St. Olaf Vortex wins ultimate national championship
St. Olaf Vortex won the women’s ultimate Division III national championship.
The team took the title with an 11-8 win over Bates College in the finals of the 2018 Division III College Championships in Rockford, Illinois, May 19-20.
Led by Tulsa Douglas ’18 and Sami Peterson ’18, St. Olaf Vortex entered the tournament as the seventh seed. Vortex went 3-1 on Saturday, losing to Bates in pool play but advancing to the championship bracket. After a rainy start on Sunday they defeated the one, two, and three seeds of the tournament to take home their first ever Division III title.
“Vortex has a strong group of juniors and seniors that helped lead them to their first title, but in a high-level tournament like this you need every player. I’m so proud of how each person contributed,” says Vortex coach Emma Peaslee. “St. Olaf showed that they were the best team at nationals.”
St. Olaf women’s ultimate has become an increasingly dominant force in recent years. Vortex has competed at DIII championships multiple times, finishing 5th in 2014 and 2015; 3rd in 2016; and 7th in 2017.
Vortex is one of two women’s ultimate teams at St. Olaf. The other, Tempest, welcomes those who wish to learn and gain experience before playing with Vortex or for those not interested in national-level play.
Check out photos from the 2018 Division III College Championships below, courtesy of St. Olaf Vortex parent Cathy Zielske.