TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Ave Maria Ultimate Frisbee team defended its Tally Classic tournament title on March 14-15, finishing the weekend 5-2 and claiming back-to-back Tally Classic wins with a dominant run through Sunday's bracket.
The repeat title comes at a pivotal moment for the Gyrenes, who have battled through a challenging spring season. After a tough Florida Warm-Up in late January that saw the team go 3-5 against stiff national competition from programs like BYU, Texas, Brown, and Chicago, followed by a 14-20 loss at Notre Dame on February 28, the Tally Classic marked a turning point.
Saturday's pool play was a mixed bag, as the Gyrenes opened with an 11-12 loss to Auburn Club before rattling off back-to-back convincing wins: 13-0 over North Florida Club and 13-7 against Florida State Club. A narrow 12-13 loss to Florida Club to close out the day left Ave Maria at 2-2 heading into Sunday's bracket.
The Gyrenes flipped the switch on Sunday morning. They opened with a commanding 15-4 quarterfinal win over South Florida Club, then gutted out a 14-13 thriller against Notre Dame Club in the semifinals. Ave Maria carried that momentum into the finals, earning a convincing 14-10 rematch victory over Florida State Club to claim back-to-back Tally Classic titles.
The Tally Classic defense caps a weekend that showed the Gyrenes are heating up at the right time. After last season's remarkable 35-1 campaign and 5th-place finish at the Southeastern Regional Championships in their debut appearance, the 2025-26 squad has faced a more competitive schedule. The results in Tallahassee suggest the team is rounding into form as postseason play approaches in April.
"We asked for Our Lady to purify our intentions and to win to glorify her Son," said Head Coach Michael Middendorf. "To God be all the glory."
With the Tally Classic title successfully defended, the Gyrenes now turn their attention to the postseason stretch, looking to build on this momentum as they prepare for another run at the Southeastern Regional Championships.
