Cornell College Ultimate Frisbee team expands

Cornell College’s Ultimate Frisbee team is preparing for the final tournament of the season, but this year’s competition will feature two Cornell teams instead of just one.  

“In the past the team has exclusively competed in the male division because we did not have enough females to field a female team,” said Team President David Pollicita ’19. “This year we’re excited to be able to send two 10-person teams–one male and one female–to the conference tournament in April, which is a big deal!”

The team, which is part of the West Plains Division III conference, practices three times a week, all year round, and competes in three or four tournaments each semester. Most of the tournaments are hosted by colleges in the Midwest. Over spring break, however, participants typically travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for a tournament.

Ultimate Frisbee is a club sport on campus, meaning the team is self-governed.

“We hire coaches, set practice times, design our jerseys, and schedule tournaments,” Pollicita said. “I’ve never been a part of a team that is almost exclusively run by the players. It allows us to be the team we want to be.”

Cornell currently has five club sports, including the Cornell College Cheerleaders, Judo Club, Airsoft Club, Ski/Snowboarding Club, and Ultimate Frisbee. They’re funded through allocations from Student Senate. Students can sign up at the beginning of the school year at the Involvement Fair or participate in additional tryouts held throughout the year.  

“Everyone should have the opportunity to be involved with a sport on campus if they want to,” Pollicita said. “There are many students at Cornell who played a sport in high school and enjoy being a part of a team, but are unable to participate in an official NCAA Division III sport while in college. There are also many students who are looking for fun ways to stay active on campus, but have never really tried organized sports. Ultimate and other athletic opportunities are great ways for students to have fun, compete, and develop relationships with our peers.”

Pollicita says his goals for the future include continuing to grow the Cornell team on and off the field.

“I really just hope the team continues to put out the same positive energy it does every day at practice and school,” he said.

The West Plains D-III Conference Championship tournament, the final competition of the year, takes place April 14–15 in Ames, Iowa. The team is always looking for new recruits. Any interested students can ask a member of the team about Ultimate Frisbee to find out more or email dpollicita19@cornellcollege.edu or lbrokaw20@cornellcollege.edu.