—June 21—

Breeze Look to Clinch Playoff Spot

Coming off back-to-back wins last weekend against the Toronto Rush and Philadelphia Phoenix, the DC Breeze (6-4) host the Phoenix (2-5) at home in Week 12 as they look to secure a playoff spot for the fourth straight season. The Breeze enter the week as the number four power-ranked team in the league, their highest ranking to date.

In two previous meetings against the Phoenix this season, the Breeze have won by scores of 20-18 and 21-16. As evidenced by the team's Week 7 win over Toronto, the Phoenix are not to be taken lightly; Philly held an 11-9 lead on the Breeze at halftime in last Sunday's game before the Breeze went on a third quarter run. Tickets to tomorrow's game are available on the breeze website.

Full Preview

—June 19—

Growlers Fall to Aviators

The Los Angeles Aviators (6-3) defeated the San Diego Growlers (7-2) on the road this past weekend 18-17. It was the Aviators' first win against the Growlers this season, and they will finish the regular season with a 1-3 head-to-head record. Three of the four regular season meetings between the teams were decided by two goals or less.

18-year-old rookie Danny Landesman led the way for the Aviators on Saturday, tying with Jonathan "Goose" Helton for a game-high +7 plus/minus. Adding four goals against the Growlers, Landesman is now up to 27 goals on the season, tied for ninth most in the AUDL this season. The next time the two teams will meet will be in the playoffs in the West Division championship game. The Aviators will be looking to make it to their second straight Championship Weekend, while the Growlers hope to make it to Championship Weekend for the first time in franchise history. 

Full Recap

Raleigh Hands Dallas Second Loss of 2019

The Raleigh Flyers (7-1) defeated the Dallas Roughnecks (6-2) 27-18 on Saturday to remain in first place in the South Division. The nine-point loss was the largest margin of defeat for the Roughnecks in the team's four-year history. 

Dallas had no answer for Raleigh's Mischa Freystaetter, who recorded a game-high +10 plus/minus with six goals, three assists and one block. 2019 All-Star selection Jacob Fairfax also shined for the Raleigh offense, finishing with six goals and four assists. Facing the Tampa Bay Cannons (4-4) at home in Week 12, the Roughnecks can clinch a playoff spot with a win this weekend. The Flyers face the undefeated New York Empire (8-0) in the Week 12 Game of the Week, and they too can clinch a South Division playoff spot with a win and Cannons loss.

—June 10—

Sheppard Wins All-Star MVP

This past Saturday, the best players in the league gathered in Madison, WI for the inaugural AUDL All-Star Game. The game went to a sudden-death double overtime, and Team KPS was able to pull out the one-goal win over Team Rowan. Following the game, Max Sheppard of the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds was named All-Star MVP. Sheppard, who played on Team KPS, finished with a game-high +8 plus/minus in 29 points played. His five assists also tied for a game-high. 

The Thunderbirds captain leads his team in goals this year with 26, and ranks second on the Thunderbirds in assists (21) and blocks (6). Last season Sheppard finished with 95 total scores (goals plus assists), sixth most in the leauge. His average of 6.7 scores per game in 2019 ranks seventh in the league and is just under his 6.8 scores per game average from a season ago.

—June 6—

Growlers Clinch Playoff Spot With Win

The San Diego Growlers (7-1) defeated the Los Angeles Aviators (5-3) 20-18 on Saturday to clinch a playoff spot in the West for the second straight season. The Growlers made the playoffs for the first time last year after finishing 7-7 in the regular season — now with seven wins, they are a lock to finish over .500 for the first time in team history. Saturday's win was their third win in as many games against the Aviators, and the two teams will have their final regular season meeting when the league resumes play post-all-star break on June 15.

The Growlers have been led this year by all-star selections Travis Dunn and Jonathan "Goose" Helton, who have combined for 58 assists, 40 goals, and 12 blocks through the first eight games of the season. Dunn and Helton will face off in the inaugural AUDL All-Star Game this Saturday, June 8 at 7:00pm.

Growlers at Aviators Recap

—June 5—

AUDL All-Star Draft

The AUDL will hold it's first ever live captains draft for the inaugural AUDL All-Star Game tonight at 8pm ET. 2019 All-Star Captains Kevin Pettit-Scantling of the Madison Radicals and Rowan McDonnell of the DC Breeze will draft the two all-star teams from a pool of 30 players. Click here for the full list of 2019 all-star selections.

The draft will be livestreamed on Facebook and hosted by the "Voice of Ultimate," Evan Lepler.

—June 3—

AlleyCats Upset Radicals in Madison

After not losing a home game to a division opponent since their inaugural 2013 season, the Madison Radicals dropped their second home game of the year to the Indianapolis AlleyCats on Saturday. The game marked the first time in franchise history the AlleyCats won on the road in Madison. Last season, the AlleyCats got their first win against the Radicals at home in Indianapolis, ending a six-year drought against their division rivals. The team was led by the play of Travis Carpenter, who led the AlleyCats in assists (3), blocks (3), completions (37), points played (22), and plus/minus (+5). The AlleyCats improved to 5-3 on the year, while the Radicals dropped to 4-3.

With the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds winning their fourth straight and the Minnesota Wind Chill defeating the Chicago Wildfire in the Week 9 Game of the Week this past weekend, the final standings of the Midwest Division continue to be anyone's guess with five weeks remaining in the season.

—May 31—

Breeze Look to Upset Empire

In a highly anticipated rematch, the DC Breeze take on the New York Empire at home tomorrow for the first time this season after playing in New York each of the first two meetings. While the Empire remain undefeated through six games, the Breeze have by far been their toughest competition. In two games against DC, the Empire have averaged a margin of victory of just 2.0 goals. Against all other teams this season, the Empire have won by an average of 5.75 goals. Tomorrow's game will be the first meeting since the Empire's controversial 26-25 double-overtime win over the Breeze in Week 6, and it will be the final regular season matchup between the two teams.

Preview: Breeze Host 6-0 Empire Saturday

—May 30—

Phil Turner Making Second Year Leap

Through eight weeks, the Toronto Rush have averaged the second-most blocks per game (12.2) and are allowing the fewest points per game (18.0). A large part of their defensive success this season has been second-year player Phil Turner. After playing just four games as a rookie in 2018, Turner has quickly established himself as one of the premier defenders in the league this season. Turner has 13 blocks this season, tied for third most in the AUDL, and he is on pace for a 30-block season. His +16 plus/minus ranks third on the Rush, an impressive feat for a player who has played 82.9 percent of his points on the D-line.

Turner is getting league-wide recognition, earning a spot on Matt Rezin's weekly Players to Watch article in Week 8. He is this week's Rush Player to Watch, as he comes off a solid two-goal, two-block game against the Madison Radicals in the Week 8 Game of the Week. He'll look to limit the second-leading goal scorer in the league, Quentin Bonnaud, in a matchup against the Montréal Royal this Sunday.

—May 29—

No Roney: Hustle Roll Over Cannons

The Atlanta Hustle defeated the Tampa Bay Cannons 23-14 on Saturday, successfully getting revenge on a team that opened the season with two-straight home wins against Atlanta. The Cannons were without 2019 All-Star selection Andrew Roney for the first time this season, and his absence was certainly felt; with just 14 points, Cannons produced their lowest scoring output of the season. Roney has 30 assists on the season, and he has accounted for 36.1 percent of all Cannons scores (goals plus assists) in the games he has played.

The Hustle have now won three of their last four games, and they have brought their record to a respectable 3-5 after dropping their first four games to start the season. Four-year Hustle veteran Daniel Sperling had seven assists against the Cannons and finished with a game-high +9 plus/minus. Sperling made his 2019 debut in Week 7 against the Flyers, and he now has nine assists and three goals in his first two games. 2019 All-Star selection Matt Smith added three goals and two assists against the Cannons, bringing his plus/minus to +37 on the year, tied for fourth highest in the league.

Thunderbirds Win Third Straight

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds defeated the Minnesota Wind Chill 24-17 this past Saturday for their third straight win. In their first meeting of the season, the Thunderbirds lost to the Wind Chill 25-22 in overtime.

The Thunderbirds are now 3-3 after losing each of their first three games to start the season. Averaging just 18.3 points per game through their first three games, the team has turned things around over the past three weeks, averaging 23.0 points per game. Max Sheppard picked up six more goals on Saturday to bring his season total to 22, most on the team. Tyler DeGirolamo saw a 4-10 O-point to D-point split from his Week 6 debut turn into an 18-2 split in his second game of 2019. DeGirolamo had three assists and two blocks against Minnesota.

Full Recap

—May 28—

Wildfire Get Back on Track Against Indy

The Chicago Wildfire defeated the Indianapolis AlleyCats 18-17 on Saturday to improve to 3-2 on the season. After defeating the Minnesota Wind Chill in their first two games to open the season, the Wildfire dropped their second two games against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Madison Radicals before rebounding this past weekend against the AlleyCats. Per usual, Pawel Janas led the way for the Wildfire offense, dishing a season-high nine assists - half of the team's goal total. Former Wildfire handler Brett Matzuka led the AlleyCats with 75 completions and 24 points played. With the win, the Wildfire moved into second place in a competitive Midwest Division. 

Full Recap

All-Star Game Roster Announcements

The league has announced Kevin Pettit-Scantling of the Madison Radicals and Rowan McDonnell of the DC Breeze will serve as captains for the inaugural 2019 AUDL All-Star Game. Stay up to date on the rest of the roster announcements on Twitter:

View roster announcement thread

Toronto Bounces Back Against Madison

The Toronto Rush showed they are still a force in the East after defeating the defending AUDL champion Madison Radicals 22-15 this past Saturday in the Week 8 Game of the Week. The team bounced back after losing both games of a doubleheader road trip last weekend for the first time in franchise history, falling to the New York Empire and Philadelphia Phoenix. The Rush completed 97.4 percent of throws on Saturday; by contrast, they completed just 90.1 percent of throws in their two games combined last weekend. AUDL career completions leader Thomson McKnight led the way for the Rush, completing 50 of 51 throws and tossing three assists.

 

Rowan Earns Honor Roll for Fifth Time

With five goals and five assists this past Sunday against the Montreal Royal, DC Breeze hybrid Rowan McDonnell earned a place on Evan Lepler's weekly Honor Roll for the fifth time this season. The former AUDL MVP has averaged 9.4 scores (goals plus assists) per game this season, most in the league and over one score per game more than Ben Jagt, whose 8.2 scores per game ranks second. McDonnell leads the league in goals (35) and plus/minus (+53); he is on pace to have the best offensive statistical season of his career.

Rowan was announced on Saturday as one of two captains for the inaugural 2019 AUDL All-Star Game. 

photo by Rob Gilmor

—September 21—

2018 Peter Graffy Highlights

Peter Graffy spent his first four and a half seasons as the deep coverage specialist for the league's best defense on the Madison Radicals, racking up an AUDL-high 129 blocks over that span. But a midseason blowout loss to the Raleigh Flyers required a retooling of the Radicals offense that shifted Graffy to offense, a role he was familiar with as a dominant receiver at Luther College. The result over the final 10 games of Madison's season, including playoffs, was 31 assists, 40 goals, 232-for-243 on throws, 10 blocks, and an AUDL title.  

 

 

Perennially underrated as a thrower, Graffy used his athleticism as a playmaker to better position himself as a handler, setting himself up for a heap of in-rhythm looks. And though Graffy is known for his aerial dominance as shown above, he really became elite as an operator in the redzone for the Radicals, shimmying open seemingly at will and punishing opposing defenses for any gaps. 

- Adam Ruffner

2018 Mark Burton Highlights

Over the past three years, Mark Burton solidified himself as the premier run-and-gun offensive playmaker in the league, making an All-AUDL sqaud in each season while racking up an absurd 222 assists and 106 goals. Never the biggest or fastest player on the field, Burton has a way of making sure the disc finds its way into the endzone for the Seattle Cascades with his big throws, no-hesitation decision making, and perhaps the strongest set of hands in the AUDL.  

 

 

Just look at the velocity on this 70-yard flick throw from a standstill. Sure, Burton's bomb is saved by a splashy layout from Reed Hendrickson. But it is Burton's full-field range as a thrower that allowed Hendrickson to even consider such a route. With Burton on the field, the Cascades offense had an ability to score from seemingly any position. 

- Adam Ruffner

—April 12—

Kittredge Signs With New York

The New York Empire have announced that they have signed four-time reigning AUDL champion and two-time league MVP Beau Kittredge. The deal is a two-year contract with the team. Kittredge is coming off a championship with the San Francisco FlameThrowers. The Empire missed the postseason for the first time ever as a franchise in 2017, finishing 6-8 on the regular season. 

“It’ll be kind of a balance of letting them be youthful and fun and getting them to buckle down and be professional," Kittredge said in an interview with Ultiworld. "It’s going to be a fine balance. Between the lines, I think it’s going to be a fun season.”

—April 8—

Montreal Starts 2018 With A Win

After falling to the DC Breeze in the opening round of the 2017 playoffs, the Montreal Royal got immediate revenge with a season opening win on the road to start 2018. Stève Bonneau led the Royal in both assists (5) and completions (59), while Mike Voelpel (5 goals), Francis Vallée (3), and Quentin Bonnaud paced the Montreal scoring attack.

The Montreal win ended DC's 14-game home winning streak dating back to April 23, 2016—the longest active streak in the league until last night. In 2017, DC was the only team in the AUDL to go undefeated at home.

San Jose Shocks Reigning Champs

What trophy? 

The San Jose Spiders defeat the reigning AUDL champions San Francisco FlameThrowers on the road in both teams’ opener.

Sonny Zaccaro (eight assists, 39 completions) and Sam Kunz (two assists, five blocks) helped lead the Spiders to their first win over the FlameThrowers in San Francisco since 2015, snapping a five-game losing streak. Game Center

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