Many students are drawn to Carleton for many reasons like its academic rigor, renowned professors or the exploratory internship and externship opportunities. Others, however, are drawn to Carleton for something a bit different: Ultimate Frisbee.
Many people know little about ultimate. Carleton, however, is a hub for frisbee fans and players. Frisbee is considered the center of social and athletic life on campus; players of the sport are widely considered amongst the “biggest chillers” on campus, often noticeable by their trailing throngs of unwavering supporters that trample everything in their wake. Students come out in overwhelming support for the flourishing frisbee culture on campus, participating in the frisbee toss during New Student Week and connecting with fellow students through pick-up frisbee on the Bald Spot during warmer months, trying to “frizz up” their crush by executing dangerous layouts. Women are drawn like magnets to the disc throwing, giggling to each other while watching, and on warm days, flock to the center of campus, clapping and cheering.
“Just something about the way, they throw that disc … really gets me going,” said Disc Luvr ’28.
Along with Syzygy, the women’s team, Carleton is home to the Carleton Ultimate Team (CUT), a member of Division I ultimate frisbee and a four-time national champion. Earlier this month, Carleton hosted sectional championships where CUT took on other local Division I ultimate teams such as the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (UMN). The games drew many enthusiastic student spectators and players’ family members. Every spectator was well-versed in the rules of the game, clapping and ringing cowbells after a layout or goal. Well, all except for one.
CUT’s final game on Sunday afternoon against UMN, the most contested game of the weekend, drew students celebrating the return of sunshine and warm weather. Students watched the game excitedly as CUT won comfortably with a score of 15-5. Nearing the end of the game, one anonymous first-year, who had been watching literally the whole time, suddenly turned to a friend and asked, “Wait … you can’t run with it?”
Suddenly, witnesses reported that a hush fell over the crowd. Spectators looked up, and the game had stopped, each player craning their neck towards the first-year, their faces disgusted and horrified at her question. Witnesses such as Ulta Mitt ’27 reported that the “field darkened,” as a “dark cloud covered the sky” due to the first year’s stupid question.
Other spectators, such as Frizz Bee ’25 scoffed, “freak.”
Still others pointed and cackled at the first-year until she fled the field.
Over the next several days, witnesses watched as the girl was abandoned by every member of campus. In her classes, professors refused to call on her. Students left several seats between her to avoid sitting next to her. She even began eating dinner alone in LDC. At some point in the three weeks since sectionals, the girl ceased to appear on campus. Many suspect that she dropped out of school or is transferring to another institution, one with less of an ultimate frisbee influence.