Champaign County National Qualifier Preview
Introduction
All eyes are on the Midwest this weekend as Quadballers from across the country head to Champaign County, Ill., for the biggest National Qualifier of the year.
With eight college teams and 11 club teams in attendance, this weekend is set to be filled with upsets, yellow cards, dunks, shots, beats, catches and more as these teams brawl for a chance to earn their spot at the USQ Cup in Sacramento, Calif. But at the end of the day, only four college teams and four club teams will go home with a guaranteed spot on the pitch come April.
Who’ll bring home a bid? Who will establish themselves as a title contender? What players should you watch out for when you set up your chairs on the sidelines or when you turn on the grainy livestream this weekend? And what names are noticeably missing from these rosters? FastBreak News is here to do our best to predict the future. So here are our Fast Takes on the Champaign County National Qualifier:
College - Nick Love
Pool A
Blue Jay QC
The current No. 8 team in the country is on high watch this weekend. We only got to see Blue Jay once at Trick or Beat in October, where Creighton players were rostered. The team this week is split into the A/B format, and Blue Jay is playing independently for the first time this year. Given that they historically do very well in the A/B team format, I would expect them to perform this weekend. But to me, you have to earn your respect. I want to see some wins for them. I love good quadball, so show me something this weekend Blue Jay.
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a staple team of the Rust Belt Conference. With their new black and orange jerseys on display this weekend, they'll be looking to make some noise and potentially pull off an upset in their pool. Almost every player on BGSU is a utility player as a result of low team numbers, injuries and changes of pace within the game. BGSU has operated like that for as long as I’ve been playing the sport. Headed by Captain Braden Hawk, Coy Nickelson and first-year Kealey Mead, who had great communication and tons of grit in one of their previous Rust Belt Meets, they’re going to try and punch upwards in their pool. Illini, being a more established and well-rounded team, will be a tough game, but there are so many unknowns and questions between Blue Jay and Minnesota that I could easily see those being tight and contested games where BGSU could pull off an upset.
Illini
First off, hats off to Illini’s social media presence throughout this year. I’ve been loving the content and the vibe off the socials, and I think that's what we need to see more of in the sport. In my opinion, it translates to on-field results. The current No. 5 FBN team has looked good all season long, with their only loss coming to Blue Jay with the Creighton add-ons at Trick or Beat in October. The team is championed by their beaters, who have great veterans in Sohum Sharma and Veronica Hoffman. The beater corps is backed by dynamic chasers in Ariana Zhang and Emilo Rodriguez. Illini is deep to say the least, with 21 ready to ride, they’ll be able to play through depth easily. Based on pools, they should be able to 1) Sweep their pool, 2) Beat the real Blue Jay and 3) Get a D1 bid and see how they stack up against Creighton ahead of USQ Cup. I love their energy, and I hope to get another pic with their mascot this weekend, and you should too.
Minnesota/Columbia/Wisconsin
Minnesota / Wisconsin / Columbia collab was not something that I had on my Champaign bingo card. The last time we saw this team was at Trick or Beat, where they went 2-2 on the weekend. The Wisconsin resurrection on the back of Zeke Majeske (a University of Michigan Alum I might add) gives this team some more people ready to add to the team. From Wisconsin’s Instagram, they look excited and happy to be playing. A big welcome to the community to you all from me. That being said, I think the addition of numbers to the team will probably help them be competitive in pool play. I think they’ll have a similar result as Trick or Beat and will end up third in their pool. Based on where my head is at, they’ll likely face Purdue in the first round of bracket play. I love a good quadball story and what a “welcome to quadball moment” it would be to upset at Champaign and get a D1 bid if they can win two games on day two.
Pool B
Creighton
The current No. 2 team in the country, based on FastBreak News’ Pre-Qualifier college rankings, are looking to dominate in Champaign. Anything less than that would be a failed trip. Creighton’s program, in many ways, has to be studied through both recruiting and talent development as it shows success year after year. Creighton has a great roster; Edgar Alcoser, Ryan Cleary, Mimi Baldwin, Maria Harvey, the team is nice. Their biggest competition and best chance at a close game will come against Illini, which will more than likely happen in the finals.
State of Michigan Quadball
US Quadball was not kind to my beautiful state of Michigan with Champaign County Qualifiers landing on Spring Break for Michigan State and the University of Michigan. Nevertheless, you still get to see some amazing quadball coming out of these colleges, with them combining for the weekend. Their roster is on the shorter side, with only 13 players. But for MSQ, this is a relief, as they normally don’t have many players to cycle through. Of those 13 players, five put in good minutes with the Detroit Innovators over the summer, which shows how much experience this squad has. Something I think is going to surprise a lot of people this weekend if they can get the ball rolling early. Pay attention to how the team will operate. Will it be one Michigan State line followed by Michigan and then later they mix them up? We’re going to see but I’m looking forward to watching them this weekend. Some players to watch are Jackson Massey, Brice Tweedle, Anna Klein and Christian Antaran.
Mizzou
Ups and downs have characterized this Mizzou team, starting off with a rough 1-3 finish at Trick or Beat. Following Trick or Beat, they played Illini in a two game series, dropped both, and played them a lot closer the second time and got a flag catch. They’re bringing 13 to Champaign, which, barring injuries, allows them to run through two lines. Some must-watch players are Captain Miles Himmelman, Addison Himmelman, Abbi Schweisberger and Justin Ward. Watching Mizzou, I believe they lost games because of a lack of synchrony between beaters and chasers. They’re not on the same page, there’s dropped passes and they get outhustled to loose balls. I love the grit Mizzou plays with, and I think they’re going to show up a little differently this weekend. If they bring the same intensity that I know they have as a program, they can be a scary team. I said the same thing in my Trick or Beat review, and I still think it’s true, so hopefully with the Illini scrimmages and some more practice time, we see a different squad.
Purdue
I’m a big fan of Purdue. You have to give them credit for actively searching out opportunities to put balls through hoops at every point in the season, even with a not-so-hot record. They love to play quadball and get reps in. Purdue has a lot of great players, including Sam Magner, Keith Sturgeon, Leah Osborne, Eric Huang and more. The struggle for the Purdue/Ball State mix is their inability to make clean plays when it matters and to stop the bleeding when it starts. Purdue has moments when they play even with good teams and then go scoreless for 8 minutes, which just isn’t sustainable. Their pool isn’t favorable matchups against Creighton, State of Michigan and Mizzou, but maybe we get to see them put pieces together and show people that Purdue can really play ball
Hot Takes and Predictions:
If the State of Michigan team can gel together, play together, and have good ball movement this weekend, there’s absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t get a D1 bid.
Purdue will be one game away from securing a D1 Bid.
If Mizzou can take the easy goals and what’s right in front of them, then this team is D1.
New Favorite Team: Wisconsin.
D1 Bids: Creighton, Illini, Mizzou, State of Michigan.
Club - Riley Hodder
Pool A
New Jersey Dice
This team has an absolutely stacked roster, the likes of which we’ve never seen before (kidding, obviously). They have the best point differential of any club team and the most catches on the season. So, can someone explain why they’ve sat at the No. 4 spot in FastBreak News’ club rankings since November, behind other title contenders, like Boom Train or Reign QC?
Here’s a possible answer: whether this team loses or wins, they do it big. Dice has a 13-3 record, according to Quadball.One. But those losses were against serious opponents. They dropped a game to Reign QC 165-130 at USQ Winter Classic in December, and later that same day, dropped a game to Trainwreck. And while they came back to beat Reign 185-170 on the first day of the Garland National Qualifier, they lost again in the semifinals of the tournament, 125-90.
No club competitive title contender has gotten out of this season unscathed. But New Jersey has had a harder time than most. Part of that may be because of the fact they don’t often play through their depth. This stands in sharp contrast to Boom Train and Reign QC, who often play everyone on their roster in most games. Dice’s biggest test at Champaign will be to prove that this disparity doesn’t matter, which will be especially hard in a two-day tournament.
While you may probably recognize most of the names on this team's roster, here are some standouts that you may not know yet, but are worth your attention:
Anna Blanchfield is one of the best chasers to have on any line. She’s solid all around, but her skills shine in passing and facilitating. Look to her if you want to see a masterclass in on-pitch leadership this weekend.
Jason Rosenberg is an ultra-fast beater with a pretty good jump in matchups. On a team with a lot of talent, Rosenberg still finds ways to shine with their athleticism. This team thrives on that innate talent and athletic advantage, and they are a shining example of why.
Justin Cole is a keeper and chaser playing on a team of some of the most talented keepers and chasers in the sport. He’s played on lots of teams, from BOSNY in past USQ seasons to the Chicago Prowl last summer. Keep an eye on him to see the impact he makes for Dice this weekend.
Boom Train
Boom Train entered this season at the top of the world; in a time where most Quadball teams are struggling to field a roster, they had enough players to make an entirely separate team. And these teams were the talk of the town, with Boom Train at No. 1 on FastBreak News’ November Club rankings.
But while the mighty may not have fallen, they’ve certainly stumbled. Despite having two teams with interchangeable rosters, Boom Train has struggled to field full rosters at prominent tournaments. This may have contributed to some of the losses on the team's 10-3 record in official games.
And those losses weren’t to just nobodies. They were to serious title contenders that Boom Train should expect to face on Day Two of USQ Cup. At Space City Invitational in January, they lost to Texas Hill Country Heat two times, keeping it close in one game with a final score of 190-185, then falling flat in their next loss, with a final score of 185-90. They did manage to put up a win against Heat in one game, winning 165-120. But, during their trip down south, any Boom Train veterans from last season likely suffered violent flashbacks to when their 2025 USQ Cup was derailed by a Day One loss to the Texas Copperheads. They dropped a game to the Copperheads, losing 175-100, but managed to come back and win their next two matchups.
Heading into Champaign, Boom Train should have one goal: absolute dominance. We don’t know how similar this team will be to the roster they’ll bring to USQ Cup. But we do know their biggest competition will be Reign QC, the New Jersey Dice and their second team Trainwreck. Boom Train’s players have faced all of these teams on one team or the other, and as we get closer to USQ Cup, these matchups will mean more than ever. Based on this roster, it seems as if they haven’t entirely split into an A-team, B-team format. But if they want a championship, then they need to prove that their A-Team, whoever that may be, can win these games.
Taking a look at Boom Train’s roster for this weekend, here are some people to watch:
Hailey Yhap is an excellent chaser from Canada who can compete with the best of them. She’s an incredible offensive threat with a decent shot, but she really shines when she’s driving. Expect to see goals from her this weekend.
Krish Jain is a beater who made a big impact on the Detroit Innovators over the summer. He’s in his first year with Boom Train, and he’s got the fast-paced beating style that people love to watch. It’ll be interesting to see what beater partner he’ll get the most minutes with this weekend.
Rei Brodeur is half of one of Quadball’s top beater pairs. But their infamous beater partner, Ryan Hsu, will be on Trainwreck this weekend. When it comes to FROP, she’s one of the best in the sport, and at York County, they logged significant minutes with Chanun Ong when the flag runner was out. Keep a close eye on Brodeur’s ability to make plays, no matter who she’s playing with.
Boston Lobsters
The Boston Lobsters are the newest team to come out of the fertile Quadball grounds in the Northeast. And yet, we haven’t seen them since Pandamonium in November, where they went home 2-1 after beating the Boston Red Pandas and Vermont United, and losing to New Jersey Dice.
While this team has had limited playing time, at least that we know of, its roster packs a punch. You’d be crazy to underestimate this team after looking at the wide array of talent they’re bringing to Champaign.
But Boston hasn’t played official games in a while, and most of their opponents in their pool come with just as much talent and a lot of games on the season. The Lobsters will need to show that they’ve been working in the off-season if they want to make the dent in these teams that their roster suggests is possible.
In terms of matchups, they should be able to beat Brew Cities, Ohio Apollos and Orlando Quadball Club. It’ll be a reach if they want to beat the New Jersey Dice, the high-level team they lost 175-80 to back in November. But who knows what they’ve been up to since then, and while these teams may not have much of a history, the players that make them up do.
While you’re watching this weekend, here are some BLobs to pay attention to:
Emma Persons is a player to watch no matter what team they’re on. She has a great shot and always makes her presence known on the pitch. And if the Lobsters end up facing Chaos QC in bracket play, they’ll have a chance to use her knowledge of her former TCQC teammates to Boston’s advantage.
Will Richardson is an amazing player to watch after 20 minutes. A dynamic seeker, he’ll be able to make a huge impact for this Boston team at the end of close games. When he’s not seeking, he’s a dependable chaser for this team. Keep an eye out to see how many points he puts up for the Lobsters, one way or the other.
Cleo Brooks was a standout beater at Boston University. We haven’t seen much of her club debut, so it’ll be interesting to see how she matches up with so many high-level teams this weekend. If she can keep up with the pace of the club division, her game IQ will be a valuable asset to the Lobsters.
Brew Cities Quadball Club
Expect to have to explain why a bunch of people are walking around in cow print to whoever you beg to watch the livestream of Champaign this weekend, because Brew Cities will be in attendance! Moo Moo United, as they’re also known as, may have opted out of a chance at a club competitive bid, but they’re a big name in the club open conversation for many reasons. Here are a few.
First, Brew Cities and Chicago United are now A/B teams. But, since both teams have opted out of bid eligibility, they can change their roster no matter how many qualifiers they attend. That means that these rosters are unique, and we’ll get a taste of something new this weekend.
As for Brew Cities’ goals heading into this National Qualifier, it is likely to get the people donning the cow print as much experience as possible. They’ve already had great success doing that; Brew Cities, at the end of this Qualifier season, will attend as many as the top contenders in the club competitive division. That experience means something. So if Brew Cities brings their small-but-mighty roster to Sacramento come April, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the club open division.
If you’re going to watch a Moo Moo United match-up, I suggest their pairing with Orlando QC. The teams are of a similar caliber, and we’ve yet to see them face off. It’ll be interesting to see how a relative unknown compares to a team that’s constantly changing. If you can’t make that game, I suggest watching their game against long-time competitors the Ohio Apollos.
When you’re watching those games, here are some people to pay attention to:
Bryan Melchior is the staple player of the Toronto Raiders. He has an athletic and size advantage over many players he faces as a keeper. If he starts to run, it’ll be a good time to start paying attention, because when he’s on a roll, he’s hard to stop. He’ll be an asset for Brew Cities if they want to push the pace this weekend.
Zeke Majeske is a one-of-a-kind player with his hand in a little bit of everything. Not only has he put a lot of effort into the continued survival of Brew Cities and other teams, he’s also played in the cow print at every position. He particularly excels at seeker, which will help give the team in them the edge after 20 minutes.
Ali Markus is a longtime veteran of the sport and an asset to any line. She’s not afraid of the physical aspects of beating and always makes the right decisions. When Markus is on the field, expect the Brew Cities beating game to shine.
Ohio Apollos
The Ohio area has been a revolving door of teams for the past few years. If you don’t know, the Ohio Apollos merged with the Black Swamp Banshees to form Ohio Gemini last season, but that team is currently inactive, and we’re back to the Apollos.
This Ohio team has three games on the year, all losses to Brew Cities QC at Rust Belt 4 back in November, and they’ll face this team again in Champaign. In their first game, they lost 110-65, but they managed to score more in their next two games, while holding Brew Cities to a similar amount of Quadball points, finishing it out 165-130 and 160-125. Did you also notice they caught twice? That means something against a team with pretty dependable seekers. While Apollos may not have a ton of tournament experience, expect these dedicated players to come out with a passion and to learn from each match-up. Apollos will probably hit their peak at the end of Day One, the test will be if they’ll be able to carry that momentum into Day Two.
Keep an eye out for their rematch against Brew Cities to see how this team has come back from those three losses. Their game against Orlando QC will also prove to be interesting, seeing as these are two teams with relatively similar levels of game experience. Still, they’ve yet to face each other, and it’ll be interesting to watch as they learn how to play against each other, and we learn just how high the ceiling is for both.
When you’re watching, keep an eye out for these players:
Adam Thompson is talented on both sides of the ball, but lately has been spending a lot more time in a black headband. He’s a dynamic beater, capable of going it alone or working well with many partners. Pay attention to what option they choose to take when they’re out on the field.
Fiona Gaffney is a spectacular chaser, capable of making a play even in the most difficult of situations. However, she’s often underutilized. It’ll be interesting to see if she’ll get more minutes holding the ball at Champaign, and if she gets the opportunity, what she makes of it.
Joseph Lombardi always manages to give teams a hard time, no matter what team he’s on or who he’s playing with. Expect this weekend to be no different. If you want to see how your favorite teams handle shutting down chances for a shot, watch them take on the Apollos and Lombardi’s arm.
Orlando Quadball Club
It is worth shouting out Orlando Quadball Club for (a) showing up to Champaign and (b) existing at all, because Florida has not exactly been the best environment for a team to thrive. And yet here they are, defying the odds and traveling across the country to play against some of the best teams in the league. The distance has weighed on this roster, however, as they’re currently only bringing 10 players. In a two-day tournament, that means everything.
While Orlando themselves haven’t had much tournament experience this season, its players got some by pairing up with New York Slice at Winter Classic. This will make all the difference in these matchups, especially as they face Boom Train (who were on Trainwreck at the tournament) and New Jersey Dice in their pool.
Pay attention to one of the day one openers, Orlando’s match-up against Apollos. As has been established, both teams are relatively new to each other and to the world of Quadball. But Apollos does have the roster advantage and the travel advantage. We’ll see if that’s enough for them to prevail, or if Orlando will be able to catch the home team off guard.
Check out these players when you’re watching any Orlando matchups:
Kaliph Piper is a chaser/seeker that is dangerous to leave unattended after 20 minutes. Pay attention to his play this weekend, because even if Orlando falls to other teams, his seeking game likely won’t. He’s bested elite beater pairs and seekers in the past, and chances are, he’ll do it again. Especially if these title contenders underestimate him.
Brandon Clark is a key beater for this team. Expect them to make plays when it counts this weekend. They’ll be especially helpful in establishing the pace for Orlando on offense and defense.
Carlton Clinkscales is a big asset for Orlando. A true two-way player, Clinkscales will make an impact on defense and offense all weekend. Look for Clinkscales to wear the green headband this weekend and be effective on both sides of the ball.
Pool B
Chicago United
Chicago United stands opposite Brew Cities. Whether they’re the A team to Brew Cities’ B team, or vice versa, is unclear. But similar to Moo Moo United, expect to see some unfamiliar lines that might pair up some people you’ve never seen play off each other before.
That brings us to our next point; while Chicago United and Brew Cities get to come in with rosters that are going to be hard to pin down and even harder to plan for, that means that both those teams will bear the burden of planning for them as well. For both teams, we may see people playing together who don’t have a ton of experience. And while this gives them the opportunity to surprise their opponents, it also might mean that every game is a learning experience for these A/B teams. Expect to see both stutter and falter a little in their first few games, then find their footing later on in the tournament. But both teams will need to hone in on their team's chemistry and fast if they want a chance of a deep run on Sunday.
Chicago United has also opted out of bid eligibility, so their goals are likely similar to Brew Cities: get their players as much experience as possible, so they’re able to play high-level opponents when they get to Sacramento. Keep an eye out for their matchup against Vermont United. Not only do they have similar names, these teams operate on similar levels, and the matchup should be pretty even. And because Chicago United hasn’t played since November, this game could play out in many ways.
While you’re watching Chicago United this weekend, here are a few of their prominent players and what to look for:
Tyler Piper is one of Chicago United’s best chaser assets when it comes to defense. Expect him to make big stops when Chicago needs it. On offense, he has a great shot, so keep your eye on him even if he’s not close to the hoops. He’ll need to perform at his best on both sides of the pitch if he wants to help Chicago be successful this weekend.
Harold Advincula plays a huge role in Chicago United’s beating corps. With a great block, he’ll be tough to beat in matchups. Expect him to play a big part in Chicago United’s defense and ability to keep control throughout the weekend.
Amy Zasadinski is one of the best chasers that Chicago United has. Her strength lies in her ability to facilitate on the field. That will be very important to help with a seamless transition for any Brew Cities players who migrated to this roster.
Chaos QC
If there’s any team more aptly named than Chaos QC, they’ve yet to grace the Quadball pitch. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the team in pink and brown, then here’s a brief introduction: they’re a fast-paced, athletic team that thrives, yes, on chaos.
They’re also an incredibly young team, featuring young talent from all over the country. But lately, they’ve recruited some veterans from TCQC, a team that's been absent from the sport all season. These players, including Max Meier, Mike Devine and Nicole Nelson, made their Chaos debut at York County National Qualifier, where they proved that they can easily slot into this team's dynamic style. And with the caliber of teams Chaos is set to face this weekend, they’ll need every ounce of these players’ talent.
Where Chaos struggles, however, is making the most out of their chaos. While they’re able to push the pace on their opponents and catch them off guard, sometimes it looks like their own pass options and beaters aren’t sure what to expect. Their players are talented enough to adapt quickly, but in high-pressure games against next-level teams, that moment of confusion costs this team a lot. But, this roster is looking to be as close to Chaos’ full squad as they can get, so watch to see if this is cleaned up on the weekend.
If you watch any game for this team, I suggest keeping an eye on their Trainwreck matchup. I think Chaos has the athletic advantage, but Trainwreck has more of a set plan and the cohesion that Chaos sometimes lacks. It’ll be interesting to see which wins out over the other.
While you’re watching, here are some names to look out for:
Max Meier is by no means an unfamiliar name for most Quadball fans, but his dynamic chasing/keeping style slotted in really well with Chaos’ identity at York County. However, they sat out day two of that tournament because of an injury. It’ll be interesting to see how many minutes he logs this weekend, and the impact that they have in those minutes.
Amanda Margolis has been seen in almost every position for Chaos and finds a way to excel at each. Lately, they’ve been spending a lot of minutes at keeper. She shines in this role because, despite being often underestimated, she manages to make big tackles when it counts. If you want to see some big stops this weekend, look their way.
Jackson Herdade is a great keeper who also works well with Chaos’ fast-paced identity. This helps with his ability to drive, but he also has a great shot when he can’t make it to the hoops. Keep an eye on what scoring method he chooses most often against what teams.
Reign QC
When you base your entire team's vibe around monarchy and ruling, you kind of have to back it up. And Reign Quadball Club has done just that. After beating other top title contenders New Jersey Dice, Boom Train and Trainwreck, Reign soared to the top of FastBreak News’ club rankings in January.
But this team isn’t invincible. They dropped the finals at Garland National Qualifier to Texas Hill Country Heat, and by no small margin, 155-60. Now, they head into Champaign to go head-to-head against some of the top teams in the country. Have Boom Train, Trainwreck and New Jersey Dice smelled the blood in the water? Have they learned from their past errors, and from Heat’s win over this team, and come back with a winning strategy? And if they do, will it matter, or will Reign strike back with a vengeance? As has been established, no team vying for a club competitive title has gotten through this season unscathed. But with so many powerhouses going head-to-head this weekend, you have to wonder if these teams are just going to keep trading punches, or if one is finally going to come out on top.
Reign’s core team has a long history, with many of its roster finding their starts in the sport under the Creighton University banner. That kind of chemistry is hard to beat. And Creighton is a program that demands athleticism, and gets players high-quality reps all year, an identity that Reign has assumed as well. But, this team is still in its first year, and organization plays a big role in allowing players to shine. Reign’s closest matchup in pool play is likely to be against Trainwreck. These two teams last faced off at Winter Classic, and though Trainwreck looks different this weekend, they’ll have the best chance of any team in Pool B of matching Reign’s athleticism and chemistry.
While this roster has a lot of familiar names, here are some you should keep in mind this weekend:
Annika Kim is a great chaser for Reign, known for her ability to finish and her off-ball positioning. She’ll be a grounding force for whatever line she’s on, which will be super important in high-pressure situations where offenses need that slight edge to get the quadball through the hoop. Expect her to make a big impact when it counts.
Darian Murcek-Ellis, better known as DME, is arguably one of the best chasers to ever play the game. But his playing appearances are quite rare nowadays. This is a new team for him, and so it’ll be interesting to see how much he chooses to rely on his fellow players, or if he chooses to go it alone.
Madeline Namanny is a strong beater, known for keeping a cool head and making good decisions even in the midst of this team's fast-paced game. Keep an eye out for who she plays with this weekend—is it an old Creighton beater partner, or someone new?
Trainwreck
Trainwreck is back and yes, with another new set of players. Boom Train and Trainwreck have been swapping players since the fall, performing at relatively the same level, even having a golden-goal finisher against each other at Trick or Beat to open the season. But as we get closer to USQ Cup, the question is, how is that going to change?
Boom and Trainwreck’s rosters were largely defined by Boom’s inability to swap players who had played and secured a bid at York County, or at least it seems. But while both teams are vying for the club competitive division, the question remains whether they’ll still be performing at the same level when we get to Sacramento. But what does that have to do with Champaign? The answer is simple: lines.
While Boom and Trainwreck have been swapping players, they also haven’t entirely solidified the lines they’re playing with. And with, at the very least, the Quadball world unsure of who will be on who is on what team come April, that leaves both these teams vulnerable. Will they be able to build the chemistry on their lines needed to compete for a title? Or is this a strength, as it leaves both Trainwreck and Boom unpredictable, giving them the element of surprise against their opponents?
Trainwreck’s biggest test will come in the form of Reign QC. While their opponent may have more notable names, they also have less names overall, with Reign bringing 14 to Trainwreck’s 17. In a two-day tournament, three people can make a hell of a difference, especially if these teams eventually meet back up during bracket play.
Here are a few players donning the Trainwreck name this weekend that deserve your attention:
Ojas Turekar is a young Illini alum who’s ready to make a name for himself on the club competitive stage. He’s a fast-paced beater with a dynamic playstyle and a hell of an arm. It’ll be interesting to see how he plays off the energy of Trainwreck’s other beaters, and who he’s paired with.
Amelia Winke is a well-rounded, dependable beater that should never be underestimated. Her game IQ is what really shines in her playing style, and she elevates any beater partner she’s with to that level. And she’s got the athleticism to back all of those decisions up.
Cori Jobman is an excellent chaser on both sides of the ball. On defense, they’re great at the hoops, and on offense, they’re known for being able to get the ball through the hoop even in sticky situations. Keep an eye on them to watch as they make goals out of potential turnovers.
Vermont United
Vermont is the most unknown team in Pool B, as they haven’t been seen since their November appearance at Pandamonium. At that tournament, they went 1-2, their only win against the Red Pandas, taking losses to the Boston Lobsters and New Jersey Dice. But these losses weren’t insane—they managed to put up a good amount of points against great defenses, going 170-115 against the Boston Lobsters and 170-105 against New Jersey Dice. And they caught in both of their losses.
This shows us that this team has a productive offense and a solid FROP game to keep up with these high-level opponents. It’ll be interesting to see whether they can keep up that level of play over two days, with only 13 players on their roster.
Pay attention to their matchup against Chicago United. Both teams are expected to operate at a similar level, and so the matchup should be even. Their game against Chaos might also be one to watch, since both teams have proven they can show out after the 20-minute mark.
While you’re watching, here are some names to note:
Jordan Smiley is an incredibly dependable chaser with amazing game sense. That will be huge for this Vermont team. With not a ton of tournament experience this season, they’ll rely on her when she’s on the pitch to get them organized.
Ian Scura is a huge offensive threat with an absolutely lethal shot. His excellent passing complements his ability to run an offense. Expect to see Vermont’s offense run through him one way or another when he’s on the pitch.
Mason DuBoef is a tough player to get through on defense. They’re known for hitting hard, and Vermont’s opponents will have to work around him when on offense. Watch him if you want to see some big stops this weekend.
Prediction: Reign QC, Boom Train, New Jersey Dice and Trainwreck will get the four bids, in that order.
