fallon tournament this past weekend. Our name was decided after a short brainstorming of words that begin with C and consensus vote. We arrived early to the tournament to spray paint the titular chairs onto newly bought white shirts, and warmed up to be prepared for the day ahead.

Our first game of the tournament was against the UCLA B team. We started the game up 3 breaks, forcing errors through run through D’s and lockdown pressure and cleanly converting on offense. With this strong start and a continued effort throughout the rest of the game, we ended up winning 13-4.

Our next game was against the San Diego Community team, a team full of San Diego natives who play in adult club leagues, including UCSD’s own Professor Zid. The community team showed their expertise in the sport, demonstrating their game IQ and knowledge with clean offensive holds and capitalizing on our team’s missed throws and catches. The Chair Squids unfortunately lost 6-9.

Our 3rd game was against the UCI A team Nightlife. They showed their explosive speed through quick passes and throw and go motion, moving it up the field before we could catch our breath. The game was very back and forth and ended up at 8-8 on universe point where we got broken for the game. A devastating loss to end day 1, but the team was proud to come so close to victory against a fully fledged A team and we kept our heads high.

Day 2 started off against the 1st seed of Pool A, UCLA A team Smaug. The game began with a few shaky turns from both teams, with UCLA earning the first break and taking an early lead by capitalizing on skilled break throws to get around our marks. The Chair Squids fired right back though with some well placed hucks to capitalize on Smaug mistakes. The game ended with a long universe point with several turnovers. Both teams patiently worked the disc up the field, relying on lots of handler movement. UCLA ultimately won the point with a massive layout block on the endzone line and converted with slow and steady offense to win the game 10-9.

Our next game for our fight for 5th place was against the University of Arizona A team. The team was much bigger than our team of majority freshmen, but that didn’t stop us. We strategically forced them under to make them throw multiple completions in order for them to score. This ultimately led to errors over the course of the game, leading to a Chair Squids win.

Our 3rd and final game of the day was against the USC A team Lockdown. The game had lots of turnovers due to everyone being tired from a long day. The squids made multiple tough blocks to get possession, allowing for another Chair Squids win for 5th place.

10/19/25 - Men’s Ultimate Huckfest 2025

The spooky season started early for Squid LITE as they took the field at UC Irvine for Huckfest. Huckfest is the first tournament of the new school year and a Halloween-themed two-day clash to kick off Fall Ultimate. With only 14 players on the roster, the Squids knew they’d have to rely on grit, chemistry, and the classic LITE hustle to make it through six games in two days. Still, spirits were high, (some) costumes were out, and team captain Joey “Fan-Fan” Toscano led the charge dressed head-to-toe as Vegeta, ready to go Super Saiyan on whoever stood in LITE’s way.

The first matchup of the weekend came against Occidental College Detox. As tends to happen early in the season, LITE got off to a sluggish start: defensive miscommunication, mistimed cuts, and rust still lingering from the offseason. But as the game went on, the rhythm began to build. The sidelines came alive, defensive intensity ramped up, and Fan-Fan, channeling his inner Vegeta, started catching everything thrown his way, igniting the team’s energy. Though LITE couldn’t claw their way to a win, ultimately losing 10-13, they ended the game with momentum that carried into the rest of the tournament.

Next up was USD, The Flat Tax Ballers. The Squids came out flying, jumping to a 4–0 lead in what looked like a statement game early on. The handlers moved smoothly through the zone, cutters found open space, and breaks came quick. However, after that explosive start, LITE cooled off. Turnovers began to mount and focus wavered. By half time the flax tax ballers had managed to almost even out the score with a 7-6 half in the squid's favor. But great breakout plays from Tusc, continued great performance from Fanfan, and the squid lite handlers breaking the zone heavy defense of USD led the squids to push through. Continuing the early performance held up just long enough to secure a victory with Apollo helping to secure the victory following up on a missed catch in the end zone, ending up winning 13-10. It wasn’t the prettiest showing, but it was enough to put the Squids in the win column and keep morale high.

Their last game of the day came against another squad, the Cal Poly Pomona Cows, where athleticism took center stage. Tuscaloosa commanded the skies, coming down with two massive skies that sent waves through the UCI fields. Even though it was the end of the day, both teams put up an impressive fight. LITE battled hard but ultimately fell short at 8-13, closing out Saturday with a 1–2 record and tired legs all around. The shortened roster began to feel the miles, but the energy was far from gone.

Sunday morning came early, beginning with the LMU Lions under a clear Irvine sky. With limited numbers, LITE leaned on patience and smart possession play, but fatigue began to show from the previous day. Despite solid possessions and effort on every point, LMU capitalized on turnovers and transitions, forcing LITE into a grinding morning loss at 7-13. Still, confidence remained. There were definitely moments that showed promise, so LITE kept looking forward, especially knowing two big matchups remained to close out the weekend.

The second game of the day came against tournament hosts UCI Nightlife. The hometown team brought heavy pressure, but LITE responded in style. One of the biggest highlights of the entire tournament came courtesy of Tuscaloosa, who soared over two defenders— and even Papa Perc— to bail out a floaty huck from Limbo. The sideline erupted, the energy surged, and suddenly it felt like the Squids could take on anyone under the Halloween sun. While the game ultimately ended with LITE falling to Nightlife 11-12, the effort and flash reminded everyone what makes LITE special, our relentless belief and trust in their teammates.

The closing game of Huckfest was a rematch against USC Blockdown, featuring a familiar face in former Squid Tsunade. Fueled by rivalry energy, LITE brought out their best performance of the weekend. The energy on defense was palpable, the offense found its rhythm, and every break was met with roars from the sideline. Point after point, the Squids “cooked” their old teammate, executing crisp swings, strong deep looks, and forceful defensive sets. When the final point was scored, LITE walked off the field with a resilient 13–8 victory, an emphatic finish to a long, demanding weekend.

Huckfest 2025 was a proving ground for this new chapter of Squid LITE. Despite being shorthanded, every player stepped up. From handlers grinding out long points to cutters making full-field sprints late on Sunday, the team showed the same heart that defined their success last spring. The chemistry from last season didn’t fade, it evolved. This weekend proved that even with only 14 players, LITE’s resolve runs deep. Huckfest wasn’t just a tune-up tournament, it was a reminder of who the Squids are and what they’re building toward. If this weekend was any indication, LITE is primed for another season of resilience, energy, and the kind of teamwork that makes the pod so much more than just a team.

The Squids opened their 2025–26 season on a beautiful Friday night under the lights of Warren Field with the always-anticipated Showcase game against the SDSU Federales. While the matchup is unofficial on the schedule, it’s official in everything that matters: the intensity, pride, and a chance to show the campus community what Squid ultimate is all about. This year’s Showcase carried extra weight. Not only did it put returning Squids from both ICE and LITE on the same field, but it also gave everyone the chance to shake off some rust and prove how much they’d been working during the summer.

With the stands filled and the sideline buzzing with fans, the Squids rolled out three distinct lines of seven to square up against the Feds. Each line brought a different flavor of Squid ultimate—handlers setting the tone with chilly resets, deep threats stretching the field, and defenders ramping up the pressure every point. From the outset, it was clear that the team meant business. The flow was fast, chemistry clicked earlier than expected, and the Squids matched SDSU’s energy with big plays on both offense and defense. The game started with a bang – encapsulated by a perfectly thrown moondisc from Tendy to our beloved Fan Fan. This only continued with deep cuts and hucks from handlers to their cutters. The air was filled with oohs and aahs as returners like Saucy and Wenegade Waidah showed off their skills, offensively and defensively. The Squids’ high-octane offense was no match for the slower defenders of SDSU. However, the game was back and forth, with each side scoring on their respective offensive points. But by half, the Squids did what they did best, ending it with a break point and going up at half 7 to 6. Every huck, every layout, and every cheer from the sideline set the tone that this wasn’t just a scrimmage—it was the Squids making a statement about the season ahead. The second half was more of the same, the Squids scoring on offensive points, but this was where they turned it up on the defensive side of the disc. Ds from ReMi and TiDo were highlights of this half, as they showcased the improvement of the returners and their knowledge of the beautiful game. Hucks from Cumin and Wabac TM summarized the relentless nature of the Squids throughout the game with the disc, leading to multiple points from power positions. When the final point landed in Squid hands, the scoreboard confirmed what the fans already knew: the Squids had pulled off a convincing win over their San Diego rivals 13-10.

But the result was only part of the story. The Showcase shined because of the way every line contributed, blending ICE and LITE into one team that looked cohesive, confident, and ready to grow together. The support from the sideline, the roar from the crowd, and the joy of playing back under the lights all reminded the Squids why this tradition matters. To the delight of the spectators, the Squids and Federales played another impromptu game to 5, giving the prospective players some more frisbee to cheer about. Although the Federales were eager to strike back with a victory of their own, it immediately became apparent that the Squids were rolling on both sides of the disc. Borzoi entered the lineup and fielded a deep huck from Net before getting an assist of his own. With the double wins, for the Air Squids, this night was proof of potential. Of what a full season of work, growth, and belief can look like.

As the season officially begins, the message is clear: the Squids are here, they’re hungry, and they’re ready to put in the grind it takes to make waves in the Southwest.

2024-2025 | Game Recaps

4/26/25 - The Air Squids' Season Ends on Universe Point

Day 1

Game 1: W vs Slo B (15-5)

We came out hot in our first game. While our competition was not particularly strong, we executed well to keep the game short and preserve the energy of our starting line. With an exceptional defensive performance from Nico “Corn Beef Hash” Nonemaker, and consistent handler movement from Daniel “Red 40” Bonkowsky, and Janeil “Cumin” Guada, we were able to consistently get blocks and convert on the offensive end. SLO B is known for their high spirits and good attitude, so they never let up their pressure against us but we stuck to our game and were able to close out with the opposition never getting a chance.

Game 2: L vs UCSB (12-13)

We knew this was an important game for getting good placement in the brackets. We did a really good job, compared to past games, of not allowing small setbacks to get us off our game. Anytime something did not go our way, whether a turnover or missed opportunity, we maintained intensity and focus and never allowed the other team a breakaway. Shoutout to Trey “Zeta” Scheid and Tynan “Namo” Sander for pulling off the greatest play I have ever seen. Despite not scoring the final point of the game, this was a much improved performance for us in comparison to our encounters with Santa Barbara at Sectionals..

Game 3: W vs Santa Clara (15-6)

While they could not hold a candle to us overall, it was still important for our non-starters to carry the load so that our starting players would be in good shape for the following much more difficult game against Cal. Music was pumping from the sidelines and the Squids were able to maintain a relatively high level of energy compared to other games where we were blowing the other team out. Before long, we were able to achieve a quick victory without any long, back-and-forth points.

Game 4: L vs UCB (11-15)

We got simply outplayed by UCB. While we were aware of their notorious zone defense beforehand, we still turned the disc over at an alarming rate, causing your Squids to fall behind quickly. However, with the pleasant weather conditions, the Squids slowly regained their rhythm and strung together multiple scores in the row, with Jonathan “PSI” McGurrin and Eli “Dewey” D’Amico taking difficult matchups from Berkeley, and generating turnovers that would turn into breaks. While it wasn’t the performance we hoped for overall, we were not yet eliminated and had hope for day 2.

Day 2

Game 1 W vs Grand Canyon (15-14)

While the game’s pace felt controlled by the Squids, GCU played a deep-ball heavy game style, and managed to consistently churn out points, even despite solid pressure from the Squids. GCU’s height and athleticism mostly ran through just a few players on their team, so with the Squids better depth, we were able to pull ahead by multiple breaks. One of the notable D’s was from the stout David “Nette” Schwartz who got a block in the endzone against a considerably taller GCU player. GCU gave your Air Squids a scare by bringing the game back to universe, but a well-run O-point ended this close game.

Game 2 L vs. UCSB (13-14)

A devastating and intense game. The whole season led up to this game and it was well fought. Amazing defense was played by Tyler “Saw-See” Bourke and Bradley “Cosmo” Zanteson. We had super great defense the whole game, suffocating the Santa Barbara O-line. Over and over they would attempt to patiently work it into the endzone, just for our athletic defenders to barricade them at the line. Despite being down early in the game due to some untimely turnovers, the Squids fought back from a multi-break deficit to take the lead and receive the disc on universe. However, on universe, the pull-play huck sailed out of bounds, and Santa Barbara was able to convert and win the game.

Game 3 Vs. UCLA - UCLA forfeited

While it is sad that there was no last game to send off our seniors, the growth that the team showed all the way through to that UCSB game was unmatched, and thus concludes the 2024-2025 Air Squids season.

4/12/25 - Squid LITE treks to Bakersfield for Dev Regionals

DEV REGIONALS ‘25

The Air Squids LITE made the long trek all the way to the middle of nowhere Bakersfield for the last tournament of the year, Dev Regionals. The pressure was on, a whole year's worth of practice and play lead up to this tournament. LITE had to place top 2 in the tournament otherwise the LITE dream would be over for the year.

After the long drive to Bakersfield, the Squids rested Friday night for a bright and early 7:45am start for the tournament. The Squids first opponent was Arizona State B with the Squids starting a bit cold but getting into the flow of things. Good fundamentals and standout plays from Nick “Yermo” Palmieri and Joey “FanFan” Toscano kept the Squids tied up with Arizona at the half. But following the half and long drawn out game, the Squids lost their momentum after a series of foul calls from Arizona State that disrupted LITE’s momentum and game flow eventually leading to a heartbreaking loss of 6-8. Although it was a frustrating loss, LITE was poised to persevere. With no byes for the day, ahead the Squids pushed on.

The game was against their familiar foe, UCLA B, a team the Squids had faced many times before. In games past UCLA B had beat LITE with their physical offense and defense with 2 handlers running deep hucks. At regionals the Squids faced a new side of UCLA with clean plays and solid fundamentals. LITE was once more incredibly competitive until the half, trailing by one point until the half. Unfortunately after the half the Squids lost some steam and started dropping points like fleas. UCLA were able to exploit the open space under when LITE forced under and threw perfect throws when Lite forced deep hucks, scoring points with ease. Aahil “Spade” Keshwani and Jeff “Taz” Lewis tried to invigorate the team by leading some spirited sideline cheers and calling some “kill” lines (lines with seasoned returners) but LITE inevitably fell to UCLA 7-12. The boys at Squid Lite had no time to look down, and hurried along to the next game against USC.

Lockdown, who was another familiar opponent, ran a zone defense against LITE’S horizontal stack, clogging the passing lanes and leaving many defenders putting pressure on the handlers. But great disk movement by Connor “Bday” Wu, Hillel “Gambit” Avital, Qianli “Tsunade” Wu, and Arda “Baby Maz” Gurel allowed Squid Lite to poke holes in the zone. LITE had a handful of great plays, seeing great consistent sky catches from Yermo, Fanfan with an ungodly endzone toe touch, and a cross field hammer throw to Collin “Apollo” Ong from Tsunade. The Squids led initially, and went into the half trailing by 1. But like in the UCLA game the Squids slowly lost momentum and began to make sloppy mistakes which inevitably caused USC to grow their lead, resulting in the Squids losing 8-13. The Squids, although saddened, fought onwards to face the final opponent of the day UC Santa Cruz B.

UC Santa Cruz B (also known as Ooze) came in as one of the favorites for the tournament and the Squids knew this would be a tough match. The players on Ooze had amazing fundamentals with great disk placement on all their throws, catching the Squids off guard with some of their pinpoint-accurate hucks. But the Squids’ solid defense and disk movement would sometimes embarrass Santa Cruz, leading them to call multiple early timeouts. The Squids played their heart out, keeping pace behind one of the tournament favorites but alas the Squids were exhausted after playing 3 games prior and eventually lost 8-13. The Squids had their heads held high despite ending the day 0-4, knowing that at their best and most consistent, no other team could compete with them.

After a long afternoon reflecting on the first day’s performance, the Squids rested up to tackle the final day of the tournament. The Squids would play against a familiar foe, the SDSU Bomberos, who had lost to UCSB Blackout the previous day. LITE was hungry for revenge from Sinvite two weeks earlier, where the Bomberos barely edged LITE out on an intense final point. As usual, LITE were the first ones on the fields to begin warmups. Something about this Sunday morning brought about a special energy amongst the team.

Everything was clicking. Cutters were finding themselves open at the right time. Handlers were dishing the disc with the purpose. The disc was getting pushed up the field, just as the day before, but this time with a confidence that kept the disc from getting turned over. The Bomberos were scrambling for answers, coming out in zone defense in response. Still, the offense did not miss a step. Cutters stretched the field horizontally and vertically, creating gaping holes for the handlers to throw to. At the same time, handlers patiently moved up the field with poise. The Squids were dicing up the Bomberos like mangoes at a fruit stand. On the defensive side, the Saturday jitters were gone. The marks were doing their job preventing throws to the break side, and downfield defenders were in relentless pursuit of their matchups. At one point, Casa snuck from behind his defender to knock down a disc, which turned into his goal on the following possession. This time, defensive stops from LITE did not slow down the game but ignited LITE to push the disc down the field promptly. Squid LITE crushed the SDSU Bomberos 15-4. All the hours of practice, intense scrimmages, and exhausting tournaments from the year led up to this final game. And LITE showed up.

It was a bittersweet moment. Everything came together; just one day too late. Yet, it was a testament to the brotherhood that was forged throughout the season, starting from the excellent training from the coaches to the passionate leadership of the captains and guidance of the team’s most senior members. Every challenge brought the Squids closer together and made LITE a stronger team. So, despite the final tournament of the season ending not as expected, the Squids proved to themselves that their ceiling was so much higher than what the final standings would show.

4/12/25 - Air Squids Move on to Regionals, Despite Some Ups and Downs

Day 1

Game 1 Vs Cal Poly-SLO - 11-13 Loss

This game was one that the squids were most excited for, as SLO was the highest seed and team to beat in the section. With a focus on maintaining energy through warmups, we went into half up by three breaks, an amazing result. Unfortunately, in the second half, one break turned into a chain of them and we were not able to close out the game, letting them take the lead and win. Shoutout to Max “Agapito” Gibson for several great hucks into the endzone to Ethan “Tendy” Wang throughout the entire game.

Game 2 Vs Cal State-Long Beach - 13-0 Win

We came into this game disappointed that we had lost the morning matchup against the top-seeded team. However, the competition was at a very different level, as the team was much weaker than our normal opponents. We were still playing at our highest level and ensured that the game was over quickly, and the load was shared to the more junior players, allowing others to rest their legs. One of the stand-out players in this game was fish Tom “Dipsy” Duraisingh, who put up an immaculate upwind flick huck to Jonathan “PSI” McGurrin. With dominance throughout the entire game, the squids recorded our first bagel of the year.

Game 3 Vs UC Irvine - 13-4 Win

This matchup was similar to the game against Long Beach, where the opponent was just outmatched. While slightly more competitive than the previous game, we were still able to distribute play time more evenly among the team compared to our more competitive matchups, even with windier and windier conditions making throws upwind a challenging feat for younger players. Two of the points included amazing Callahans by Casey “Sabi” Loftus and Eli “Dewey” D’Amico. Usually Callahans don’t happen at tournaments, but in one game we had two.

Game 4 Vs San Diego State - 13-5 Win

Coming into this game after two less competitive matchups seemed to be worrying our coach and captains. They made sure to give a good pep talk before the game to ensure we were focused. It worked, and we handled this game without much difficulty. There was a critical lapse in focus at the beginning of the second half where a centering pass by Trey “Zeta” Scheid was picked for a Callahan, and a miscommunication on offense led to us conceding two breaks in a row. After this hiccup we got back on track and handled the rest of the game. Despite his earlier missed passes in the game, Zeta was able to quickly bounce back after a timeout to help the team with assists and moving the disc up the field as the center handler.

Day 2

Game 1 Vs UC Santa Barbara - 11-15 Loss

We were not focused heading into this game and showed it by getting broken three times in a row to start the game, a worrying start to an important match against our rivals. We got closer to being down by one at half, after some amazing defensive poaches by PSI, but SB did not let up and continued to widen their lead until the end of the game. We kept our heads up though, as we knew a win in the following game would most likely set up a rematch to regain second place.

Game 2 Vs UCLA - 15-11 Win

After losing a game that we would’ve liked to win against Santa Barbara, we woke up a little bit and played much better in this game for the win. Shoutout to Tyler “Saw-See” Bourke for taking on the assignment of handler defense against some of their quick guys, as well as some great football-esque routes and catches to help the scoring of multiple break. Throughout the game, especially in the second half, team energy became very strong, and we pulled away with many good offensive plays by Sabi in both the throwing and catching of multiple hucks.

Game 3 Vs UC Santa Barbara - 7-12 Loss

Heading into this game, the team all agreed that we wanted to beat Santa Barbara to get our revenge after they beat us earlier in the day. However, a lot of the team was tired, sunburned, and hungry from a long six previous games in the blazing sun of Irvine. Unfortunately, while the Air Squids started off with good energy, the team’s tiredness caused the energy to dwindle quickly into bad decisions, bickering with the opponents, and overall conceding lots of points. Not a great way to end the tournament, though Aidan "Hooch" Reedy-Schneider showed out after playing offense for a change and dominating deep shots.

3/29/25 - Squid LITE Tries Their Luck at Sinvite 2025

The last weekend in March saw Squid Lite take their talents to Sin City for Sinvite 2025. The team made their way up after a much-needed spring break, where Squids and Fish alike had time to rest their tentacles for the last half of the season.

Lite woke up early for their first scheduled game against BYU B, reaching the fields and starting warmups well before other teams even made the field. The game began but it looked like LITE was behind from the start. Though there were many instances of great defense and solid marks, LITE’s throws were subpar and the offensive system looke chaotic. Though we fought hard, BYU was able to capitalize on the mistakes that were made by LITE enroute to a 13-1 score, where the game felt like LITE was always two steps behind and were tripping themselves up. A notable moment in that game was the unfortunate loss of a few players to injury and fatigue, which hindered the Squids for the rest of the tournament.

However, this did not stop Squid LITE from returning stronger than ever for our second game of the day against SDSU B. With the knowledge that all we could do was go up from the last game, Squid Lite came out guns firing and arms slinging. With the constant leadership from veterans like Rishi “Limbo” Carlton and Hillel “Gambit” Avital, LITE was able to take an early lead heading into halftime. One aspect that LITE excelled at was breaking the cup that SDSU had when they ran zone. However, after halftime, SDSU came back with some effort and they started to chip away at the lead. However, with great defense from Ruben “Eeyore” Gonzales and Joe Hunt, LITE was able to outlast them to the soft cap. On the last point, Krishna “Jamba” Jamakhandi forced a D and caught it, an aspect that LITE was lacking during the tournament and threw it into the endzone, where Eeyore caught the disk for a game sealing goal.

The third game of the day was against Northern Arizona, a team that LITE had never faced in the past tournaments. The game was close, as LITE was able to keep up with athletic NAU players throughout the first half. However, as they threw a zone at the LITE boys, Lite was unable to break the cup due to the long legs and arms of NAU and went down after halftime, losing 13-7. Key performers during this game included Vivek “Yuti” Gadicherla and Gambit, who were able to run an effective handler set during zone, where they were able to crash the cup and gain a few yards when NAU threw a zone. However, this was short lived as the long arms of NAU forced many Ds when LITE crashed the cup, leading to scores on the other side.

The last game of the day came against a familiar foe in USC B. The main obstacle for the Squids was the myriad of injuries that plagued the Squids throughout the tourney. At the start of the game, the Squids had a respectable 19 players, but by the end, LITE was trotting out a measly 11, as many of the Squids were unconditioned due to the Spring break prior to the tourney. However, this didn’t stop many of the Squids from leaving it all on the field. Eeyore especially showed out, leading the team on the defensive side of the game. The game was a story of zone defense as well, however LITE had finally cracked the code. Through the insane throws of Gambit and Yuti, hammers across the field allowed for easy gains that broke the zone. There were many instances where Gambit threw a cross field flick to Amogh “Papa Perc” Ramachandra for a goal that kept LITE in the game. A huge moment came when Perc generated a D at one end zone and caught the disc at the other end zone courtesy of Yuti. However, due to the sheer loss of players, LIte lost to USC 13-8, where it felt like the Squids just needed more players, closing the day out with a record of 1-3.

The Squids were hungry for a win on Sunday. Starting the day off with a win meant they would have the chance to advance to the finals. LITE would face off against the University of Arizona Sunburn. The Nevada sun was shining just as brightly as the day before, but unlike Saturday, strong, dry downwinds had started to pick up. This created a significant advantage for whichever team was playing north at any given moment. The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with the downwind team capitalizing on the conditions. Arda “Baby Maz” Gurel, Eeyore, and Zachary “Remi” Rosen all secured catches in the end zone. The highlight of the half came when Limbo made a one-handed grab on a long huck to keep possession alive. LITE entered halftime with plenty to be proud of—the score was tied 4-4. Offensive possessions were ending in scores, and they weren’t giving Sunburn any easy points. The second half started with a quick break from the Sunburn. Then another. And another. Possibly injured and fatigued from the previous day, LITE could not match the intensity of the Sunburn. The deep hucks that were successful in gaining yards in the first half were not coming in the second half. Breaking the Sunburn zone defense was a tall task in the wind, and mistimed cuts and the lack of open space exacerbated LITE’s struggles. So while the Squids’ defense challenged Arizona’s offense just as much as it did in the first half, it did not end up translating into scores. LITE fell 10-4, but with hope of closing the day out strong.

It was going to be the LITE versus the SDSU Bomberos to close out the day. They were familiar foes from the day before, which gave Squid LITE confidence heading into the match. Unlike the Arizona zone, LITE had success breaking through the first line of the Bombero’s defense the day before. Now the question was: could the LITE repeat its success, this time with winds? The match started with two brutally long points with multiple turns. The downwinds that were there to start the day became a brutal crosswind for each team’s respective handlers. Strategically, LITE set up to force the Bomberos to throw straight into the wind. It was clear the game was going to turn into a long, hard grind for both sides. Similar to the game against the Sunburn, handlers were letting the disc fly when they had the chance. Kit “Rocky” Bailey caught an endzone huck while Joey “Fan Fan” Toscano filled a statsheet with a D and goal all in the same possession. Remi and Gavriel “Barkle” Feria set the tone on defense by locking down handler dumps and forcing errant throws by the Bomberos. Similar to the previous game, the Squids were faced with a challenge. Breaking out of SDSU’s zone defense was a struggle. The deep hucks were getting eaten up by the wind. Needing a hold to save their hopes of winning, down 6-7, the Squids were unable to convert after several endzone chances. LITE fell to the Bomberos 6-8.

Sinvite tested the Squids. With a small roster and facing heavy winds, LITE competed down to the wire with every team. The disappointing results provoked a big takeaway the team needed to face before embarking to Bakersfield for Dev Regionals: mental and physical strength needs to be pushed to its limits in order to win. Falling to teams in down-to-the-wire matches has been a persistent struggle for the entire season. The next two weeks of practice will require the best out of the Squids to prove we can win games against some of the most competitive teams in the Southwest region.

Game 1: W (15-13) vs Utah

Utah is a good team, and we knew going into the game that a slow start was not an option going into the weekend. Fortunately, we had a good, focused mindset throughout the whole game, making concrete throws with the disk and applying strong pressure on defense. We went into halftime down a point or two, and knew that we would have to tighten up defense in the second. Their handlers were quite speedy, and had caught us off guard a few times. But then by playing better and preventing them from attaining easy progress up the field we forced them to make less optimal throws, thus leading to enough turnovers to take the lead. One notable point had them stuck in their own endzone for several throws, before turning over on a shot upfield. We continued to make high percentage throws and close out the game with a 2 point lead. Shoutout to Captain Ethan “Tendy” Wang for going up in the sky on a floaty huck to seal the deal.

Game 2: L (7-15) vs Washington

We aimed to continue the momentum from our win vs. Utah into this game. We started out on equal footing. Despite an early break in our favor, a fair few drops earned Washington a significant lead over us going into a half. Our energy took a significant hit, and we didn’t quite have enough in the tank to get ourselves back into the game. Feeling our deficit grow and grow, we ended up playing in a quite zoned-out manner, and were not competitive in this game. We talked in the huddle after this game about having the mental resilience to just move on to the next game and not let losses like this upset us. We still needed to win another game to get out of our pool!

Game 3: W (13-11) vs Virginia

This game was a battle. Both teams were 1-1 on the day and had to win to make the bracket. Hold after hold went through from both sides, so we were neck-and-neck for 90% of the game. With both teams trading calm and collected points, the first half felt like a heavy weight slug fest. We knew that the first team to make a break would gain a massive momentum advantage and open the floodgates. This is exactly what we did. Shoutout to Eli “Dewey” D’Amico for locking down their main handler for their handler-centric offense. Just as we predicted, their offense fell apart after the first break. After bringing on the pressure they messed up again and again, giving us a few breaks in a row, and the eventual win.

Game 4: L(11-15) vs Western Washington

They were probably the best team we played all weekend, and we played decently well against them. We felt the consequences of our uniquely small roster for this tournament, as most of our players were pretty tired and unable to play with their usual vigor. Unforced errors grew their lead slowly throughout the game, and we were unable to bring a defensive intensity that could fight us back into the game. Going into the half down two breaks, it felt we didn’t quite have enough energy to rectify our situation, and their lead only grew until we inevitably conceded the final goal. Shoutout to Saw-See for dueling his parallel mid-sized blond speedy dude, notably coming out on top in a long-ball to the endzone.

Game 5: W (15-11) vs Wisconsin

This was a must win game for us, in order to have only one more game to play on Sunday. We delivered. The beginning of the game saw us trading holds, with both o lines looking clean but not perfect. Eventually however, we were able to earn a couple breaks to take the lead. Lock-down defense the whole game, clean offense, great sideline assistance gave us a significant advantage. We closed out the game in style, with the o-line playing a consistent and conservative game. This game was a grind for us, coming in with only 17 guys and losing 4 throughout the first day and half of this game, we finished the game with only 13 healthy players.

Game 6: L (9-15) vs Utah

We were pretty beat up by the end of the weekend, but still wanted to finish confidently and with satisfying play. We were only down one going into half, and kept playing overall well for around three-fourths of the game. Towards the end we started to fall apart, in part out of fatigue from playing so many points over the weekend. As a result Utah was able to break away with a lead. But this is one of the things we came to the tournament to get more experience with – staying mentally tough and physically durable in long, low numbers games. So hopefully we can come out of this experience stronger than before. Shoutout to ex-captain Trey “Zeta” Scheid who had the stickiest of hands and made some very clean plays.

Day 1: Saturday 3/8/25

Game 1 vs Whitman: 9 - 13 Loss

Arriving before sunrise with frost freezing our toes, the Squids started warming up for the first game of the tournament bright and early against Whitman. Unfortunately, this early start compounded with long travel days on Friday, resulted in the squids starting out slow and asleep. This slow start led to the O-line being broken multiple times, making it difficult to get the energy going for the rest of the tournament. The squids couldn’t bounce back for the early breaks, and ended-up losing our first game.

Game 2 vs British Columbia B: 13 - 9 Win

After a tough loss the Squids were ready to adapt and take a victory against UBC B, the only B team at the tournament. Continuous defensive pressure and the O-Line punching in scores led to a much needed first win of the tournament. Great handling movement on the D-Line especially rookie Bodhi “Cass” Brenner, and former B-team players Nico “CBH” Nonemaker and Daniel “Red 40” Bonkowsky. This game really showed the improvement members have made since the Fall.

Game 3 vs Cal Poly-SLO: 9 - 13 Loss

After our first victory, spirits were up and we were ready to take on a team that is historically always an intense game, national finalists Cal Poly SLO. The squids struggled to gain our footing however, going down early. Despite moments of brightness we were unable to overcome an early deficit, though we fought our hardest until the very end. Intense defensive pressure from Eli “Dewey” D’Amico and Aidan “Hooch” Reedy-Schneider, allowed us to stay in the game, but not overcome our deficit.

Game 4 vs USC: 12 - 9 Win

The last game of the day and our first game of bracket play (pre quarters) was against USC. Starting the game off very strong and continuing to keep gas on the foot, stopping USC to form any type of comeback. USC was simply outmatched by our simple play, making the game look easy. Almost every undercut was open and we were able to walk down the field. The few times we attempted a huck it didn’t work out, but the O line played hard D to ensure the turnover and also score. Tyler “Dumpty” Kurpanek made a surprise appearance on the D-line, playing a crucial role in the zone. He had two great D’s despite terribly egregious foul calls by USC.

Day 2: Sunday 3/9/25

Game 1 vs Western Washington: 9 - 13 Loss

The next game was against Western Washington in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, we got broken a few times by both some miscommunications and execution errors by our O-Line, and morale went down a bit. There were a few good plays like a big D from Max “Agapito” Gibson. Overall we had too many deep shots that weren’t working, when we could have easily worked our way down the field easily. This loss knocked us out of the championship bracket and into 5th place consolation.

Game 2 vs Stanford: 11 - 10 Win

Morale was a little down and legs were a little tired going into this matchup with the hosts, Stanford. We started the game well with both teams converting on offense and keeping us ahead. We had a small loss of focus allowing for Stanford to take the lead going into half time and for almost the rest of the game, but a nasty layout score from Ethan “Tendy” Wang brough spirits back up into the next point. On D, Bradley “Cosmo” Zanteson made an incredible layout D on an under for the break, forcing a universe point. On universe, our D line forced an early throwaway from Stanford which resulted in a Cass hammer assist to Cosmo in the back corner of the endzone to win the game. This win was a small redemption for the Squids after a home loss to Stanford at Pres Day.

Game 3 vs Cal: 8 - 12 Loss

Last game of the tournament started off badly against Cal, with the Squids immediately getting broken by their pesky zone and the slightly windier conditions than the rest of the tournament. The team had minimal energy after a long two days and seemed to have given up a bit. Cal was playing a zone defense since the wind had begun to pick up, but it only took us a few points to get comfortable in this game. Team energy was able to pick up a bit and we kept the game close in the eventual loss. This marked the end of the Stanford Invite.

Air Squids LITE took two day trips to Pomona for an non-sanctioned tournament that tested the resolves of each Squid that played.

Our first day started off with a bye, but LITE was up and ready to go 90 minutes before, warming up the bones and limbs of each Squid alike. Our first game was against UCLA Smoke where Lite came out guns blazing, winning the first game to 3, easily. Smoke was stifled by Lite’s incredible handler marks and they turned it over point by point. Lite’s offense was also firing on all cylinders, with hucks from Hillel “Gambit” Avital and Qianli “Tsunade” Wu finding the sure hands of Lite cutters downfield. However, as the game progressed, Lite was unable to convert many endzone possessions and were victim to several long points that went Smoke’s way, in the end finishing with a score of 7-9 at hard cap.

In the showdown against UCI Bedtime, LITE got straight-up stonewalled by a nasty zone D that had our handlers scratching their heads. The cup was suffocating, and our flow got totally wrecked in the early going. But LITE ain't no pushover squad—we dug deep and figured that zone out real quick, with Gambit and Benjamin “Casa” Cohan-Schiff popping discs through the cup and bombing it when the deep look was there. The score stayed neck-and-neck with both squads trading punches like heavyweight fighters. Just when momentum was swinging our way, we coughed up a brutal break that we couldn't get back. Tried as we might to claw back, the damage was done. Clock ran out with UCI B taking it 11-9.

Against ASU B, LITE came in confident with our trusted ho stack system, but their freakish athleticism straight-up bodied us from the jump. Their defenders were flying everywhere, making every cut a battle and every throw contested. The game turned into a straight-up endurance test with some points dragging on forever—both squads burning timeouts just to catch their breath and recalibrate. While we were grinding through our possessions, ASU B was launching absolute dimes downfield, their hucks connecting like they had GPS tracking. Despite LITE putting up a fight and showing flashes, ASU B's superior athleticism and deep game proved too much to handle. When the dust settled, we took the L 6-11, but gained some valuable experience against a team that could flat-out fly.

Day 2 started brighter and earlier as the Squids embarked on their 100 minute trip to Pomona to face a familiar foe in the early morning, UCSB Blackout. Unsurprisingly, LITE was on time for morning warm ups and had some fresh faces ready to contribute. The match began with the Squids catching Blackout off guard. Hard, aggressive defense led to two breaks that gave LITE an early 2-0 lead. But Blackout responded fiercely, going on a 3-0 run to take the lead. Similar to the previous meetings in Santa Barbara and SLO earlier this season, each possession was intense and evenly matched, with both teams using the length and width of the field with a Ho-Stack. After an intense first half, LITE found themselves down 7-8. Needing a break to even the score after the soft cap, Blackout switched it up, running a Vert-Stack that the Squid defense could not adjust to. LITE fell 7-10, a third straight loss to Blackout this season.

Coming off the loss, LITE would then face Smaug, by far their toughest test of the tournament. While it would be easy to lower the intensity level after a loss, especially after having to play a high-level A-team like Smaug is, LITE did not. The message was clear, LITE had nothing to lose so there was no reason not to leave it all out on the field. Having to start off on defense, LITE got an immediate taste of what the Smaug offense would look like. A Vert-stack with quick handler movement, and break-side cuts coming from the bottom of the stack. An Endzone set with the option of an open-side cut from the top of the stack. This put pressure on the mark to hold the force and move quickly to cap a continued break-side throw. LITE rose to the challenge to defend the Smaug attack. Additionally, with the added element of wind becoming a bigger and bigger factor as the game progressed, it would appear as if the more skilled Smaug would assert their offensive dominance through their throwing. However, great handling movement and cutting was able to expose holes in the Smaug zone defense, although it took time to get it running. At the same time, tough marks and great open-side defense forced Smaug handlers into making inconsistent throws to the dump that were denied by Mother Nature. Despite having a flowing offense and forcing multiple turns, LITE failed to execute when it mattered most near the goal line. But while the final score was 4-15, there weren’t any points where it was obvious that LITE was outmatched. The game was a reminder of our potential as a team when we run the systems we practice every week.

Following the challenging matchup against Smaug, LITE found themselves facing a familiar opponent in USC Blockdown for the final game of the tournament. With fatigue setting in and the wind picking up significantly, Blockdown immediately deployed their zone defense, hoping to capitalize on the conditions. However, LITE's experience from the previous day's wind battles proved invaluable, as we patiently worked the disc through the cups with disciplined handler movement. With this being the tournament finale, energy surged through the LITE sideline—everyone was determined to leave everything on the field, vocal support reaching new heights with each possession. Despite LITE's composure, Blockdown's arsenal of beautiful inside breaks and crafty around throws caught the Squid defense off guard multiple times, creating scoring opportunities that seemed to materialize from nowhere. The Squids generated several break opportunities but were ultimately undone by a handful of unexpected drops at crucial moments. These uncharacteristic execution errors proved costly, as fatigue began to affect even the most reliable hands on the team. Despite a valiant push in the closing points, LITE fell short, ending their tournament run with a 6-9 loss to Blockdown.

Day 1

Game 1 (Northeastern) L 11-13

We started the weekend off to a fine start in terms of what we expected. On offense we had few turnovers and were able to hold most of the points. On defense, we were able to create some break opportunities but not convert on many. Max “Agapito” Gibson had some crazy layout D’s, and Casey “Sabi” Loftus had a nice shot. Despite the defensive intensity, the lack of breaks constituted the few points we needed to make the game closer and possibly get a win. The main takeaway is that D-offense was subpar from what it needed to be to get wins.

Game 2 (Santa Barbara) L 5-7

The wind started to pick up. The game was slowed down by high emotions and foul calls. Lots of turns from both teams. There was a very long point that went back and forth for something like 15 minutes (or maybe more). 13 turns in that one point, great plays when defending (Tom “Dipsy” Duraisingh had a sick layout-D on the goal line), and terrible plays when we had the disc. Conditioning was an area that needed to be improved, as well as sharpening up play when tired to not drag out the point even further. While the D-offense didn’t look great, their offense also got fatigued as a result, and there were no excuses for losing against the worse team. This game demonstrated our lack of proficiency in fundamentals, including throwing and catching. In high wind, ideally our drilling and practice of the fundamentals should be able to come out and overcome the adverse conditions.

Day 2

Game 1 (SLO) L10-13

Maybe the closest we came to playing a full game at full intensity and focus. Possibly, the thought of being true underdogs relieved some of the pressure and allowed for a calmer play style against a strong opponent. We stayed even for most of the game and only fell behind at the very end, so it was a decent showing against a highly ranked team. The offensive line was very solid most of the game, trading points back and forth until half. There were some mistakes made, but the O line refused to give up on a turn and got the disc back on multiple occasions. Agapito with more layout D’s, Ethan “Tendy” Wang had some nice catches and Nate “Walla” Becker as well. The first break went to us and the energy was incredibly high. Unfortunately, at the end of the second half, we made some mistake,s and SLO took control.

Game 2 (Oregon State) L 10-11

The first half of this game was by far our best play of the entire year. After multiple consecutive breaks to start the game, team energy and intensity were at an all-time high. We were leading a top team by four points, and the game seemed sealed at half time. They did an amazing job on defense, capitalizing on our opponents' mistakes when they made them, and it was clear that the d-offense shortcomings from previous games had been addressed and taken to the other extreme. Then, in the second half, an offensive mistake avalanched into more, and the pressure rose as the score got closer. What we had done to them was done to us, and through multiple breaks in a row, they regained the lead. In the future, we aim to be calmer and maintain focus under pressure so we can maintain our lead in games such as these instead of giving it up and ending with a narrow loss. This loss was mostly caused by our mentality, though the outstanding first-half play gives an optimistic look into how we can become a top team.

Game 3 (Stanford) L 10-11

Morale was low heading into the game after two close defeats on the day. We didn’t start this game very hot but started to turn it around once we regained focus. It seemed like our opponent was hungry for a win after getting slaughtered all day, and the score being close was giving them encouragement. We had this game in our favor until the pressure and intensity were turned up, and then we folded.

Day 3

Game 1 (Victoria) L 10-11

Ostensibly weaker than Oregon or Stanford, but the same result and same score… this makes no sense! We started out with good defense, causing severe breaks and taking the lead at half-time. Towards the end, as we closed in on the win, our nerves got the better of us and led to throwing mistakes and poor decisions. Both the offensive and defensive lines needed to step up this game. The offensive line was making poor decisions constantly and throwing away the disc. The D-line had a lack of breaks and didn’t give the O-line a chance to rest. Ivan “Gala” Fisher almost had a layout D in the end zone ):

Game 2 (UC Davis) W 13-3

Well, at least we can coast through a lower-level opponent. Even our weaker lines had an easy time, so our practice, training, and improvement are noticeable in comparison to out-of-division teams. The team really wanted to get at least one win. Dave “Nette” Schwartz had an awesome layout D. Possibly having more confidence and less pressure in this game made it easier to play calmly and well. It was a great time to statpad and a nice closeout to an otherwise heartbreaking tournament.

Air Squids LITE took a trip up the coast to Cal Poly SLO for their first sanctioned tournament of the season.

LITE woke up bright and early for their first match against UCLA Smoke at 9:00 am. A complete warmup by LITE helped them get off to a strong start. LITE struck first blood after a deep connection from Vivek "Yuti" Gadicherla to KJ "Jamba" Jamakhandi set up a wide-open continuation throw into the endzone for Amogh "Papa" Ramachandra. LITE subsequently earned two straight breaks to set up a commanding 3-0 lead. The match was long from done, however, with Smoke bringing a physicality that LITE could not match. Smoke ran a conventional Vert Stack but used their player's speed and physicality to often shake off marks and create space. Their cuts would often cause crashes between players leading to several uncalled picks throughout the game. The final score was a hard-fought 8-13.

LITE’s next match would be against the 2-seeded GCU. The team came into the match with the goal of increasing their intensity of play. However, it was hard matching up against bigger and faster GCU lines. After falling behind a couple of points via monster hucks by GCU at the start of the match, LITE stepped up their marks. Notable moments were from Collin "Apollo" Ong, who successfully prevented multiple hucks from getting off, and Bryce "Hessian" Long, who stood tall after passes to the break side. However, a lack of handler movement and well-timed cuts in the Ho-Stack led to a lot of forced hucks into double and triple coverage. LITE fell swiftly to GCU 2-13. Despite the struggles on offense, the defense forced GCU to grind out possessions. This would translate into improved defense for the rest of the tournament.

The final game of pool play came against the Cal Poly SLO C Team. Coming immediately after the GCU game in which the team was dominated, LITE needed to change their attitude to finish the day with a win. The veterans on the team set the tone of the game. Arda "Baby Maz" Gurel diced up the SHYLOCK's defense and ended with a game-high 5 assists. Jared "Momo" Jose could not be guarded as a cutter, finding open space on undercuts as well as deep cuts. Meanwhile, the defense, with some minor hiccups, prevented easy open unders from SLO cutters, forcing intense handler movement. In the end, Baby Maz threw a lucrative hammer that flattened out at the top and fell straight into the arms of Papa for the game-sealing point. The match ended in a comfortable 13-9 win, which ended the day on a positive note.

On Sunday, the boys woke up energized and ready for the bracket play. However, they were invigorated in their first game against Berkeley's Ursa Minor. At the beginning of the game, through sheer willpower and knowledge of the system, Lite went on an early run. It also helped a ton as Momo was catching everything that was and was not thrown at him. However, Ursa Minor decided to turn up the heat in the second half with some tight D, and Lite started giving ground. Though the game ended at the score 9-12, the Squids fought hard, with encouragement from the returners, especially the constant motivation from Joseph "FanFan" Toscano.

Our second game of the day was against the SDSU B team. At this time of the day, Lite not only had to play hard but they were forced to contest with the strong winds that blew across the field. Evidence of this could be seen in the inability of the team to throw flick hucks up the field. There were also instances where many of Lite’s players were thrown to the ground by the heavy defense that was run, an unfortunate moment being when Jamba got sandwiched between two defenders. However, the team fought through the adversity by making small passes, which exploited the zone that SDSU ran throughout the match. This, coupled with a strong showing from the rookies during numerous rookie-only lines allowed the team to squeak out a narrow win with a score of 10-9. A big highlight of the game was the first and only Callahan of the tournament, achieved by rookie Papa.

The last game of the day was against UCSD B team Blackout. A familiar foe Lite had faced before at SBQ. Lite was facing numerous struggles from the interesting cross winds that blew across the field, the muddy field, and the large number of players on the side of UCSB blackout. Similar to SDSU, Blackout was running a zone defense to counter the ho stack that Lite had set up. Doing a good job of contesting Lite's unders and the wind-stopping Lite's attempts of clean deep hucks. Lite started off slow but was able to push the disk down the field with short passes to contest the wind and good team coordination. Notably, Momo was giving his all with multiple attempts and success of layout d’s and multiple attempts of layout catches. The team fought valiantly but it was evidently clear that Lite was nearing the end of its energy after half. With Blackout's huge roster compared to the relatively smaller roster that Lite was fielding, Lite still tried its best to fight hard. A series of unfortunate events and mistakes led Lite to turn the disk several times. But valiant efforts from Ben "Casa" Cohan-Schiff with multiple footblocks and Papa with his footblock made it possible for Lite to keep fighting on. But in the end, the multitude of exhaustion, wind, and field errors lead to the defeat of Squid Lite. Everyone put in their best efforts but Lite inevitably lost to Blackout 9-5. Ending PDQ on a bit of a sour note, but also one of hope for improvement and refinement of both our offense and defense.

In the end, Squid Lite put up a valiant effort. Winning 2 of 6 games played with many of them being close. PDQ was a great experience to show what the team and individuals needed to improve and what worked. Many of the games Lite played were close showing that with a bit more time and energy, Lite will be able to change the outcome next time.

Game 1 vs. Utah Valley

In the first game of our tournament, we faced Utah Valley University, who loved throwing the disc deep. The Squids were able to force consistent turnovers, led by Aiden "Hooch" Reedy-Schneider and Jonathan "PSI" McGurrin, but Valley’s defense proved too stout for us to convert in the first half. A few timely mistakes had us down 7-5 at the half, but the Squids slowly found their groove and began to convert breaks in the second half. However, it was too little too late, and even despite excellent effort grabs from Ethan "Tendy" Wang, the Squids lost 11-13.

Game 2, Santa Barbara:

Coming off a tough loss, the energy was low for the Squids to start the game against their long-time rival, Santa Barbara Black Tide. They were able to rattle off many points in a row, before the Squids woke up and punched back with a run of our own, led by third year player Ghislain "Goomba" Demeester. With a comfortable lead and the energy picking up from both teams, the Squids slowly let the lead slip away, and Black Tide found themselves on the cusp of winning with the score at 11-11. However, the stalwart O-Line found Nate "Wallaby" Becker for an easy upline goal to seal the deal and give the Squids their first win of the season.

Game 3, Santa Cruz:

As the day progressed, the environmental conditions began to intensify, with strong winds and colder temperatures being a major factor in our next game against the Santa Cruz Banana Slugs. They were certainly the strongest team we had faced yet, and it showed when they were able to consistently score against our defense, even despite the best efforts of Eli "Dewey" D’Amico and Daniel "Forty" Bonkowsky. However, the Squids were able to match the powerful Slug offense until the second half, when the windy conditions and the stout Santa Cruz defense proved too much for our Squids, resulting in an 11-13 loss. Big shout out to Charlie "Oobi" Wilson-Jackson, however, for making an incredible grab and bringing great energy.

Game 4, UCLA:

On day two, the conditions were even worse, with rain and even hail striking the fields as our Squids warmed up. Despite the weather, we suited up to play our first game of consolation against UCLA. Due to the strong winds and rain, both teams consistently ran zone defenses to try to shake the opposing offenses. Nico "CBH" Nonemaker and Andy "Nefty" Huang played a great part in making UCLA turn the disc over many times. However, like in game one, too many chances were squandered, and after a few errant throws from the Squid's offense, the shortened game ended 5-8 in favor of LA.

With Stanford forfeiting the last consolation game to the Squids, we ended 2-3 on the weekend, with solid results against high-level teams and a large amount of growth from top to bottom on our roster. The Squids look forward to the President’s Day Invite for their next tournament and hope to win more games.

Air Squids LITE traveled to UC Santa Barbara to kickstart the New Year with a weekend-long tournament.

Saturday began with a game against UCLA Smoke. A sluggish start got LITE behind early in the match, finding themselves down 2-7 at the half. LITE started the half with an aggressive huck that set them up for a score. However, it was a combination of a lack of urgency and miscues running our system that ultimately led to the 5-13 loss. Even after a disappointing loss to start, LITE was warmed up and ready to compete with UCSB Blackout next. Blackout ran a patient horizontal stack that continuously found open-side undercuts. However, energized and prepared, the team was ready to take it to them. Excellent handler movement by Ben "Casa" Cohan-Schiff, Oliver "Yaps" Wachtel, and Arda "Baby Maz" Gurel set the pace of the offense for critical end zone situations. With a strong showing from Nick "Yermo" Palmieri, on both Offense and Defense, the game went back and forth. Scores from multiple Squids capped off a team-oriented attack, with a perfect end zone execution that led to KJ "Jamba" Jamakhandi scoring. Despite a hard-fought effort, LITE found themselves down 9-10 at the hard cap, and was unable to keep their hopes of winning alive. The team had to move on from their crushing defeat to play UCSB Crashout. From the start of the game, it was clear that both teams were exhausted. Points had multiple turns with dropped endzone catches, missed throws, and discs sailing out of the venue into the neighboring aquatic center. The game was bafflingly sloppy. Crashout was able to outlast LITE, resulting in a 4-8 defeat.

The final game of the day was against USC B. USC B moved the disc up and down the field with little resistance due to LITE’s slow-moving defense. The game started off with many injuries to the USC B team, but due to a quick lunch break, the Squids avoided the dreaded leg cramps. The one highlight from the 4-10 loss was winning the final point with a line consisting of mainly rookies. Overall, Day 1 of SBQ had flashes of good, but a lack of discipline in sticking with our offensive and defensive systems along with slowly getting the gears turning for the first tournament of the year showed. The four games were taxing on the team, but it was obvious the team had the potential to keep games more competitive than the score suggested.

On day 2 it was clear to everyone on LITE that they would not accept another loss. However, the team would start their day against the sole undefeated team in the tournament, SB Flow. This time, LITE showed up bright and early to prepare for the high school team. LITE set the tone to start the match and it was obvious that they wanted the win more. The game started with four consecutive breaks, capped off by a nutty no-look flick assist by Ryan "TiDo" Wang. Having already defended against the horizontal stack the previous day, LITE forced multiple errors by Flow’s offense. After the quick start, Flow fiercely responded, stealing the momentum and the lead by halftime. Thanks to efficient handling by Vivek "Yuti" Gadicherla, Baby Maz, and Ryan "Wabac" Kuoch, LITE hung on with a 12-10 win.

LITE ended the tournament with a pool-worst 1-4 record, but they were not going to carry the struggles of the previous games into the 5th-place tie breaker match. The final match of the tournament was set against SB Crashout. The team started the game off with two breaks, but this game was a story of runs. The Squids went on a three point run, and then Crashout went on a three point run. After halftime, the Squids went on to win the last two points capped off with a great endzone set. At 7-7, a well-placed pull and quick defensive setup forced a critical turnover near the goal line, setting up an endzone opportunity. In this endzone set, the defender on Ruben "Eeyore" Gonzalez called out our play, forecasting the cut to the break side. However, with quick thinking, Eeyore ran to the open side. This allowed Wabac to have a free cut to the breakside, while his defender was left twiddling his thumbs. Yuti threw a meticulous inside to land the disc just at the tip of Wabac's hand right inside the endzone line, securing the win for the Squids.

Our tournament may have started with a four game losing streak, but the boys brought it together to end on a high, with a two game win streak. This streak was infused with the camaraderie of the Squids working together to secure the dubs.

This past Saturday, the first day of finals week, marked the annual Turkey Tax tournament hosted by the University of San Diego Ultimate Club, the Flat Tax Ballers. This year, out of unfortunate coincidence, most of Squid Lite had finals that day, but those who showed up put so much energy into the tournament that the low numbers didn’t matter. Most importantly, this tournament was our beloved Trefo's last tournament before graduating and leaving the team.

The day got off to a rocky start, with the first game being the familiar Cal Poly Pomona Cows, who threw a zone defense at us. Due to it being early in the season, we had not practiced zone offense at practice yet this year, and we were out of our depth. However, determined to improve in the next game, we kept our heads up.

The next game was against the Point Loma Loman Empire. Like CPP, they utilized a zone defense that made the game difficult for us. However, there were some major improvements in our composure with the disc and our movement in this game, and despite a 2-13 loss, we were excited that our offense was starting to take shape. A huge moment in this game was when Yaps saw that a deep throw was being thrown and immediately chased after the opponent going deep, catching up and getting the disc before the opponent could and causing a turnover that led to one of the two scores of that game.

After a lunch break, we got ready to play the Cal State Fullerton Phantoms. This team played a familiar man defense, so our regular offensive system worked wonders. Almost every point, we forced a turnover and ran a clean offensive system. The highlight of this game was when Trefo left his defender in the dust, scoring a deep shot goal. We won the game 13-3, and went into our last game feeling confident.

Our last game of the day was against the host, USD. Although this team also played a zone defense, we were ready for it, finding holes in the defense and working it steadily up the field. This game our rookie TiDo made a big defensive play in the endzone, grabbing the disc over two of the other team’s players. Because of the team’s fluid offense, we ended the game on a 12-3 win.

Finally, we said our goodbyes to Trefo, and went home happy with our performance and improvement. We are excited to get even better as a team in time for our next tournament in January.

Day 1

Game 1: Santa Barbara L, 7-13

There was a lot of tension and excitement going into the first game but the nerves also ran high as this was the first ICE tournament for many new members of the team. Many different expectations were going in, ranging from dominating to not knowing what to expect. The stoke was low after we lost the first few points and it was hard to get the vibes back up at first. Santa Barbara out-hustled us and both our offense and defense were sloppy. There was more negativity on the sidelines than encouragement. It was not until a certain pause in play, when the team started to find a collective mindset focused on unity and improvement that we managed to bring out our strengths again. Looking back, we started the tournament with not much in terms of offensive coordination or defensive strategy. However, we can derive a sense of accomplishment from the contrast between this first game and the very last, in which we had a rematch against SB. But more on that later…

Game 2: Utah L 7-13

Against the Utah Zion Curtain, the energy was feeling better than in game 1. Our defense was unfortunately slaughtered in the air by a barrage of hucks we couldn’t seem to counter, and our offense stalled in the face of their poachy sets. Our offense at times was frantic, and it seemed as though we allowed the music we played on the sidelines to distract us, instead of letting it inspire us. Even after some strong deep throws in return from Walla and Zeta, Utah was too far ahead and our Squids fell again.

Game 3: Cal L 8-12

The squad had warmed up properly by this game, so now it was time to take on our toughest opponent yet. Although the result wasn’t ideal there was much more positive energy on the sidelines combined with increased desire on the field. Agapito matching up against his brother was a sight to be seen and was very entertaining to watch. Our dump set defense, however, certainly could’ve used improvement, it felt as though they could swing the disc at will, a theme that would continue in our future game vs Cal. Our offense however connected much better through the air than previously. While we lost, there was a lot to feel proud of after leaving this game.

Day 2

Game 1: SLO L 9-13

Although the score wasn’t on our side, we competed with some serious energy. Our vibes faltered slightly out of the gate, but after cashing in a break, our sideline was consistently more active and more invigorated than our opposition’s. We, for the most part, did a good job of exploiting what the defense was giving us, that being free resets and lateral movement from our backfield. Our O-Lines were patient after the pull, waiting for the defense to reveal itself or lock into a man. However, their defensive intensity was greater than ours, and a couple of ill-advised turnovers put us in a hole we couldn’t climb out of. A close loss to a very strong team to start the day would set the stage for a great comeback on day 2.

Game 2: Cal L 6-10

Seeing this Cal team again left our team amped up to get revenge. We had real defensive grit and motivation in this game. One weakness that Cal exploited against our defense was up-line cuts, which they beat us on to score multiple points. On the other hand, some inspiring points were played including an extremely long point with the Cal guys claiming a violation on Cass’s stall counting. Shoutout to Nefty’s defensive grit in getting revenge after a mistake. Also props to Soma for continued defensive strength and being so close to many D’s. Our dump defense again faltered, and our own dump sets certainly could’ve used improvement, but our fight and vigor were admirable. We narrowed the margin between this game and our last game against Cal, and this improvement was something that the team was proud of.

Game 3: Santa Barbara W 11-7

As our final game of the day, we needed to get ourselves a win and continue to feel the music and the energy. This game was the culmination of all of our hard work throughout the weekend. The first half of the game went in our favor, the cuts were well timed, and the defensive intensity was awesome. Cruising through the first half, positivity and stoke was high. After an inspiring halftime talk, we pushed into the second half, giving it all we had. Bino had a great bid for a disc barely out of bounds. In the final points of the game, Goomba’s line took the field after a heated game of rock-paper-scissors (Goomba used his fire), and off of a huge huck from Cass, Dumpty was able to cash in a sick layout score for the win. Your Air Squids got the win to cap off an eventful and fun Sean Ryan.

On the weekend of November 2nd and 3rd, the Air Squids participated in the Kendra Fallon Memorial Tournament, our very own tournament hosted here at UCSD. This tournament was the very first tournament for our newly joined members, providing a valuable learning experience for them as they became aware of what the ultimate frisbee tournament atmosphere is like. We split into three teams: X, Y, and Z with an even distribution of returning players and newcomers to give each person an equal opportunity to learn and grow their skills.

Team X started the tournament with a rough matchup, the University of Southern California, one of the favorites to win the entire tournament. Even though we lost 12-5, it wasn’t without memorable moments like Cosmo’s 40+ yard layout goal catch or Momo’s dropped end zone catch with nobody around him. This game was followed by a 10-8 loss to Arizona State University, a close game that provided valuable lessons to both newcomers and returners alike. Our next two games ended up against the same team, Cal State Long Beach which ended in wins of 12-5 and 13-5 for the Air Squids respectively. Our final game ended with a 13-12 win over one of the other UCSD teams, Team Z.

Team Y started off the tournament with a strong win over San Diego State University. This was a breakout game for a lot of new players, with many rookies scoring points and providing truly amazing assists. Our next game was a close loss against Cal Poly Pomona, which was followed up by a rough match against University of California, Los Angeles. This saw Team Y enter the 9th place bracket where the first game was a close loss to Cal State Long Beach which featured a lot of wind. Day 2 consisted of two games. The first was a rematch against San Diego State University, which was another comfortable win that saw everyone showcasing their skills and lessons learned throughout the tournament. The final game was against the University of California, Los Angeles’s B team; while down by a large margin in the first half, Team Y clawed back to a one-point deficit by the time the hard cap went off. Given the momentum, Team Y would’ve likely done very well against them. This final game was a major learning point for the newcomers in the importance of momentum within the sport.

Team Z was ready to start this tournament off, with everyone showing up bright and early, eager to take on their first opponents of the year, for most. We started off playing the Claremont Braineaters, where we had a slow start but eventually came back in the second half to bring the score back to even. When the hard cap went off, Claremont unfortunately scored, giving them the win, and our first loss. Immediately following this match, we went up against Point Loma Loman Empire. Faced against their unique 5-man cup in their zone defense, we had to develop a new way to run our offense, and it worked. We blew past them, achieving the first win of the year. Our final game of the day was against U of A Sunburn. It had a rocky start where they scored 3 times in a row at the beginning. Team Z almost came back, with a break train in the second half, but the hard cap prevented the comeback. On the second day of the tournament, we were ready to improve on what we did yesterday. We played our first game against UCLA B Smoke, where we won by a large margin, giving our first-years and returners a chance to get back to their best form. Following that, we played against Point Loma once again and did a repeat of what we did the day before. Our final game was against our own Team X for ninth place. We lost in a close match-up, but overall the weekend was a success, giving first-years a chance to experience competitive ultimate outside of practice and getting returners back into the ultimate mood.

At this year's Halloween spooktacular tournament, Huckfest, Air Squids LITE traveled to UC Irvine for one last hooray with last year’s team. Unfortunately, due to fake field issues, Saturday’s games started at 3pm and went rather late into the night. Fortunately, this added the spooky vibes on top of players dressed in their Halloween costumes. Notable costumes included Spade as a Starbucks barista and DiGiorno as Zelda.

The first game, against SDSU, started off with good energy and was close going into the half, but fatigue began to catch up with the Squids and it was the first tournament of the year, so the team chemistry wasn’t fully developed. This led to a disappointing 7-11 loss. In the next game against the Cal Poly Slo B team, the Mustangs started off strong with two back to back breaks and while the chemistry between players became more noticeable, the Mustangs were able to hold out for a win 11-7 over the Tritons. The player of the game went to Saw-See for making multiple layout bids to catch errant deep hucks for multiple scores, keeping the game as close as it could be. The final game on Saturday was under the lights against USD and this was when the team started to click together. The Squids rekindled their energy for a late night win over USD, dominating them 12-5.

Unfortunately, Sunday started bright early with the first game at 9:00am, so the team did not get to rest as much as they wanted. The first game against UCI ended in spectacular fashion on a universe point (sudden death) score from DN after running a flawless endzone set, really highlighting the chemistry that the Squids built on Saturday, taking down UCI 9-8. This success did not continue into the next game where LITE lost to the other Cal Poly SLO team 6-10, resulting in a departure from the championship bracket, and leading them to fight for 5th place. This did not slow the Squids down because they rebounded to defeat one of the UCLA teams 9-5. Finally, in the 5th place game against the other SDSU team, the Squid’s won a nail biter with a universe point win at 7-6. This win was a culmination of the energy and chemistry that had progressively increased over the tournament, with one notable play being DiGiorno and Baby Maz going back and forth over half the length of the field for a score. The universe point ended with a score from Wigglytuff after the offense panicked SDSU’s defense on the endzone line. This capped off the Huckfest with a shining light despite Halloween being right around the corner.

9/27/24 - Air Squids Open the Season Against SDSU

On the sunny afternoon of September 27th, 2024 on Warren Field, the energy of ultimate frisbee returned to campus as we kicked off the year with our showcase game against SDSU. The two teams met at 4:00 pm to begin their warmups before the big game. After running dynamic stretches and some drills, the game to 15 started promptly around 5:00 with a great pull from PSI to the Federales. Noticeable plays in the first half included DN hustling in the end zone to score, a giant leap from Borzoi over the heads of the Feds, and a great shoulder-high layout D from Momo. This allowed the Air Squids to take half with the score standing at 8-5. The start of the second half was immediately followed by an amazing layout from Saw-see to further rile up our momentum. Another well-deserved shout out goes to Trefo for getting multiple Ds. Towards the end of the latter half, the Squids broke the Feds multiple times back to back to close out the game 15-9, holding them to only one point in the second half.\

The Air Squids were able to secure their victory over SDSU with members from both the A and B teams working together and contributing to great plays such as Goomba’s excellent huck from endzone to endzone and Corn Beef Hash’s constant deep space threats. The cooperation between the players of A team and B team strengthened their chemistry and showcased the close relationship between the two teams. Another momentous play that ensured victory was Tendy’s spectacular layout to bail out Gambit’s errant throw, further continuing the Squids’ offensive dominance over SDSU. Lots of people showed up to support the Air Squids, including a good group of rookies recruited in the previous days from tabling and the Sports Clubs Expo, DCos, and other family and friends. This win over SDSU successfully set the tone and marked the start of our 24-25 season.

2023-2024 | Game Recaps

UCSD Men’s Ultimate B-team took 26 players to Las Vegas, Nevada for the 2024 Sinvite tournament the weekend of March 30th-31st. The wind was rough at about an average of 21 miles per hour, and the competition was fierce, being various A-teams and a few other B-teams. The first game on day 1 was against Grand Canyon University resulting in a 7-3 loss. The second game was against USC-B, which ended up being a 10-10 tie. The third game was against San Jose State University, which resulted in a 10-1 loss. The fourth game was against California State University Long Beach, which resulted in a 14-5 loss. The second day, the team played in the consolation bracket. The first game against UCSB-B resulted in a 15-5 loss, and the second game against Claremont resulted in a 15-1 loss. Over the tournament we recognized mistakes that were being made on the playing field and aim to correct them before our upcoming regional tournament.

Stanford Invite was the Air Squid's last tournament of the regular season and we went in with high hopes and expectations. We came out strong in our first game building a 3-break lead against Illinois. However, we were unable to hold onto that lead after halftime and ended up losing on uni. After a bye, we played our second game against Wisconsin. This game was neck and neck for the whole 90 minutes, with both teams getting crucial upwind breaks and fighting hard for each point. After an intense battle, the game got pushed to uni where the Squids fell short of a win. Our last game of the day was against Tulane in the pre-quarterfinals where we took half with a 2-break lead. Unfortunately, due to the weather, bad calls by Tulane, and a possible overuse of observers, the second half only consisted of 3 total points which Tulane was able to score on each one, giving the Squids their third uni loss of the day.

Due to our performance on day 1, the coaches thought it would be the most beneficial to play our second day with open lines. We started against GCU, which was a fairly clean win (11-4) but still left plenty to work on. Next, we played Dirt which was a game full of highlights but we did end up losing. Although we ended the tournament 1-4, we managed to get a positive point differential, losing all day 1 games by 1 point, our final loss by 2, and winning our only victory by 7. Throughout the weekend, there was a strong wind, especially toward the later part of day 1. This became a large issue for our throwing. As most of the team is not used to playing in strong wind, only a handful of guys could effectively throw upwind. This led to many turns which negatively affected our play all weekend. Overall we take this result and work towards improving before sectionals and the series.

President’s Day marks the middle of our regular season and the squids came out fired-up for our home tournament. We started off pool play playing against Colorado mamabird, Utah, and Stanford. Our first game against Colorado did not go as planned, as while we started off ok, the game quickly got away from us resulting in a 15-5 loss. Our second game was against Stanford and the squids were able to bounce back against our in-region opponents getting a 10-7 win. Our final game of the day was against Utah, and unfortunately the squids came out slow and fell behind by 5 breaks. In the dying minutes of the game, the squids were able to get 3 successive breaks and had the opportunity to break again to force universe, but Utah held and the squids lost 12-10.

On day 2 the squids began power pools, but due to our day 1 performance we were unable to make the bracket regardless of how we performed. The squids were in a power pool with UBC, UCSB and UCI. We beat UCSB in our first game 12-8, but then lost to UBC on uni 10-9 in a hard fought game. The squids were able to finish the day strong though with a 14-7 win over UCI.

On Monday, the squids began their games in the 9th place bracket. Our first game was against UCLA, but the squids came out slow and the game quickly got out of control with us losing 15-4. In our final game of the tournament the tired squids played UBC going down 7-1 right off the bat. However, we were able to fight back bringing the score to 8-8 but unfortunately lost again on uni finishing the tournament in 12th. The squids had some good performances this tourney and look to build on this going into the Stanford invite in early march.

UCSD Men’s Club Ultimate brought the B team to California Polytechnic Institute Pomona’s Ultimate Frisbee tournament: Hucks and Kisses tournament.

The lads went into the tournament hopeful and excited to represent their university. On the first day of play, the Air Squids played UCLA B, SDSU B, and CSU Fullerton. Despite the team's passion and skill the Air Squid’s games against UCLA B and SDSU B both resulted in losses. The match against UCLA B was 7-13 and the match against SDSU B was 6-11. Fortunately, inspiring words from the captains and coaches rallied the team to a monstrous 14-3 win. The late stages of this match allowed the Air Squids to test out some of their very high-potential younger players. The coaches were impressed by the frisbee-throwing capabilities of these high-potential players.

The second day of play had the UCSD Air Squids play Cal Poly Pomona and SDSU B. Despite a quick Air Squids Start Cal Poly Pomona used home-field advantage to beat the Air Squids 13-8. The game against SDSU was the closest of the tournament. The squids played very strong defense, and reached the end zone many times. Unfortunately, due to a failure to properly execute end zone properly, the squids experienced a disappointing 5-6 loss at the hard cap.

Despite the losses the Air Squids returned home with a smile on their face knowing that they were able to represent UCSD over the weekend.

SBI was the first tournament of the regular season. We did well on day 1, taking BYU and UCLA to universe point in pool play, who were both very highly ranked teams last year. However, these uni losses came after having large leads to both teams, which left a bitter taste in the squid’s mouths. On day 1 we also lost to UW 7-15, and beat Northwestern 15-9. The energy on the sidelines was inconsistent during these games and by the end of the day were disappointed knowing that we could have ended pool play as the number 1 team in our pool. On day 2 we came out slow, loosing to UVic 12-9 in prequarters and then to Okc 11-12. However, the squids rallied to beat CSU 14-12 to come in 11th place overall. Throughout the tournament, Sabi put on a great showing as a o-line cutter, as well as hitting many shots downfield. Burns also played very well on D-line, locking people up all weekend. The squids come away from this tournament knowing we could have played better, but also excited at the potential of this team. We look on to President’s day where we hope to make our mark!

UCSD Men’s ultimate took 2 teams, B and C, to the president’s day qualifier at California Polytechnic Institute San Luis Obispo during the weekend of January 20th-21st 2024.

The B-team played three games on the first day. The first game, against Santa Clara University, resulted in a 5-13 loss. The second, against Gunn, resulted in a 10-7 victory. The third and final game of the day, against UCLA Smoke, resulted in a 7-10 loss due to multiple injuries on our side.

The B-team played three games on the second day in bracket play as well. The first game, a rematch against USC blockdown from the previous weekend, resulted in a 5-9 loss. The second game, against UC Santa Cruz Ooze, resulted in a 10-9 victory. The third and final game of the day against UC Berkeley Ursa Minor resulted in a 7-11 loss.

The C-team also played three games on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the tournament's first day, the C-team played LMU, Gold Rush, and UCB’s B team. Against LMU the C-Team lost 13-2. Against Gold rush the C-team lost 13-2. Against UCB B the C-team lost a respectable 13-7.

On Sunday, the tournament’s second day the C-team played 3 more games. This time against UCSB B, UCB B once again, and UCSC B. Although all three games were lost 12-7, 12-5, and 11-9 respectively, the team could be proud of their effort.

At the end of the tournament, the B and C team took a cool picture together and everyone was happy because they got to represent their really cool school UC San Diego.

This weekend (1/13-1/14 2023), UC San Diego Men’s Ultimate B- and C-team, LITE and SELECT, went to UC Santa Barbara to participate in the annual Santa Barbara Qualifiers to attempt to qualify for the Santa Barbara Invitational later this season. The tournament format was pool play on the first day and bracket play on the second day.

The B-team played three games on the first day. The first was against the UC Santa Cruz C-team, Ooze, who we beat with a score of 11-2 at full-time. The second game was played against the UC Irvine B-team, Bedtime, who we beat with a score of 9-1 at full-time. Our relentlessness in our zone defense created numerous turns through sloppy throws and miscommunications from Ooze. Regrettably, the third game against the UCLA B-team, Smoke, was a tough fight from both sides, eventually leading to our defeat with a final score of 5-6. After this defeat, we were hungry for more, knowing that we would hopefully play them in the finals the next day.

The B-team also played three games on the second day during bracket play, where we were seeded 3rd from our pool play performance. The first game was against UC Santa Barbara B-team, Black Out. We started off slow, due to some absence of effort and discipline. But by the second half, we picked up the energy and went on a 5-1 scoring streak, leading to a score of 10-5 at full time, taking us to the semifinals. The second game was our anticipated rematch with Smoke. Expecting another tough fight, we started off by forcing a few breaks, but Smoke responded with their breaks. By the end of the match, the score was 6-6, another universe point would determine the outcome of the game. Both teams put in their best players and headed into the final point, expecting the best from each other. At the end of the day, we bested Smoke with a final throw from NFT to the endzone, our captain DiGiorno caught the game-winning goal, ending a nerve-wracking game, beating Smoke with a score of 7-6, taking us to the finals. In the finals, we faced USC’s B-team, Blockdown. Expecting them to come out in zone defense and hucking downfield, we prepared as best we could to defend that playstyle, but our effort in this game wasn’t matched to what we put in against Smoke. Eventually, LITE lost 6-8 in the finals. The team wasn’t happy with the outcome, but we all put our best effort into being placed where we were. Moving forward, we know what we need to do to beat the teams we lost to and perform how we want to in the tournaments.

The C-team played 3 games on the first day. The first game was against UC Santa Barbara B-team, resulting in a loss with a final score of 4-9. The second game was against the University of Southern California B-team, resulting in a loss with a final score of 3-11. The final game of the day was against California Polytechnic Pomona, which resulted in a loss of 4-9. There was an abundance of effort from the players, and great improvements were made by the end of the day.

The C-team also played 3 games on the second day. The first game of the day was against UCLA’s B-team, smoke, which ended in a final score of 3-12. The second game was against UC Santa Barbara B-team, with a final score of 5-13. Finally, the last game of the day was against UC Irvine’s B-team, which was a close fight but ended in a score of 5-7, resulting in a loss. Many more improvements were made, and a lot of the players on the B-team have begun to understand the way the offense is run.

Overall, we made great strides in terms of teamwork and actual in-game experience. Seeing as it was many peoples’ first tournament ever, the results are overwhelmingly positive.

MENS ULTIMATE

The Sport of Ultimate

NEWS AND RESULTS

Stay tuned for updates for the upcoming year!

2/21/26 - Pomona Sweethearts 2026

2/14/26 - Air Squids Garner In-Region Wins at Home on Pres Day

1/31/26-2/1/26 - President’s Day Qualifier 2026

Day 1

Day 2

1/24/26-1/25/26 - Air Squids Start the Regular Season with SBI

1/10/26–1/11/26 – Santa Barbara Qualifier 2026

12/7/25 - Turkey Tax 2025

11/1/25-11/2/25 - K-Fall Tournament at UCSD

10/19/25 - Men’s Ultimate Huckfest 2025

9/26/25 - UCSD vs SDSU Showcase Game 2025

4/26/25 - The Air Squids' Season Ends on Universe Point

4/12/25 - Squid LITE treks to Bakersfield for Dev Regionals

4/12/25 - Air Squids Move on to Regionals, Despite Some Ups and Downs

3/29/25 - Squid LITE Tries Their Luck at Sinvite 2025

3/21/25 - The Northwest Challenge

3/8/25 - Stanford Invitational

3/1/25 - Squid LITE vs Pomona Sweethearts

2/15/25-2/17/25 - President's Day Invitational

2/1/25 - President's Day Qualifiers

1/25/25 - Santa Barbara Invitational

1/11/25 - Air Squids LITE Has Slow But Promising Start at SBQ

12/7/24 - Turkey Tax Tournament

11/16/24 - The Squids Learn A Lot At Sean Ryan

11/2/24 - KFall Memorial Tournament

10/26/24 - Huckfest: The Return of Squid LITE in 2024

9/27/24 - Air Squids Open the Season Against SDSU

3/30/24-3/31/24 - Squids Take on Vegas

3/2/24-3/3/24 - Stanford Invite

2/17/24-2/18/24 - President’s day

2/10/24-2/11/24 - Squid LITE takes on Pomona Sweethearts

1/26/24-1/28/24 - Santa Barbara Invite: overall record of 2-5

1/19/24 - President's Day Qualifiers

1/12/24 - Squids take on Santa Barbara Qualifiers