CHARLOTTE—UNC'S ultimate frisbee team is riding a wave of popularity in the sport and hoping to build championship dynasty.
They are kicking off their second tournament this season with the Queen City Tune Up in Charlotte.
Before the light of the moon faded Saturday morning, a utility golf cart was speeding around Ramblewood Soccer Complex, the bed stacked high with teetering orange cones. Slowly, a parade of cars pulled in for the Queen City Tune Up ultimate frisbee tournament. One of the first among them, a threat no one could throw away: the Darkside.
UNC men's ultimate teammembers say the name evokes Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, though their future is looking brighter than ever.
“It's definitely on the rise, and that's pretty much ultimate in general,” said Darkside alumnus-turned-tournament-director Kartik Sethuraman.
He's watched these guys start to make their mark.
“We went from not qualifying for regionals to being a nationals contender,” he said, “Last year they finished second in the country.”
Some of the guys like Aaron Warshauer played in high school, where the sport has taken seed.
“The high school team that I was on when it first started had 9 players and now there’s a B team [and] a women's team,” Warshauer said.
Teams travel far for worthy competition. This year’s challengers hail from Michigan, Iowa, and Dartmouth. In years past, Colorado and Arizona have made the trek.
The piqued interest, they hope, will attract new rising stars to the Darkside and give them the extra gravitas to go from second to first.