A Look Back

The NCUS projects results on season's past

For three straight years, the Centex Curse had plagued one of the National Finalists. Cal-Berkeley in 2004, Colorado in 2005, and Wisconsin in 2006 were Champions of the most grueling test of Ultimate in the Regular Season, only to fall on the final Sunday of the Season, one step short of the National Championship.

In 2007, Wisconsin was not to be denied again, dominating in both its run through 2007 Centex, capped by a 15-11 romp over Stanford in the Finals, and the 2007 UPA Championships which culminated in a 15-7 blowout of Colorado.

While Wisconsin has shown mastery in Texas, their regular season dominance in the last two seasons has been matched by the only team that stopped them in 2006, the University of Florida, who put together impressive back-to-back victories at Trouble in Vegas in 2006 and 2007. That 2007 Championship included a double-game point, 12-11 defeat of Wisconsin in the tournament's Final game.

Florida's own run in 2006, beginning at Trouble In Vegas, continued on through the Stanford Invite, where it took home the crown after a 13-8 drubbing of British Columbia. Neither Florida nor Wisconsin made the trip to Palo Alto in 2007, as Georgia surprised the nation with a tournament title that included a win over host Stanford 17-15 in the Finals.

In 2006, after both Florida and Wisconsin put together seven victories apiece against the deepest field in the Nation, they met in an epic final that saw Wisconsin take the lead and Florida battle back to a tie three times, finally to 14-14, Wisconsin receiving. After each team created an opportunity, Wisconsin punched in the goal for its first Centex Title. Florida would go on to avenge that loss in the 2006 Championship game, beating Wisconsin 15-12 to claim the National Title.

2006 National Collegiate Ultimate Series

Only one-point short of a sweep of Trouble In Vegas, the Stanford Invite and Centex, Florida would have taken home the prize in 2006.

2007 National Collegiate Ultimate Series

The combination of results from 2007 would have made it very close at the top of the National Collegiate Ultimate Series Standings. Florida won its home tournament in January. Winning Warm-Up: A Florida Affair would have given them an extra 375 pts, and tied them with Wisconsin at 2025.

However, Wisconsin would still have taken home the prize in 2007, even in the case of a tie with Florida, based on its more recent Tournament Championship at Centex compared to Florida's victory at Trouble in Vegas.

Prior to 2006, UCSD's Presidents' Day was the tournament most comparable to Trouble In Vegas. Presidents' Day was wiped out in 2005 due to weather, and in 2004, Colorado won over British Columbia. So, 2005, which saw Wisconsin win The Stanford Invite, and Colorado win Centex would have been a close battle for the top spot. Wisconsin made the Semi-Finals at Centex, and Colorado did not attend The Stanford Invite, so based on those two results, Wisconsin would have sat atop the NCUS Standings.

In 2005, Cal-Berkeley and Colorado clearly established themselves as a class above the rest, and would have done so within the National Collegiate Ultimate Series. Colorado's win at Presidents' Day was matched by Cal-Berkeley's win over Colorado in the Finals of Centex. Cal also made the Quarterfinals of The Stanford Invite, losing to Stanford, which Colorado did not attend. Both teams had one Championship, but Cal-Berkeley's Semi-Final appearance at Presidents' Day compared to Colorado's skipping The Stanford Invite would have vaulted Cal 775 pts ahead of Colorado in the Final Standings.