NUT flew down to Tampa, Florida with a full roster of eager players to kick off the start of the 2017 Spring season. The weather was a welcome change from Evanston, and armed with new cheers, new jerseys, and a deep team of players NUT was able to make a splash at the tournament. NUT qualified for the championship bracket with a Friday-Saturday record of 6-1, and wins over Florida State, Cornell, and South Florida. NUT took down Texas in the quarterfinals, and advanced to the semifinals to play Minnesota. After keeping a close game in the first half, Minnesota pulled away and defeated NUT in the semis. NUT’s last game was a win over Texas A&M for 3rd place in the tournament. NUT’s impressive finish skyrocketed them to number 13 on Ultiworld’s Power Rankings.
Northwestern’s B-Team Bolt also traveled down to Florida to compete in the Emerging Powerhouse division at the tournament. The developing team made the most of their time in Florida, and was able to get many meaningful reps against some disciplined teams. The Bolt coaching staff was encouraged by Bolt’s drive to compete and conditioned athleticism, noting many players with great potential.
NUT and Bolt hope to continue to play at a high level, and both will be appearing at Midwest Throwdown on March 4-5.
In case you missed it, check out the highlight video of NUT’s performance at Warm Up.