After 11 years in the league, 134 regular season games, six playoff appearances, and just one prior Championship Weekend appearance, the Minnesota Wind Chill are UFA Champions.
Emotions were high as the team rushed the field in the final seconds of the 2024 final against the Carolina Flyers, as Gordon Larson completed the last pass to Bryan Vohnoutka, who let the clock run down its final seconds where it reached its culmination into the team’s first-ever league title.
The Road to Championship Weekend
Going 9-3 in the regular season, the Wind Chill had an uphill battle to reach championship glory. In a Central Division race where it seemed like any one game could topple the standings, Minnesota held firm and established themselves as the dominating force at the top. Through the injuries of Sam Berglund and Will Brandt, the addition of rookies Thomas Shope and Leo Sovell-Fernandez, new signings in Matt Rehder and Greg Cousins, and of course a slew of returning core members, the Wind Chill had to spend 14 weeks discovering their identity, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their path to becoming champions.
Throughout the season, fans bore witness to this culmination, joining in weekly lessons that clicked with every game, quarter, point, and pass. Win or lose, the Chill became stronger and smarter every week, evident in their Division Championship demolition of the Madison Radicals, who were held to just 14 points to Minnesota’s 23 — a dramatic exclamation point to the confident statement that the Wind Chill are real, and they belong in the UFA’s Final Four.
Even so, the Chill flew under the radar of many and were doubted by just about every fan and analyst of the UFA.
Heading into the semifinal against the DC Breeze — the two teams’ first-ever matchup — Minnesota was slotted in as the last seed in the tournament. Given this fact, combined with the team’s earlier blowout at the hands of the New York Empire, it had seemed everyone dismissed any potential upset possibility.
Other than the Wind Chill and their fans, of course.
The thing about analyzing based on statistics (and even a previous case study) is that you cut yourself off to the inner workings of the team, the heart, the passion, and frankly, the skill. No, the Wind Chill decidedly weren’t the best team in 2024, and I don’t know if anyone would argue that they were. But they had the ability to adjust and adapt, they had depth, they had recent playoff experience that set the tone for this year’s Championship Weekend.
And so when they beat the Breeze by 3 points to move onto the finals, many were surprised. It was an upset, sure, but anyone who actually watched the Wind Chill throughout the regular season (not just their marquee games) would tell you they weren’t all that surprised. Sure, the windy conditions helped. But there were so many other elements that went into the team’s victory. They executed. They were comfortable. They played solid, selfless ultimate that they had all season long.
So when the buzzer went off, vindication was felt throughout Minnesota and frankly, throughout the entire Central Division.
Flying High: Championship Game
The entire discourse around the UFA’s Championship Weekend focused on the windy conditions, and rightfully so. The first half of the Wind Chill/Breeze semifinal game was one of the most hilariously embarrassing moments in UFA history, as the teams combined for a total of 74 turnovers. Yes, it was very fitting for two wind-related team names. With only (ha) 52 turns between the Flyers and Wind Chill, the conditions didn’t seem to affect the game as much, but clearly, there were external factors that were nearly impossible to game plan for.
Even so, the Wind Chill’s 17-16 victory was hard-fought and well-earned.
With four (nearly five!) straight breaks to start the game, Minnesota took control early, establishing themselves as threats to the only team at Championship Weekend 2024 who had won it all before. Led by handlers Will Brandt and Josh Klane, anchored in the end zone by Noah Hanson and Quinn Snider, the team was up by as many as six at the half. They felt good, but they knew they couldn’t let up. After all, the Flyers are one of the best teams in the UFA and were easily one of the favorites for the ‘24 title.
And sure enough, in the second half, the Flyers actually outscored the Chill 10-5. If it hadn’t been for the six-point cushion Minnesota had built early on, the outcome would have been much different.
Throughout the entire game, wind-induced turnovers, integrity calls, and referee interjections (or in some cases, lack thereof) shifted the momentum for both teams, preventing either team from really feeling comfortable or having complete control of the game.
But onward they pushed, as they had done all season long. The Wind Chill played their game, running the clock where they could, taking the deep look when they had it, and relying on every player to step up and fill in where they were needed. After Will Brandt attempted a deep hammer to Gordon Larson to run out the final seconds of the game, a drop and subsequent strip call kept the disc in Larson’s hands. All he needed to do was complete one more pass to start the game clock and the title was theirs. Sure enough, he saw Bryan Vohnoutka nearby and tossed the disc to his teammate, who threw his hands up and welcomed his team, rushing onto the field, to celebrate the franchise’s first-ever UFA Championship.
"When we got the disc up one with 27 seconds left, it hit me like a freight train," said captain Brandon Matis. "At that moment, I knew we'd won. I didn't have thoughts as much feelings. I was very emotional—I couldn't hold back the tears. It's been a long time coming, and there's just a lot of love and joy for everyone who is actively and has been part of this team."
11 Years in the Making
In 1991, the Minnesota Twins won their second World Series title in five years. Ever since, no professional men’s sports team from Minnesota has brought home hardware. (Luckily, the Minnesota Lynx and Minnesota’s PWHL team have kept our hopes alive.)
For the past 11 years, the Wind Chill have looked to end that streak.
Centered around long-time veterans Brandon Matis, Bryan Vohnoutka, Colin Berry, Josh Klane, Jimmy Kittlesen, and Dylan DeClerck, the Wind Chill have had a winning record in 8 of their total 11 seasons, but were just 2-6 in the postseason coming into 2024. And let’s not forget about head coach Ben Feldman, who has been with the team alongside Brandon Matis since its inception in 2013.
"I feel very proud and relieved for the vets who have been with me for a long time," said Matis. "I've seen the work, I've seen the care, I've seen the heartbreak. It meant so much to me to share this with the grizzled veterans—who also happen to be some of my best friends."
In a post-game interview with Evan Lepler, Ben Feldman tried to manage his excitement and overwhelming emotions after the game:
“It’s incredible,” he said. “I didn’t know who I wanted to hug first. I’m about to cry, seeing my guys like Brandon Matis and Bryan Vohnoutka, these guys who have been here forever. It’s emotional.”
This core group has seen multiple iterations of Wind Chill ultimate, from an inaugural 4-12 record to climbing the hill that is the Chicago Union to get out of a playoff slump, to heartbreaking overtime losses, dramatic buzzer beater wins, and now finally, a championship.
The team seems to have come out stronger than ever after 2020, with four straight winning seasons, all of which earning them playoff appearances, including two consecutive Division titles and of course now one league title.
And they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
"I feel equally prideful, but also shimmers of hope," said Matis. "Our younger players have stepped up all year. Their growth has been astronomical. It's a blessing to play a part in the beginnings of their lore because they're going to keep this organization near the top for a long time—they already have."
Alongside the vets is a cohort of strong young stars not just looking for their turn to make a name for themselves, but who are actively doing so. Without listing off every player and extending this article even further, the core future talent of Will Brandt, Gordon Larson, Thomas Shope, and Noah Hanson just gained some of the most valuable experience they will need to lead this team for years to come. There is so much exciting ultimate ahead for Minnesota fans, thanks to this group and the performance they all had through the entirety of 2024.
“You could pick a lot of people for MVP from the game on Saturday night or from the weekend,” said Feldman. “We haven’t had anyone on the stats leaderboard all season when it comes to the league; we spread out our production. It’s a total team effort. Our guys came ready to play whatever role it was, whether it was active or on the sideline. Everyone was there to win.”
And win they did. After this weekend, the Wind Chill have earned themselves a spot at the table. They do not need to prove themselves anymore to anyone — fans, players, or UFA analysts alike. The act of winning this trophy will speak on behalf of the Minnesota Wind Chill for the foreseeable future. And they don’t even need to be the best, most dominant team in the league, either. Playing your best ultimate at the right time is enough in this league to win it all and be a household name. And the Wind Chill proved that.
With the veterans at the helm and the young core having a title to their name already, the Wind Chill, and the Central Division, are ready to be taken seriously.
Your 2024 Champions: The Minnesota Wind Chill
It is impossible to articulate just how much pride I had this weekend watching the Wind Chill prove themselves. Not only did my hometown team go all the way and end the infamous title drought, but my hometown fans were right there with them.
I do regret watching Championship Weekend from my couch, though to pull back the curtain a bit, we did get to spend the weekend celebrating our foster kiddo’s birthday, which was so worth it. And clearly, the fans had our back when Jay, Caine, and I couldn’t bring our own energy to Salt Lake, and that was the coolest part. Because as our goal has been since starting Wind Chill Talk, we got to see the community and the fan base grow and represent, and I’m so happy there was such great Wind Chill fanbase representation to bear witness to this team’s first-ever Championship.
This fanbase has been everything, and they deserve it as much as the players do. Long before we came into this space, before we started following the team in 2018 and attended our first game in 2021, the same fans who were in Salt Lake this weekend were in Blaine and St. Paul for years, cheering on the Chill the whole way. And that was really cool to see for their sake.
Because for 11 years — and for the last five months — the Wind Chill have fought for every game. They may have been the lowest seed, but that doesn’t even mean they were the underdogs. They earned this win with every point played, not only in Salt Lake but in the last 11 years of Wind Chill frisbee.
So, to the players and fans: you did it. Congratulations. All the years of work put in, miles traveled, the tears shed, the chants screamed, and the frisbees thrown have paid off. You have put respect on the Central Division, showing that we can run with the best and play the best ultimate when it matters the most.
You have shown the fans, the league, and me what a Championship team looks like. You should be damn proud.