New season, same old dominance.

The UNC men’s and women’s ultimate frisbee teams each won their second consecutive USA Ultimate national championships Monday in Milwaukee, just five months after claiming titles in 2021.

The women’s team, Pleiades, completed an unbeaten run through both the pool play and knockout portion of the championships by defeating a team from Colorado, 12-11, in the final. Pleiades had also beaten teams from UC-Santa Barbara and British Columbia on their way to the title. It’s Pleiades’ second national championship in program history.

In addition, Pleiades’ Dawn Culton was named the winner of USA Ultimate’s Callahan Award, given annually to “the most valuable players in college ultimate,” who “display superior skill and athleticism, but also demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to ultimate.” Culton is the fifth UNC player, male or female, to win the Callahan Award, which has been given out since 1996.

Darkside, the UNC men’s team, competed later that same day. Unlike Pleiades, Darkside was not the No. 1 overall seed in the field, but still took home the title regardless. In the championship game, they took on the tournament’s top seed, Brown, and won 15-10 to capture the program’s fourth national title. Darkside had defeated teams from Colorado and Georgia on their way to the championship game.

UNC Darkside poses with their national championship trophy. (Image via USA Ultimate on Twitter)

Ultimate frisbee is not an NCAA-sponsored sport, and the players do not receive athletic scholarships to compete. Instead, teams like Darkside and Pleiades are run as club teams, with open tryouts every fall. USA Ultimate, the official governing body of the sport for both youth and international competitions since 1979, sponsors the college national championships.

 

Featured image via USA Ultimate on Twitter

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Men's and Women's Ultimate Teams Each Win 3rd Consecutive National Titles
Darkside and Pleiades have done it again. The UNC men’s (Darkside) and women’s (Pleiades) ultimate frisbee teams each captured their third consecutive national titles over the weekend in Mason, OH, continuing the dynasty which has dominated college ultimate. For Pleiades, it’s the team’s third national championship. For Darkside, it’s the fifth. Darkside advanced to the […]
9 UNC Students Representing Team USA at Ultimate U24 World Championships
Darkside and Pleiades, UNC’s men’s and women’s national champion ultimate frisbee teams, will be well-represented at July’s World Flying Disc Federation U24 World Championships. Nine men and women will make the journey to Nottingham, England to compete for Team USA in the championships, which will take place July 1-8. “When we traveled to the tryouts, […]
'Frisbee is Life': Inside the Championship-Winning Ultimate Frisbee Community at UNC
This past year, Darkside and Pleiades did something that has never been done in the history of college ultimate: they each won national championships at the same tournament, and then did it again.
UNC Ultimate Frisbee Teams Win National Championships (2021)
Two more Carolina teams are bringing some serious hardware back to Chapel Hill. The UNC men’s and women’s ultimate frisbee teams, UNC Darkside and UNC Pleiades, each won titles at the USA Ultimate College Championships Monday night in Norco, CA. The men’s team, Darkside, took home the title as the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed […]
'Joy Through Struggle': UNC Gymnastics Head Coach Danna Durante Looks Forward to 2027
UNC gymnastics coach Danna Durante shared her optimism and excitement for her program's 2027 season with 97.9 The Hill's Aaron Keck.
UNC Volleyball Releases 2026 Regular Season Schedule
The UNC volleyball program has released its schedule for the 2026 season, the fourth under the leadership of head coach Mike Schall. The Tar Heels are looking to build upon a 2025 season which saw them advance to the NCAA Tournament’s second round. The full slate is set😤 pic.twitter.com/BEs2INXji6 — Carolina Volleyball (@UNCVolleyball) July 14, […]
'We Still Got Work to Do': Gavin Gallaher Confirms Return to UNC Baseball for 2027 Season
Gavin Gallaher is back. The UNC baseball co-captain confirmed his return to the Diamond Heels Tuesday after not being selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. Gallaher is a rising senior and, thanks to the NCAA’s new 5-in-5 rule for student-athletes, will have two years of eligibility remaining. Tar Heel Nation, we still got work to […]
UNC Field Hockey Head Coach Erin Matson to Appear on New ABC Series
UNC field hockey head coach Erin Matson will be featured on the latest episode of the ABC series “The Champion’s Edge with Bonnie Bernstein.” The series, which premiered in May, “highlights women excelling in their professional fields and spotlights the lessons they have learned as athletes that drive their successes while featuring practical advice on […]
Diamond Heels in the 2026 MLB Draft: Who's Going Where?
Several UNC baseball players have been selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, which runs through Sunday in Philadelphia. The MLB Draft is different from its counterparts in leagues such as the NFL and NBA, in that players with remaining eligibility can choose to return to school even after being drafted. Here’s a look at which […]
UNC's Jason DeCaro Picked by Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026 MLB Draft
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected UNC pitcher Jason DeCaro in the third round of the 2026 MLB Draft. He was the 80th overall pick. 𝐃𝐞𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐲 coming 🔜 in the Burgh!! The @Pirates find draft treasure in @JasonDeCaro2. #ProHeels x @YoungBucsPIT pic.twitter.com/y6WY5AiBPI — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) July 11, 2026 A three-year starter in the Carolina pitching […]
›