The Chico State ultimate frisbee team is growing in popularity and membership. Ultimate frisbee has been around campus since 1968, and the men’s team was established in 1996 by a previous Chico State professor.

Participation in ultimate frisbee rose in the 2000’s, resulting in the establishment of the Chico State women’s ultimate frisbee team. Ultimate frisbee is the largest non-ball sport on campus today with over 60 athletes amongst the rosters. There are no tryouts and no previous experience is required to play the sport. The team practices three times a week and plays in tournaments on the weekends.

Games begin at 8 a.m. and last two or three hours on Sunday. Ultimate frisbee is an ideal sport for people who like to travel. Tournaments are hosted across California and northern Arizona, attracting different schools to each tournament.

The team produces both athletes and scholars. The women’s team is one the apex of teams in their division and played at regionals in Roseville last season. Rivaling the athleticism of Chico’s ultimate frisbee teams are Division I school’s UC Berkeley and UC Davis.

“Ultimate frisbee has a great community with co-ed practices,” Hailey O’ Loughlin, president of the Chico State’s women’s ultimate frisbee team said. “I had never heard of the sport before coming to Chico State. I took the initiative to come out to practice with my roommates and loved it.”

Ultimate Frisbee has great comradery, gender equity, global growth, youth appeal, and, most of all, it is addicting to watch. The next tournament the team participates in is in Fresno on Oct. 14.

Marco Day can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_sports on Twitter.