Scobel Wiggins Photography

Come Series time, expect to see Ottawa, UCSB, Wisconsin, Washington †, Oregon †, UBC, Stanford, and Michigan all in the hunt for a National Championship. Each of these teams has been relatively consistent thus far in the season, and each team has the ability to straight dominate other teams. One key to their domination is that they know how to move the disc and even more importantly, value it. There is no better example of this than the UCSB/Ottawa final of Centex. UCSB had great disc movement, mixing it up between long and short throws, and moving the disc literally all over the field. There were points where it seemed like every Skirts player touched the disc. Ottawa valued the disc in much the same way, also taking it that extra step by taking advantage of any mistake UCSB made. Sometimes that meant a huck to the opposite endzone off a fast break, other times it meant just working it back up the field. But it was knowing how to get the most out of each situation that got them the win in the end. The best teams know how to move the disc and take care of it, and they also know how to capitalize on their opponents' turnovers and how to do so quickly.

What makes these teams so good is not the fact that they have more ballers than anyone else, but that they get more out of the players surrounding these superstars. On other teams, you see players relying on superstar teammates to make the big catch or get the crucial D. But with the top 8 teams, every player is dangerous; there is no such thing as a "liability" on the field. Sure, Georgia Bosscher is great and can send a flick huck from one endzone to the other, but it's her teammates around her that make Wisconsin such a potent team. Players like Emelie McKain and Amber Sinicrope direct Wisconsin's flow with great composure, while cutters like Courtney Kiesow, Frances Tsukano, and Laura Bitterman catch everything that is thrown to them. Each player on a great team does what they're supposed to do, and they do it well. The teams with seven or more different players that can step up at any given time are the ones who will be playing deep into Nationals.

Possibly one of the biggest surprises of the weekend was the meteoric rise of St. Louis. To be sure, they've been playing well all year against good teams, boasting tournament wins at both Midwest Throwdown and Chicago Invite. But at Centex, they rocketed from 16th seed to 6th place, beating teams like Carleton, Wisconsin, and USC along the way. St. Louis put themselves on the map in a big way this weekend, and they should be one of the top contenders in the South. While St. Louis climbed their way up, a few heavyweights took a bit of a tumble. Michigan went 0-3 in bracket play, getting upset by both Carleton and North Carolina. They did, however, rebound and ended up winning the ninals. Similarly, 6th seeded UCLA fell down to 15th by the end of Sunday. This UCLA team definitely isn't the BLU team of old, but it's still too early to say that they've "fallen off", necessarily. Luckily for them, the majority of their Centex losses came against NW teams, so that won't hurt them in terms of securing a bid to Nationals. Nevertheless, they'll have to continually look over their shoulder for teams like USC and Colorado, who beat them this weekend. Finally, one of the most dramatic drops of the weekend was UCSD. Seeded 11th going into the weekend, they fell all the way to last place, managing only one win all weekend over Dartmouth. Despite these results, nothing is guaranteed. St. Louis doesn't have their ticket to Nationals punched just yet, and Centex may have just been a hiccup in the Series marathon for UCSD, Michigan, and UCLA.

Amber Sinicrope (Wisconsin) on the mark as Andrea Romano (UCSB) looks to the break side

With Centex over, the only real countdown remaining is the one counting down the Series. The competition is heating up, and it is clear which teams have their act together for their chance at a title. But what can all those teams in that second tier do to play up and compete with these titans? For some, they just need to keep doing what they're doing! Teams like St. Louis have exploded this year, winning two tournaments and taking 6th at Centex. Whatever they are doing is working just fine. Maybe it's all the colorful shorts, but if they continue on the same trajectory, they will be in great shape.

Other teams are almost there and with some hard work and a little luck, they may be able to make the jump into the elite eight. What are some of the things these teams can focus on these last few weeks? With time winding down in the season, it might not seem like enough time to fully develop the skills needed to beat the top teams, but here are three areas that these teams can key in on to take that shot:

Step 1: Fundamentals. What sets the top teams in the country apart from the rest is that every player is a threat, from the superstar senior to the up-and-coming freshman. The fundamentals of the game have been ingrained into them. On the second tier teams, outside of those five or six who play like it's their job, the fundamentals are not as strong. More players are a liability and because they are less than fundamentally sound, better teams exploit them for wins. Some tips: Spend more time throwing outside of practice (even if/especially if it is cold and windy). Carry a disc with you wherever you go. Get comfortable with having a disc in your hands at all times; it will make catching second nature. And get your mental fix by just thinking about and watching as much Ultimate as possible.

Step 2: Conditioning. Most teams have been training their bodies to peak for the Series, working themselves into the ground, and then some. Is your team as conditioned as they should be? Consider the second day of a tournament...are your players being beat on plays they would have made the day before? Step up the conditioning these last few weeks. Second tier teams won't suddenly beat the top teams by upping the sprinting and lifting; but in close games against other second tier teams, conditioning can make a difference. In the game-to-go, the freshest team has the advantage.

Step 3: Focus. Focus eliminates some of those drops. Focus completes more of those throws. Focus allows a team to adjust in situations where the opponent is primed to go on a run. Focus shows up as determination on the field, and it can spread like a virus to teammates. It is evident at practices when players work as hard as they would in a game, building themselves to be the best. And in these last few weeks, it is focus that is the most crucial element for teams hoping to earn their way to the top. If second tier teams can work to get every player's mind 100% in the game all of the time, things will begin to fall into place.

The level of competition is definitely rising in the college Women's scene. There is potential for some teams to upset those who regularly visit Nationals, and with the new bid allocations, for more teams to earn the trip as well. It should be a good Series to follow, and for the 20 teams who qualify for Nationals, even better to be a part of it.

† not in attendance at Centex

Meg Hofner is the coach of the University of Illinois team, and Joann Wong plays for the squad.