Colorado Springs, Colo. (January 14, 2025)—The USA Ultimate College Championships will return to the west coast next spring as Burlington, Wash. was selected as the site of the 2025 Division I event, USA Ultimate announced today.
The four-day tournament, which annually hosts North America’s top college ultimate teams, will take place over Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26 at Skagit River Sports Complex and Burlington-Edison High School.
DiscNW and Skagit Tourism Bureau will serve as co-hosts along with USA Ultimate.
Washington last hosted the college championships in 2004, followed by Corvallis, Ore. in 2005, marking the tournament’s last appearance on the west coast aside from the 2021 edition in Southern California.
“DiscNW is honored to partner with USA Ultimate to bring the D-I College Championships back to Washington for the first time in more than 20 years,” commented DiscNW Executive Director Jude LaRene. “Our staff, board and volunteers are excited to share our community’s love of ultimate with thousands of athletes and fans who make this event an incredible annual celebration of the sport.”
Celebrating its 41st edition in 2025, the USA Ultimate College Championships represents the culmination of the college ultimate season. Each year, more than 600 colleges and universities field teams to compete in a 13-week regular season followed by a postseason series of conference and regional qualifying tournaments. Forty teams – 20 each in the men’s and women’s divisions – will earn an invitation to Burlington to compete for a national title.
The Pacific Northwest is considered one ultimate’s geographical hotbeds and features several notable programs and perennial contenders in the college ranks. In 2024, qualifying schools included British Columbia, Oregon, Oregon State, Victoria (B.C.) Washington and Western Washington. Since the tournament’s inception in 1984, those schools have combined for a total of 94 appearances and six national titles.
Defending champions include Brown University in the men’s division, and North Carolina, winners of four straight national titles, in the women’s division.
“We are thrilled to host the USA Ultimate D-I Championships here in Skagit Valley,” added Skagit Tourism Bureau CEO Kristen Keltz. “This event not only highlights the athleticism and spirit of ultimate, but also showcases our region’s natural beauty and vibrant community. Welcoming players, families and fans from across the nation provides a tremendous opportunity to support local businesses, foster community pride and demonstrate why Skagit Valley is a premier destination for events of this caliber. We look forward to creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”
ESPN returns as the tournament’s broadcast partner for the 12th consecutive year and will again carry both championship games live on ESPNU (men’s final: 2:00 p.m. ET; women’s final: 4:30 p.m. ET, 5/26). Ultiworld will again serve as the event’s livestreaming partner and will feature programming from pool play through semifinals.
USA Ultimate’s D-III College Championships, which hosts smaller schools with enrollment of less than 7,500 students, will take place in Burlington the previous weekend.
The three-day, USA Ultimate D-III College Championships will be held at the Skagit River Sports Complex, May 17-19, and will be co-hosted by DiscNW and Skagit Tourism Bureau. The awarding of the D-III tournament to Burlington marks just the third time in the event’s 15-year history that both the D-I and D-III divisions will be contested at the same venue (2021, 2022). All totaled, Burlington will welcome a total of 72 teams and more than 1,900 student-athletes as they celebrate the culmination of the college ultimate season.
“We’re thrilled to welcome D-III ultimate to Skagit Valley, where the beauty of nature meets the spirit of competition, commented Skagit Tourism Bureau CEO Kristen Keltz. “Hosting this event not only showcases our region’s breathtaking landscapes and vibrant community, but also fosters a partnership that benefits both Skagit Tourism and the ultimate community. Together, we’re creating an unforgettable experience for players and visitors alike while supporting local businesses and celebrating the power of connection through sport.”
Poised for its 15th edition, the USA Ultimate D-III College Championships is the finale of the college ultimate season for schools that have total enrollment of less than 7,500 students. After a regular season that spans the winter and early spring, teams from around the country compete to qualify for nationals via a series of conference and regional tournaments. Thirty-two teams – 16 each in the men’s and women’s divisions – will ultimately earn an opportunity to compete for a national title in Burlington.
“DiscNW is incredibly excited to collaborate with USA Ultimate to host the 2025 D-III College Championships in Burlington,” added DiscNW Executive Director Jude LaRene. “This partnership offers a unique opportunity to showcase the region’s vibrant ultimate community and highlight the fantastic athletes than play D-III ultimate. We’re eager to provide an unforgettable experience for athletes, coaches and fans. The Pacific Northwest is known for its passionate ultimate players and we can’t wait to bring this prestigious event to our home turf!”
Like its D-I counterpart, USA Ultimate’s D-III college ranks include several prominent schools in the Pacific Northwest with a rich history of competitive excellence. Last year, the University of Portland captured a national title in the women’s division, while the tournament also featured teams from Lewis & Clark College and Whitman College. Along with other frequent qualifiers from the University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University, those five schools have combined for 38 appearances at the D-III championships and a pair of national titles, suggesting that the likelihood is high for this year’s tournament to feature several local teams.
