Minnesota Wind Chill win UFA Championship
The Minnesota Wind Chill won the 2024 Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) Championship at Zions Bank Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, by defeating the Carolina Flyers 17-16. The Wind Chill become the first men’s professional team in Minnesota to win a title since 1991.
Minnesota entered the 2024 UFA Championship Weekend–the premier global ultimate frisbee event–as the lowest seed, but prevailed over two favored contenders in the D.C. Breeze and Flyers due in large part to a defense that yielded only 29 total scores.
“We shocked the world,” said team owner and head coach Ben Feldman immediately after the win. “I’m proud of these guys. It was a full team effort. All I know right now is that trophy is heavy, but it felt good.”
Minnesota jumped to an 8-2 lead to begin the game against Carolina, and led by the same six-goal margin at halftime. But the South Division champions did not go down easily, and tied the game at 14 by the midway point of the fourth quarter. But a late Bryan Vohnoutka to Will Brandt scoring connection re-established the Wind Chill lead, and they held on for the one-goal win.
The 22-year-old Brandt claimed Championship Weekend MVP honors thanks to his superb passing, offensive quarterbacking and a career high 651 total yards in the title game against Carolina. Brandt’s break throws continually put the Wind Chill offense into favorable positions against a tough Flyers defense, and seemed almost impervious from the heavy wind conditions that tortured passes all weekend. He finished with game highs in completions (39) and throwing yards (379).
The Wind Chill fell short in 2023, losing in the semifinals to the Salt Lake Shred at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota–only a few miles away from their home stadium in Saint Paul. One year later in Utah, the team celebrates their first UFA Championship in franchise history. Minnesota also becomes just the second team from the Central Division to win the UFA championship in league history, joining the 2018 Madison Radicals.
For more information, updates and in-depth championship analysis, visit the UFA website.
