Search
Vikes ultimate teams kick off 2026 with big results
January 28, 2026
VICTORIA - By the time the University of Victoria stepped off the bus in Santa Barbara, the season had already provided its first test. The Vikes men’s and women’s ultimate frisbee teams spent 30 hours traveling south to open their 2026 campaign at the Santa Barbara Invite to compete against some of the top programs in the USA Ultimate (USAU) College Division I landscape. Both teams entered the tournament ranked No. 22. and both left looking wildly underrated.
By Sunday afternoon, the men’s team had gone undefeated, toppling elite American programs and stunning the field with a tournament championship. The women, facing one of the deepest divisions in the country, finished a hard-earned sixth, making it clear they are once again a legitimate national contender.
The Vikes men win it all
The Vikes men’s team didn’t just win in Santa Barbara — they ran the table.
UVic rolled through the tournament, including a statement win over fourth-ranked UC Santa Cruz, before facing No. 15 Utah in the final. The championship came down to the last point before UVic stole the show.
On the final possession, Tasman Millen broke Utah’s Zion Curtain with a first-throw layout Callahan (play that occurs when a defensive player intercepts the disc in their opponent's end zone, resulting in a goal)— a defensive score that didn’t just seal the title, but cemented the weekend as something special.
It was an exclamation point on an undefeated run that redefined how this UVic roster should be viewed.
At the center of it all was Max Pettenuzzo.
According to Ultiworld’s Edward Stephens, the Canadian national team standout looks increasingly like a player who can do whatever he wants on the field. Tight resets. Impossible throws. Defensive matchups that simply disappear. If there was any doubt whether Pettenuzzo belonged in the All-American conversation, Santa Barbara erased it.
He’s represented Canada at the U-20, U-24, and senior levels since 2022, and his versatility may be his greatest weapon. While he’s an elite offensive focal point, he often shines brightest as a defender — blanketing top cutters and flashing highlight-reel athleticism for blocks that shift momentum.
“The team was fired up heading into the tournament, everyone ready to step into big roles with injuries riddling in,” said Pettenuzo. “Every player is ready at all times to take the field and give everything they have to their brothers. Our game plan is to take every game the same, focus on that game, that point, that play to get the job done.”
According to Pettenuzzo, who is one of four team captains, what makes this years team special is depth. With veteran athletes like Nyle Lebelle, Ben Baird, Lochlan Margison, and clutch players like Tasman Millen in the mix, the Vikes are certainly a team to keep an eye on this season.
Vikes women take sixth
On the women’s side, the result may not jump off the page at first glance. But in context, it might matter just as much.
The Vikes women entered Santa Barbara with a small but experienced roster, returning much of their 2025 core. Against a stacked Northwest region, UVic overperformed and looked sharp doing it.
The Northwest remains extremely deep, dominated by programs such as Oregon, Washington, and our B.C. counterparty, the University of British Columbia, which is ranked number one. For UVic to regain national relevance, early-season performances like this are essential, and the trip to Santa Barbara delivered exactly that.
Leading the way is captain Ericka Edgell.
If last season was Edgell’s introduction to the wider ultimate world, 2026 is shaping up to be her confirmation tour.
The Canadian national team player is UVic’s engine — their best defender, most trusted playmaker, and the player everything orbits around when games tighten. She has an uncanny ability to turn chaos into control and pressure into opportunity.
When UVic needs a play, they often turn to Edgell, and more often than not, she delivers.
She’s supported by another Team Canada presence in Brynn Freeland, whose experience and steadiness continue to elevate the roster, along with Arabella Brudney and a group that plays with confidence well beyond its numbers.
It would be easy to forget how improbable UVic’s 2025 season really was, as a team that began off the national radar before finishing with big results at Presidents’ Day and the Northwest Challenge, ultimately earning a Nationals berth that few predicted.
Despite the long bus trip, both Vikes teams prevailed, putting themselves back amongst the top teams in the Northwest.
© 2026 University of Victoria, Division of Student Affairs, Vikes Athletics and Recreation