2025 MLQ Championships: The Championship Bracket Preview
This is what you’ve been waiting for.
This weekend, the Quadball community flocks to Buffalo, New York for the 2025 MLQ Championships. We’ll finally get to see who the true imposters are, and who are the true heroes. And at the end of it all, one team will bring home the Benepe Cup.
A few of the teams in the league outperformed the rest during the regular season, which means they’re already in the race for the Championship. While the other teams fight it out in the play-in bracket, the Chicago Prowl, the New York Titans, the Boston Forge, the Kansas City Stampede, the Minneapolis Monarchs and the San Antonio Soldados will get to sleep in and take their first matches in three-game series’ Saturday afternoon.
They’ve made it to the quarterfinals, but everyone knows that the path that lies ahead for each of these teams is a brutal one. So let’s see what FastBreak News’ writers think is happening this weekend - who falls flat Saturday afternoon, and who will take it all?
The Minneapolis Monarchs
By: Nathan Podolsky
Back to the Starting Line
After two years toiling in Saturday play-in competition, Minneapolis will return to the championship bracket after a 9-3 regular season and second place divisional finish. Three of their past four seasons have ended in quarterfinal sweeps and one ended during the play-in. This weekend, Minneapolis opens against the Boston Forge, hoping to finally flip the script.
To succeed on Saturday, the Monarchs must overcome their aversion to the bright lights of the season’s final weekend. Across six quarterfinal games since 2021, Minneapolis has lost by an average of 10.3 quadball goals. Their flag runner record in those six games is an abysmal 0-4-2. To that end, their baseline goal in Buffalo is simple: keep a single game competitive. Beyond that lies new territory that Minneapolis is hungry for. Advancing to Sunday and rewriting the consensus top three teams in the league are higher-level objectives on Monarch minds.
Stuck in The Cocoon
The Minneapolis roster is slimmed down heading to Buffalo. The loss of first-line chasers in Addie Sobczak and Denay Hering as well as keeper Alexander-Paul Ogbeide leaves a gap the Monarchs must fill. It will be up to young college players like Cecelia Voth, Brady Charles and Phoebe Thomas to step into the lines.
One key question from the beginning of the season remains unanswered: how will Minneapolis score in the half-court during seeker floor? Against the Chicago Prowl, their half court sets looked uninspired; in the series opener, a lack of consistent execution generated a meager four half-court goals and failed twice to create a game winner. Minneapolis cannot hope to succeed in transition alone against Boston.
Finally, a mountain stands in Minneapolis’s way: Max Havlin and Lulu Xu. Their ability to take over a game remains unmatched; they dominated Twin Cities at the past two USQ Cups. Two Monarch pairs excelled against the Prowl: veterans Nathan Podolsky and Nicole Nelson and college stars Ryan Cleary and Meredith McDowell. These partners will look to find answers against the league’s best beater duo.
Pollination Nation
Minneapolis has plenty of reason for optimism. To compete with Boston and succeed this weekend, they must accomplish three straightforward tasks:
Start Fast: The Monarchs raced to 3-0 and 2-0 leads against the Prowl. If they repeat this performance before Havlin and Xu enter, they will prevent the blowouts of previous years and put themselves at an advantage heading into the second half.
Catch the Flag: It was a Mike Devine catch that sprung an upset over the Forge in Iowa in 2023. Look for USNTDA star Joe Goulet to go all out in his pursuit of the flag runner while every Monarch dodgeball focuses on creating openings.
Take a Deep Breath: Ryan Mehio and Bitzy Archibold have joined the chaser lines. Max Meier has replicated their 2019 MVP form. Brand new beater pairs have succeeded against the Prowl’s corp. If Minneapolis shakes off their past demons and performs at the level of the players on their roster, they will compete with any team in the league.
Prediction
Minneapolis has proven to be the type of team with a wide range of possible results. Their highs allow them to compete with upper tier teams like Chicago and their lows have seen them drop games to the Cleveland Riff and fade away against competition like the New York Titans or San Antonio Soldados. Though their roster is more top-heavy than recent seasons, its top lines boast the squad’s most elite talent since 2019; I predict that Emma Persons will once again lose in the quarterfinals.
The Kansas City Stampede
By: Riley Hodder
The South Division has had a tumultuous season: the New Orleans Curse took the season off, the Austin Outlaws had to drop-out midseason, leaving the Houston Legends, the San Antonio Soldados and the Kansas City Stampede to battle it out for the top three spots.
In the end, it was San Antonio and Kansas City who came out on top, and this will be the first time the Stampede have made it to the Championship Bracket without having to battle through the play-in since the format was introduced in 2021. Kansas City’s 6-3 record is a bit of a misdirection, as in terms of games actually played, this team is 3-3. They found success against hard-hitting Houston, but floundered in their shootout with the Soldados.
Their first opponent this weekend will be no less of a challenge: the Chicago Prowl. And it’s this matchup that will determine the Stampede’s entire weekend: will they get sent home packing, or will they manage to scrape their way to the top?
Why They Will
Despite the hell of a distance they have to trek to get to Buffalo this weekend, Kansas City will come into Champs 20-people strong. And of those 20 people, they’re returning all of the stars of their two regular season series.
On the quadball side, there are a few key players that bring elite talent and in-depth knowledge of how the Prowl work. Mainly, Nivash Jayaram and Head Coach Lauren Smith. And while they have no Prowl experience, Vincent Reyes donned the white headband on Boom Train during the USQ season alongside current teammates Justin Dewick, Chanun Ong and Aaron Stout. It’ll be interesting to see what that knowledge will change about the way the Stampede approach this series.
There’s also no video from their games against San Antonio, which means the Prowl only have film that’s two months old. If Smith can implement a new defense and offense that allows the Stampede to take Chicago by surprise, they might just get an edge in the early games of their series.
Why They Won’t
The big question in their matchup against the Prowl is the Stampede’s beaters. That’s not an insult to those donning the black in Kansas City — the likes of Alex Tidler, Keighlyn Johnson and Ong are not to be underestimated. But there’s a decent argument behind the statement that Chicago’s beater corps is the best in the league. In order to maintain control of this game, and give their chasers a chance to break through the Prowl’s iron-clad defense, Kansas City will need to play the right beater pairs to match up against Chicago’s.
If you entertain the idea that the Stampede make it out of their series against the Prowl, then their next opponent will likely be the former champions, the New York Titans, in a battle for a spot in the finals. And if they were to win that game, they’d likely be taking on San Antonio for the Benepe Cup. This is all highly unlikely, because the reality is that the Stampede will likely not win against Chicago.
This Kansas City squad has the opportunity for high-quality reps, and the Stampede have proved time and time again to be a hell of a team to beat. So while Kansas City should approach this Champs as an opportunity for learning and growth, especially for their younger guard like Miles Himmelman, Purvi Mujumdar and Jackson Herdade, this writer is certainly never going to count them out.
Prediction: Chicago Prowl 2 - 0 Kansas City
The Boston Forge
By: Isabel Roseth
If one lesson is to be learned after the Boston Forge’s performance this season, it’s that they are variable. Their summer started off strong after the Forge swept the Charlotte Aviators 3-0, and they continued to impress by taking a game off of the New York Titans, a feat no other team has accomplished this season. Even in the two games they lost in that series, it was clear Boston knew every point scored and every blocked goal counted, and they were methodical every moment of the game. However, their games against the Washington Admirals left much to be desired; to put it simply, Boston floundered, only snatching one win away from Washington and ultimately losing the series. While Boston placed second in the East Division, they know that success this weekend is not guaranteed.
Forge is at a fork in the road — in one reality, they keep their heads and play their well-thought out, patient game against their opponents, as seen against Charlotte and New York. In the other, they repeat their mistakes they made against the Admirals. Hail-Mary passes over the hoopline that lead to a turnover, as well as blunders before finishing on hoops, need to fall out of Boston’s repertoire if they hope to place this weekend. Furthermore, the chaser and beater games need to go hand in hand; against Washington, it appeared as though Boston had two separate trains of thought rather than something seamless.
That said, there is still hope for Boston. It is unlikely they are expecting to take the title, but Forge functions best on a positive mindset, rather than a hopeless one. Standout chasers such as Athena Mayor, Emma Persons and Carsen Olazaba are all on roster, as well as notable rookie Zachary Donofrio, which means we are likely to see fast break attempts and some impressive dunks by Persons. Her playing, as well as her coaching, is one of Forge’s biggest assets and her presence bodes well for their performance this weekend. After many notable roster losses, Boston was predicted to struggle more this season than the last, and while they have dropped in performance, the coaching staff — namely head coach Kieran Collier and assistant coach Persons — prevented a nosedive.
The seeker floor is one of Boston’s biggest weaknesses, but still a potential advantage. In Washington, they struggled when the flag runner was on the pitch and let up a lot of goals. However, Boston rostered seeker Stephen Trempel for this weekend, and he is their best bet at catching to win. Additionally, beater pair Max Havlin and Lulu Xu typically dominate during FROP and are highly likely to outmatch many teams' beater pairs at any point of the game.
Boston will face the Minneapolis Monarchs first in the quarterfinals, and the series could go either way. But ultimately, if Forge keeps their heads and plays their game, their most recent series against Washington could very well remain a cautionary tale, rather than an omen of what's to come.
Schedule: 3:30pm vs. Minneapolis Monarchs
Prediction: Will lose in the quarterfinals to Minneapolis 2-1, but scores will be quite close.
The Chicago Prowl
By: Ashton Butler
The Chicago Prowl should be saying “Third times the charm” to themselves heading into the 2025 MLQ Championships. After two devastating losses in the finals at the hands of the Austin Outlaws in 2023 and the New York Titans in 2024, the Prowl are ready to claim King’s Rock and finally take the Benepe Cup for the first time in team history.
As the rulers of the North Division once again, the Prowl were given the option as to which side of the bracket they will sit. Chicago decided their first round matchup will be against the Kansas City Stampede. This matchup has many familiar faces for both teams as multiple former Prowl players along with USQ teammates on Boom Train have a chance to play spoiler on Chicago’s trek. If the Prowl are to trample the stampede, their matchup will likely be a familiar foe, the Titans, who beat them in the 2024 finals. If all goes to plan for the Prowl, their final test would likely be between a familiar face, the Minneapolis Monarchs, the team they avoided in the first round, the Boston Forge or the favorites to reach the finals, the San Antonio Soldados. The path to the top is definitely bumpy and could change at any time, but this is a team that has been tested and we will see if they can finally reach the top.
What’s Changed?
The biggest news for the Prowl was the loss of Ally Peachey in the middle of the season. Peachey’s minutes were going to be crucial for this Prowl team after departures of key female chasers in Emma Vazquez and Dara Gaeuman in the offseason. The loss of another USNT talent in Peachey will definitely sting. Chicago will also be missing some key beater depth as they will be without Caleb Williams and Leah Osborne. Osborne, despite having limited drives this season, proved an impact immediately as an athletic aggressor for Chicago and the loss of a key veteran in Williams is a major blow. Williams, despite hardly playing this season, is one of the feistiest young beaters in the sport whose athleticism is hard to counter.
Despite not having key beaters, Chicago picked up major additions in the offseason with young players such as Sohum Sharma, Amelia Winke and Ariana Zhang. Each player has contributed major minutes for the Prowl alongside veterans Justin Cole, Mae Overholt and the dynamic duo of Sol Alexander and Matt Brown. This Prowl team is deep at every position, and there is much mystery as to what Head Coach Kennedy Murphy is cooking up.
Ring Me!
This Chicago team, with full seasons from many of their veterans and chemistry with newcomers, has really shown the significance of elite coaching and unselfish play. The Prowl is coming off of a major test in the regular season against the Minneapolis Monarchs, and this opportunity to experience a tight matchup is something many of the teams at the top have not experienced yet. This Chicago team brings all the intangibles with talent across the board in every category of offense, defense, teamwork and coaching. There is nothing standing in the Prowl’s way of being great, and they just have to find it in themselves to rise up and reach their maximum potential.
Writer’s Prediction: Chicago will make it to the final for the third straight season.
The San Antonio Soldados
By: Whitney Ho
As the tenth annual Benepe Cup rapidly approaches, the San Antonio Soldados will be hunting for their first ever MLQ Championship victory. The Soldados have emerged from the regular season as undisputed South Division Champions after sweeping both the Houston Legends and the Kansas City Stampede, but a far greater challenge lies on the horizon. With a roster packed with superstar talent and athletic flair, this may be the Soldados’ best chance to take home a trophy.
Last year, the Soldados’ chance for a championship was stripped away by the New York Titans, who became the eventual Benepe Cup winners. The Titans are a formidable opponent, and after winning the East with ease, they will definitely set their sights on a repeat victory. Additionally, the Chicago Prowl, who are the only other undefeated team in the league, have also shown immense strength as they handled the rest of the North. But while the Soldados have yet to be tested, any San Antonio fan has seen the level of intensity and skill that they used to sweep the Legends and the Stampede. If the season doesn’t end in an early exit for the Soldados, will this be the year that they finally win it all?
The Soldados are bringing both seasoned veterans and young talent to Buffalo this weekend. Out of the 21-person team, 11 of the players are involved with either the USNT or the USNTDA, including Miguel Esparza, Javien Stewart, Daniel Williams and head coach Hayden Boyes. Boyes, who debuted for the Soldados this season after departing from the Legends, tallied six goals and 10 assists in his first series with the Soldados and has continued the upward momentum ever since. Other chasers to watch include rookie Izzy Ramirez and David Avila, two Texas State starlets who combined for sixteen goals against the Legends and had a tremendous showing against the Stampede. For the Soldados to be victorious, their chasers must continue to enforce their high powered offense and concrete defense, pushing their opponents to play their style until they grow weary, where the depth of this squad has their chance to shine.
The beaters of this team are just as strong as the chasers, led by Williams and Baldemar Nuñez. Nuñez, who was the league’s Player of the Week after Week Four, tallied seven stops, 1.84 average dodgeballs and a 17 plus/minus after the series with the Legends. Other assets include collegiate dynamic duo Javi Tijerina and Kyle Bryant, known for their balance of aggressive attack and sharp game awareness. Expect quick reps and firm control from these beaters, preventing their opponents from equalizing quickly and allowing the San Antonio chasers to run away with games in hand.
One of the biggest threats to opposing teams is San Antonio’s FROP game, led by seekers John Alvarez and Christian Cortez. Cortez, who tallied two catches against Houston, will be a daunting threat, and Alvarez, whose experience and technique is some of the best in the league, will continue to tip the scale into San Antonio’s favor. To support their team in Buffalo, these seekers will have to manage quick reps and high awareness, something they’ve proven to be capable of throughout the regular season.
However, with a shortened season due to the hiatus of the Austin Outlaws and the New Orleans Curse, the Soldados have only played six real games, which they won decisively. Going into Champs, the question will be if the reputation the Soldados have built up will hold in the face of giants such as the Titans and the Prowl. Additionally, the Soldados also are known for being hotheaded and aggressive — an asset to the team in good moments, but also a hindrance. We have yet to see the Soldados play in high pressure situations, and a few bad plays could send them and their season spiraling. However, the Soldados are proud and they have the skill, record and passion to back it up. In Buffalo, if all goes well for San Antonio, this season will end as a Soldados Summer.
The New York Titans
By: Padfoot
The New York Titans enter this weekend expecting to take it all. Walking into the season, they were one of the most decorated teams in MLQ with a number of USQ club champions, runner ups and collegiate D1 competitors. With the recent domination of their practice squad Olympians over the East Embers, we see that even their “B-team” can stomp out the competition with high level plays. Adding in coaches Jacob Ehrlich, Jack Levy and Frank Minson, you have three leaders who have coached programs through sharp developments. Ehrlich coached Rutgers Quadball post pandemic into the highest USQ Cup Elite Eight finishes, including being one of the only teams to dominate UTSA’s collegiate champion team with the likes of Jay Stewart and Matthew Blackwood. Levy coached the Detroit Innovators through their exciting growth that led to taking a game from the Chicago Prowl and an eventual quarterfinal appearance against the Titans last season. Frank Minson took over New York after the pandemic, leading them to an undefeated season and planting the seeds for their eventual Benepe Cup win in 2024. All season, the Titans players have shown the ability to maximize their offensive and defensive prowess on both sides of the field, handedly defeating all competition in what some would call the most competitive division in MLQ. While a little shaky at times on field management and adjustments, this team knows how to play Quadball — and past championship runs have shown that they plan to hoist the trophy in the end.
To get to the Benepe Cup for a second year in a row, New York has a tough run. They’ll face one of the two teams to make it out of the play-ins, Chicago Prowl and an eventual final against a likely Boston Forge or San Antonio Soldados (this writer expects it to be Soldaddies in the finals). This bracket pull could be precarious for the Titans, as the play in teams to make bracket are predicted by most to be two of Houston, Washington or Charlotte. All three of these teams love to get physical in the game, and the Titans cannot afford to lose pieces if they want to face and beat San Antonio in the last game on Sunday. New York’s only chance of San Antonio being upset isn’t good — since that would set up an East v East final with Boston — the only team to take a game from Titans this season. If it’s an all East brawl for the Benepe Cup, it’ll be a game full of adjustments between two teams that know each other the most in the league (haters say Minneapolis vs. Chicago but the real rivalry is New York vs. Boston).
This is another year where the semifinal matchup may generate more hype than the final — the Titans and the Prowl will likely meet yet again. While the indoor Iowa meet went Chicago’s way in 2023, the Titans handedly defeated the Prowl in the finals of 2024. These teams have likely watched film of all the opponents they expected to face all season, and Chicago’s bracket choice all but confirmed a rematch. These teams may not be the same as 2023 or 2024, but we’ll see who wins the best of three of Benepe Cup matchups. No matter who the Titans ultimately face, they’ll look to focus on using their beater depth to push a defensive advantage, create looks for their chasers and hold down the bubble for a catch and win to drive the trophy back home with them.
Schedule
Chicago v. Kansas City, 3:30 PM @ Pitch One
Boston v. Minneapolis, 3:30 PM @ Pitch Two
New York v. Play-In Team, 4:30 PM @ Pitch One
San Antonio v. Play-In Team, 4:30 PM @ Pitch Two
Chicago v. Kansas City, 5:30 PM @ Pitch Two
Boston v. Minneapolis, 5:30 PM @ Pitch One
New York v. Play-In Team, 6:30 PM @ Pitch Two
San Antonio v. Play-In Team, 6:30 PM @ Pitch One
Chicago v. Kansas City, 7:30 PM @ Pitch One (If Needed)
Boston v. Minneapolis, 7:30 PM @ Pitch Two (If Needed)
New York v. Play-In Team, 8:30 PM @ Pitch One (If Needed)
San Antonio v. Play-In Team, 8:30 PM @ Pitch Two (If Needed)
