Florida brings home “ultimate” national title

While the Florida Gators’ baseball, softball, track & field and tennis teams have been competing for the opportunity to play for their sports’ respective National Championships recently, one lesser-known University of Florida team took home their own on Monday.

UF’s ultimate Frisbee squad, competing for the 2010 USA Ultimate College Championship over the weekend, captured the event’s title Monday with a 15-12 defeat of Carleton College, their sixth victory in seven games.

In addition to their accomplishments on the field, the team’s captain, fifth-year senior Brodie Smith, finished as runner-up for the Callahan Award, given to the nation’s most valuable ultimate player. He compiled a team-high 10 assists on Monday afternoon, catapulting the team to their second National Championship (2006).

A unique piece written by Tom Green and published Tuesday morning by The Independent Florida Alligator notes that Florida is “one of the sport’s most hated teams” in the club sport and was said to not “have the best reputation in the ultimate community” by one of the announcers calling the match.