Thomas Shope is 18 years old, getting ready to go to college at the one and only Carleton after graduating from St. Louis Park this spring. He enjoys cross country skiing, the New York Times suite of games, and orange chicken. And he’s pretty good at ultimate frisbee, too.
Born to two ultimate-playing parents (Jim and Catherine), the legacy Shope has frisbee in his blood, and has made his first appearance on a UFA roster at just 18 years old (which is uniquely not the only 18-year-old playing professional ultimate for Minnesota this year!). In his first game with the Wind Chill this season, Shope quickly racked up three blocks, helping to lead his team to a no-doubter 18-11 win.
Young, scrappy, and hungry, Thomas Shope is ready to make his name known among Wind Chill fans and opponents. And he’s not the only one.
The 2024 Minnesota Wind Chill is full of electric young talent that are building a strong foundation not only for years to come, but for the immediate season ahead. From the “older” (ha) Will Brandt and Paul Krenik, to the up-and-coming Matt Johnson, Leo Sovell-Fernandez, and of course Thomas Shope, the Wind Chill’s cohort of rookies and young players are key for the team, both this season and the hopeful dynasty to be built.
This article is meant to be more than just naming names and saying how good any of these players are. It is designed to paint a picture of the future of the Wind Chill, showing how strong the foundation of the team is and in what direction it’s going. There are a lot of new faces on the team, and even some returning players may still be unfamiliar to fans. So we’re going to break down a few of the young pups to help you get to know them and know what you get to look forward to over the next few months and into the next decade-plus of Wind Chill ultimate.
Will Brandt
The man with the most professional experience of this group, Will Brandt has played 21 games over three seasons with the Chill. Given his “veteran” (again I say “ha”) status among this young group, Brandt is positioned to be a future leader and dare I predict captain of the Wind Chill down the line. Sure, pure experience isn’t the only factor that goes into leadership roles, but he naturally slots into a playmaker as the next QB1 on the team. That role still is probably officially occupied by Josh Klane, but the baton is ready to be passed.
Brandt’s deep bag of throws skillfully works around, through, and over defenses to find his teammates anywhere on the field (but especially in the end zone). His high-release backhand is a thing of beauty that makes you just laugh in awe whenever he pulls it out. There is a humble yet confident swagger about Brandt that is not unearned. He knows the role he plays and has a desire to step up even further, elevating his game as well as his presence on the team.
Brandt’s availability has been limited the last few seasons (including this one) due to his commitment with his college team, St. Olaf Bezerkers. Luckily, he is graduating this spring and expects to shift his attention full-time to the Wind Chill in future seasons, which will give Ben Feldman and the rest of the staff much more latitude and freedom to make moves, gameplan, and build around the team’s future star handler.
Paul Krenik
Another player held back by the commitment of college ultimate, Paul Krenik is the other half of Will Brandt. Currently, his stat line shows that he plays more defense than offense, but he makes an impact anywhere on the field, and being a receiver for Brandt’s deep looks just makes so much sense. PK is the ideal hybrid player, truly skilled in just about every aspect of the game wherever he slots in. He is relaxed and patient with the disc in his hands, and he can elevate in the end zone when the biggest moments call for it. Paul Krenik is threatening to be the next B-Von, if that’s not too controversial to say.
Bringing in his U24 World’s experience, PK has a bright future ahead with the Chill and is another more-experienced player who can help lead some of the other pups through the next few years. The only potential concern with building around Krenik is his professional career: he is currently on a pre-med track at the U of M, which is an ever-looming possibility that he will shift his focus (rightfully so) from ultimate to school and his career. And that’s assuming he stays in Minnesota.
But if we allow ourselves to have some hope and say PK will be a mainstay on the Wind Chill’s roster for the next 2,5, or 10 years, then we have a lot of fun ultimate ahead of us.
Cam Lacy
Cameron Lacy has already made a name for himself with the Wind Chill, namely for his incredible pulls that help pin opposing offenses in their endzone. But there’s a bit more to Lacy than meets the eye.
Overheard from a few (unnamed) vets on the Chill, if Lacy were to get more professional and formal training under his belt, he could be one of the best players in the league. A natural athlete, Cam doesn’t have extensive professional experience, and only a little club ultimate experience. There is an untapped potential to Lacy, a lingering threat waiting to be unleashed. And again, this is on top of the breakout rookie season we know him for.
Lacy had a surprisingly few 3 assists and 2 hockey assists last season, with relatively few completions and throwing yards. I think he was perhaps confined to that rookie status, not getting as many looks as he could have. But the Wind Chill will absolutely look for Cam to continue to step up and make those plays. He’s more than capable of looking deep and making an impact on defense, and his personality among his teammates brings an unquantifiable benefit to the clubhouse.
Thomas Shope
Shope, as I’ve mentioned, is the youngest player on the Wind Chill’s roster. He is in a great position on the team, with an opportunity to learn from some of the best defenders in the league while they’re still absolutely dominating. Players like Dylan DeClerck, Jimmy Kittlesen, and Brandon Matis are able to take Shope under their wing and help his development as he breaks into the UFA. It will be interesting to see how Feldman builds the lineup with Shope included, and who he’ll play with most often. I could see Shope getting as much variety as possible, but it would probably make more sense to keep his role and his line consistent for the sake of chemistry and mentorship.
Already, Shope is showing promise with the way he slots into the team’s D-line. Typically more comfortable with offense, he is applying his speed and talent in a new way for the Chill. He moves quickly and responds to his teammates positions, helping on handler defense and making key switches when opportunities arise. Thanks to some early introductions to a good amount of current Wind Chill teammates as a practice player on Subzero last club season, Shope seems to be fitting in just fine.
Thomas Shope represents the future for Minnesota, in just about every aspect. His development with the team, whether on offense or defense, is going to be crucial for not only his own stat line but the success of the team down the line. He’ll be absorbing everything he can from the older guys, and it will be interesting to see his role take shape over the years. Don’t sleep on this rookie; his youth doesn’t correlate with a lack of talent, and with 3 professional blocks to his name already, Shope is just getting started.
Leo Sovell-Fernandez
A quiet signing the Wind Chill made this offseason was that of 2021 DIII Defensive Player of the Year Leo Sovell-Fernandez. The rookie has multiple Team USA appearances, and will help bring in that experience to the handler set as the team continues to shift and find the right pieces to match their playstyle. Leo being brought in early and young in his career shows how invested the Wind Chill are in the future of the team. It will help acclimate Leo to the team’s playstyle and chemistry, while also getting a chance for him to contribute his own knowledge and experience to these coming formative years.
Sovell-Fernandez’s approach with the disc, he says, is to maximize the on-field chemistry and contribute to the rhythm, spacing, and flow as a distributor handler. Seeing Leo in action even just a little bit shows us the kind of player he is. He seems to almost have a sixth sense on the field, watching the game play out and helping where he needs to.
In the clip below, Leo (who is #3 on the far left hand side of the field/screen, in the dark jersey), can be seen lingering and hunting for the disc on defense. During much of this point, he is glued to his opponent (which is actually Will Brandt!), but when there is a shift in play, Leo takes the opportunity to disrupt cutters and make a great play on the disc. (Jeph note: for some reason I'm unable to share at the exact minute marker of the YouTube video - technical difficulties. But start the clip at 44:44 for best viewing!)
When you see #30 on the field this season, watch him throughout the point and see how his style of play differs from (yet complements) the team’s typical long-ball approach. Sovell-Fernandez will be a reliable and consistent support handler who can help become the driving force behind the Wind Chill’s push to Championship Weekends, in 2024 and beyond.
Just the Beginning
This isn’t even a comprehensive list of the young players and rookies who are ready to step up for the Wind Chill. Matej Petrovic, the Czech phenom, is an international star with experience on Subzero and a year with the Wind Chill already. He’s always putting in the work and finding ways to become the next dominant defender for Minnesota. Gordon Larson is ready to break into the Wind Chill full-time, and we are ready for him. Larson is another “young vet” with bits and pieces of pro experience but limited due to his college commitments. Once Gordon puts on the Wind Chill jersey full-time, be ready for what he has in store.
Matt Johnson is the self-proclaimed “Mini Jimmy Kittlesen,” with that “boy-next-door” haircut and smile that may fool you on the field. The way he reads the disc downfield is, in my opinion, immaculate and innate, and it seems effortless when he makes cuts and skies opponents. And don’t sleep on Noah Hanson, either, who has been waiting in the wings for his chance to wreak havoc downfield. Hanson’s Carleton experience is already helping Minnesota wrangle in goals and find ways to move the disc. He’s got some fun ultimate ahead of him.
The Minnesota Wind Chill’s future is bright, and it is encouraging to see the team continue to strategically build, giving young players valuable play time on the pro field alongside veterans who, if we’re being honest, probably are looking toward retirement relatively soon. Within the next 5 years, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a decent amount of turnover on the team, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be in good hands.
Feldman and the rest of the front office (pro ultimate teams have front offices, right?) are looking ahead while playing for now, too. We aren’t in a rebuilding period, we are in the midst of the Minnesota Wind Chill dynasty here and now.
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