The Lehigh Ultimate Frisbee team — one of the oldest collegiate teams in the country — is set to write a new chapter in its book as it starts its inaugural season as a Division I team.
The group, which was founded in 1975, is comprised of an A team, a traveling B team and a practice B team. The groups practice at least four times a week as well as attend three to four two-day tournaments a semester. After previously competing in both Division III and club level, the team feels confident in the transition to a higher division.
Do not be fooled by nicknames that are given to members of the team, such as Pistol, Chipper Dickey, Pumasaurus and Kidd Connors. The nicknames are created with the help of an online name generator and are a unique tradition the team gives to each rookie who joins the squad.
“They usually are ridiculous and don’t make a lot of sense, but somehow we grow into them and it becomes normal,” said Shane McDevitt, ’15, also known as Chipper Dickey. “We sometimes don’t even know each others’ real names.”
The team is led by captain, Nick Mathison, ’14, who said he is eager to begin the journey as a team that is competing at the highest level.
“Tougher competition means traveling to better tournaments, practicing more, as well as mandatory track and gym sessions,” he said. “In the future, the best competition might even require us to fly.”
The A team will be competing in the Ohio Valley conference, where they will compete against teams from the eastern half of Pennsylvania, as well as play the best teams at Regionals from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Ultimate Frisbee games are almost always played at tournaments, other than the annual game against long-time rival Lafayette College. The Mountain Hawks will not necessarily play every team in their region in a season but will definitely look to capture victories over top tier Division I teams such as the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania State University and Ohio State University, all of which play in the Ohio Valley conference.
Adam Kafka, ’16, also known as Kzero, discussed that changing divisions will likely have more of a long-term effect.
“It will change the trajectory of our team so that we compete against the greatest schools in the country,” he said.
The team’s success continues to look promising as it conquered Penn State twice in the fall. Penn State went on to come in second at Regionals, losing to a high caliber Pittsburgh team.
The Hawks are well aware that teams in Division I will likely be tougher competition than teams they previously faced.
“The top teams won’t make those small mistakes that some previous teams we have played constantly made,” McDevitt said. “It is important that our team can limit costly mistakes and turnovers which could potentially cost us games.”
The team’s main goals are to make it to Regionals and then continue to play well and make it to Nationals. Mathison believes this is a very realistic goal, and if achieved, can put Lehigh on every Ohio Valley team’s watch list.
“Every day I’m thinking about where I want this team to go, where are we now, and what do I need to do to get us there,” Mathison said. “That is what is motivating me, both on and off the field.”
The team will start their season around the middle of February.
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