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Articles by Mike Ball
Elly BP cover
Elly BP cover Mike Ball, Cincinnati Enquirer Updated Mon, September 7, 2026 at 9:27 PM EDT Sep 5, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) rounds the bases after a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Great American Ball Park.
D-III College Championships 2025: Seeding Predictions
Our coverage of the 2025 college Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! After the excitement of Regionals, we now have the full field of Nationals teams. It’s time to start thinking about what the seeding and pools might look like for the College Championships.
By the numbers: How Pete Rose became a Cincinnati Reds legend
Pete Rose was known as the Hit King for his major league record 4,246 hits. It was one of baseball's greatest moments when Rose passed Ty Cobb's long-standing major-league record of 4,191 hits on September 11, 1985. Rose's hitting prowess was more than simply the total of his hits. His Reds batting records include all-time, single-season and National League-leading accomplishments. His Reds records range from his 44-game hitting streak to his extra-base hits and total bases.
Announcing the Eighth Annual Donovan Award
Ultiworld is proud to announce that nominations are open for the eighth annual Donovan Award. The Donovan Award will be awarded to one women’s division and one men’s division player from Division III college ultimate who are selected by their peers in the division. The ideal candidate for the award meets the following criteria: Demonstrates an exceptional level of skill and athleticism on the field.
2023 D-III Men's Coaches of the Year
Celebrating the best off-field leaders of the season. July 20, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored.
2023 D-III Men's Rookie of the Year
The first-years who have already established themselves among the division's best overall players. July 14, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored.
2023 D-III Men's Breakout Player of the Year
Highlighting players who took a leap toward stardom in the division this spring. July 13, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored.
2023 D-III Men's All-American Second Team
Recognizing the next set of top performers of the 2023 season. July 6, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored.
2023 D-III Men's All-American First Team
Recognizing the top seven performers of the 2023 season. July 4, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored.
2023 D-III Men's Player of the Year: Colorado College's Oliver Kraft
Recognizing the top performer of the 2023 season. July 3, 2023 by Michael Ball in Awards with comments Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards. Our staff evaluates the individual performances of players from throughout the season, talking to folks around college ultimate, watching film, and look at statistics, voting upon the awards to decide those to be honored.
Master Kraftsman: Colorado College's Defensive Wizard
Oliver Kraft put on a clinic in the D-III semifinals. May 22, 2023 by Michael Ball in Analysis with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. In Oliver Kraft’s Donovan nomination video, his teammates wrote: “Ollie broke his face the practice before Regionals in 2022. D3 Mens was saved from having to play against him.
The (Potentially) Great Eight (Men's)
How each men's D-III prequarterfinalist could make a push deeper into the bracket May 21, 2023 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. Making prequarters of Nationals is an achievement in and of itself.
D-III College Championships 2023: Pool Play Recap (Men’s)
Recapping all the excitement from day one at the Men's D-III College Championships! May 20, 2023 by Michael Ball, Chris Cassella and Sam Echevarria in Recap with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.
D-III College Championships 2023: Pool C Preview (Men’s)
Two programs making their return to Nationals - and one going for the first time - round out a pool with division heavyweights Middlebury May 19, 2023 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.
D-III College Championships 2023: Pool B Preview (Men’s)
Three upstarts look to establish themselves, and maybe even upset St. Olaf. May 19, 2023 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. We are less than one week out from the D-III College Championships, and that means it’s pool preview time.
Colorado School of Mines: Entropy at Work
How Colorado College embraced their unique energy - and each other - to save their season at the final hour May 17, 2023 by Michael Ball in Profile with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. Entropy: a state of disorder, or a tendency toward such a state; chaos.
D-III College Championships 2023: Seeding Predictions
Here's our best guess. May 10, 2023 by Michael Ball in Analysis with comments Our coverage of the 2023 college Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! After the excitement of Regionals, we now have the full field of Nationals teams. It’s time to start thinking about what the seeding and pools might look like for the College Championships. We are back to a normal seeding approach from USA Ultimate.
D-III College Men's Regionals 2023: Weekend 2 Preview
The last bids to D-III Men's Nationals will be decided this weekend! May 5, 2023 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. There are few more exciting portions of the ultimate calendar than spring College Regionals.
D-III College Men's Regionals 2023: Weekend 2 Preview
8 bids are on the line this weekend! April 28, 2023 by Michael Ball, Chris Cassella and Alex Rubin in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. There are few more exciting portions of the ultimate calendar than spring College Regionals.
D-III Men's Confregionals 2023 Preview
Superlatives from the premier D-III men's tournament April 21, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.
Announcing the Seventh Annual Donovan Award
Crowning the best of Division III! April 12, 2023 by Michael Ball and Fiona "Scotti" Nugent in Awards, News with comments Ultiworld is proud to announce that nominations are open for the seventh annual Donovan Award. The Donovan Award will be awarded to one women’s division and one men’s division player from Division III college ultimate who are selected by their peers in the division.
FCS D-III Tune Up 2023: Tournament Recap (Men's)
Superlatives from the premier D-III men's tournament March 9, 2023 by Michael Ball in Recap with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. Disclaimer: the author of this preview is the FCS tournament director. We truly couldn’t have asked for a better weekend for the first major D-III men’s tournament of the season.
Streaming Schedule
Ten top 25 teams are set to clash in the premier D-III men's tournament March 2, 2023 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season. Disclaimer: the author of this preview is the FCS tournament director.
D-III Men's College Primer 2023
Your guide to the biggest players, teams, and stories of the 2023 D-III college season! February 10, 2023 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Analysis, Coverage with comments Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2023 college ultimate season are presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.
12 Days of College Ultimate: D-III Staff Picks
For Day 3 of college ultimate content, we unwrap our staff picks for D-III College Nationals. December 14, 2022 by Michael Ball, Theresa Diffendal, Fiona "Scotti" Nugent and Alex Rubin in Preview with comments With the fall season in the rearview, it is still difficult to identify how the D-III division will be represented at Nationals come May and how teams will stack up against each other.
2022 D-III Men's Coaches of the Year
The best signal-callers and program builders in the college game this season. July 21, 2022 by Michael Ball in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2022 D-III Men's Rookie of the Year
We tuned the definition to fit the circumstances, but these rookies were simply outstanding. July 20, 2022 by Michael Ball in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2022 D-III Men's Breakout Player of the Year
Highlighting players who took a leap toward stardom in the division this spring. July 19, 2022 by Michael Ball in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2022 D-III Men's Defensive Player of the Year
The best defenders of the 2022 spring season. July 15, 2022 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2022 D-III Men's Offensive Player of the Year
The most successful offensive players of the 2022 season. July 11, 2022 by Michael Ball and Chris Cassella in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2022 D-III Men's All-American Second Team
Rounding out the 14 best performances of the 2022 college season. July 11, 2022 by Michael Ball in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2022 D-III Men's All-American First Team
Recognizing the top seven performers of the 2022 season. July 7, 2022 by Michael Ball in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2022 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
D-III College Championships 2022: Oklahoma Christian Outlasts Middlebury For Shot At Title Defense (Men's Semifinal Recap)
The rematch of last December's national championship game delivered with double game point excitement. May 23, 2022 by Michael Ball in Recap with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — In a game that fans had been waiting for all weekend, the rematch of the 2021 National Championship game did not disappoint.
D-III College Championships 2022: Oklahoma Christian Solve Grace Zone (Men's Quarterfinals Recap)
The 2021 national champions have taken another step toward defending their title. May 22, 2022 by Michael Ball in Recap with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! Sometimes, a game is as simple as solving just one puzzle your opponent throws at you.
D-III College Championships 2022: Berry Dispatch Colorado College, Again (Men's Quarterfinals Recap)
Berry earn their first-ever trip to the semifinals, ending Wasabi's season for the second time in six months. May 22, 2022 by Michael Ball in Recap with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate.
D-III College Championships 2022: Pool D Recap (Men’s)
Games to seed, but plenty of excitement along the way. May 22, 2022 by Michael Ball in Recap with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! On the surface, Pool D looks like just another pool that went to seed. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find a pool that was filled with close calls and exciting finishes.
D-III College Championships 2022: Pool A Recap (Men’s)
The two top seeds advance comfortably, along with a surprising Grace team in the third position in the pool. May 22, 2022 by Michael Ball in Recap with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! The top two teams in Pool A took care of business and finished to seed, but the gap between the two of them was much tighter than we expected.
D-III College Championships 2021: Pool D Preview (Men’s)
A first-time nationals attendee with a realistic chance to top their pool could be one of the feel-good stories of the tournament. May 20, 2022 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! Returning to its normal late-May slot in the calendar for the first time since 2019, the D-III College Championships are finally upon us.
D-III College Championships 2022: Pool A Preview (Men’s)
The tournament's top seed find themselves in a pool with one of the oldest and one of the youngest programs in the division, plus a former national silver medalist. May 20, 2022 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate.
D-III College Championships 2022: Seeding Predictions (Men's Division)
May 10, 2022 by Michael Ball in Analysis with comments After the excitement of Regionals, we now have the full field of teams. It’s time to start thinking about what the seeding and pools might look like for Nationals. This year, seeding won’t look like it did prior to the pandemic.
D-III College Championships 2022: Seeding Predictions (Women's Division)
May 10, 2022 by Michael Ball in Analysis with comments After the excitement of Regionals, we now have the full field of teams. It’s time to start thinking about what the seeding and pools might look like for Nationals. This year, seeding won’t look like it did prior to the pandemic.
D-III College Men's Regionals 2022: Weekend Three Preview
The final three bids to Nationals will be awarded this weekend. May 6, 2022 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! Back in their traditional early-May slot for the first time in three years, there are few more exciting portions of the ultimate calendar than spring College Regionals.
D-III College Men's Regionals 2022: Weekend Two Preview
Ten Nationals bids are on the line this weekend! April 29, 2022 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! Back in their traditional early-May slot for the first time in three years, there are few more exciting portions of the ultimate calendar than spring College Regionals.
Announcing the Sixth Annual Donovan Award
Crowning the best of Division III! April 27, 2022 by Michael Ball in Awards, News with comments Ultiworld is proud to announce that nominations are open for the sixth annual Donovan Award. The Donovan Award will be awarded to one women’s division and one men’s division player from Division III college ultimate who are selected by their peers in the division. The ideal candidate for the award meets the following criteria: Demonstrates an exceptional level of skill and athleticism on the field.
D-III Men’s Southeast Conferences: Tournament Preview
The third D-III Men's Nationals bid is on the line this weekend in Georgia. April 22, 2022 by Michael Ball in Preview with comments Berry’s Collin Hill. Photo: Rodney Chen — UltiPhotos.com Our coverage of the 2022 College Series is presented by Spin Ultimate. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! The 2022 College Series is underway and the first bids to Nationals have already been awarded.
Five Burning Questions For The 2022 D-III Men's Season
What we're watching for as the D-III season gets into full swing. March 2, 2022 by Michael Ball in Coverage, Preview with comments Middlebury’s Leo Sovell-Fernandez and Oklahoma Christian’s Elliott Moore are likely to be among the best performers of the 2022 D-III men’s college season. Photo: Rodney Chen — UltiPhotos.com Our coverage of the 2022 college season is presented by Spin Ultimate.
2021 D-III Men's All-American Second Team
Rounding out the last of our fall college awards. January 21, 2022 by Michael Ball, Alex Rubin, Zakk Mabrey and Adekale Ande in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2021 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2021 D-III Men's All-American First Team
The top seven all-around players from the fall season. January 20, 2022 by Michael Ball, Alex Rubin and Keith Raynor in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2021 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2021 D-III Men's Coach of the Year
The best signal-callers and program builders in the college game this season. January 18, 2022 by Michael Ball and Zakk Mabrey in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2021 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
2021 D-III Men's Rookie of the Year
Highlighting players who made impressive college ultimate debuts this fall, whether they joined their teams in 2020 or just this academic year. January 17, 2022 by Michael Ball and Zakk Mabrey in Awards with comments Ultiworld’s 2021 College Awards are presented by the National Ultimate Training Camp; all opinions are those of the author(s). NUTC helps young players become better athletes and community members. Each year, Ultiworld presents our annual College Awards.
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