by Cody Roy
With the weather in Boston going from sub-freezing to the seventies overnight, spring has finally made its way to the northeast. As the temperatures rise, the sun sets on a rollercoaster UFA offseason. For a second consecutive year, Boston Glory have found themselves at the forefront of free agency.
In a window that saw every major contender lose a piece and add anew, Boston have found themselves in the unique position of suffering few major roster losses. Tack on a 2024 award winner, under-the-radar pickups, and a few familiar faces coming home, and Boston have built one of the league’s strongest rosters on paper.
THE ROOKIES
No roster is complete without a few unknowns - and Boston have brought 3 new faces into the UFA this season. Ryan Dinger brings a combination of size and athleticism behind the disc that Glory have never had. He is joined by another strong athlete in Peter Kotz, a defender who is preparing to graduate from Pitt in the coming weeks. Finally, Glory add to their defensive size in Sebastian Rossi, signed from Italian club La Fotta. Rossi is one of two international signings made in the offseason.
FAMILIAR FACES
Longtime fans of the team may recognize a few of the names being brought back into the fold this year. ZooDisc’s Wyatt Kellman makes his way back to Glory in 2025, after 2 games played in 2021 as a young kid, adding explosiveness to both sides of the ball.
Perhaps one of the offseason’s most overlooked moves, cutter Ray Tetreault, Boston’s leading goal scorer in 2022, returns from a hiatus in 2024. Tetreault ranks 4th all-time in Glory’s receiving yards at 5,638, and adds even more speed to an already lightning-quick cutter core.
Henry Babcock, who served as Ben Sadok’s wingman in 2021, returns to bolster the backfield after a 3-year gap. After playing a lot of his club ultimate on the defensive side of the ball, expect to see him pack a punch for the Glory defense.
Noah Backer, also of Maine, is poised to make his return to Glory after a couple of years away. The 2024 WUGC gold medalist is bringing his trademark break throws back to the UFA game.
After 3 seasons and 2 championships in New York, handler Ethan Fortin returns to Boston. An 8-year veteran, dating back to a 2015 debut with Philadelphia, Fortin has emerged as one of the East Division’s most consistent talents.
Ben Horrisberger, now with 2 years of college under his belt, returns to Boston after playing 2 games in early 2022. Then, a high school senior, Horrisberger tallied a goal and a block, as well as 106 yards in break opportunities.
THE BLOCKBUSTER
It was going to be difficult for Boston to make a splash this offseason, the way they did after signing MVP Jeff Babbitt in 2024, but for a second consecutive offseason, Glory found a way. The public was never aware that 2024 Rookie of the Year Tobe Decraene was on the market, but the Belgian international found a new home in Boston. A perfect trifecta of size, speed, and strength; Decraene, who played in USA Ultimate Nationals with Boston DiG, joins what may be the UFA’s deepest O-Line.
After being asked to serve as the spearhead of Montreal’s attack, Decraene, who split handling and cutting duties in 2024, will have the opportunity to specialize and elevate to the MVP level.
THE NEW SIGNINGS
Decraene was far from Boston’s only signing with previous UFA experience, however. Calvin Stoughton brings over 1,000 receiving yards from 4 games with Colorado in 2023. The Maine native did not roster in 2024, but brings straight-line speed as a downfield threat.
Like Stoughton, Albert Yuan did not play in 2024, after his debut with Carolina in 2023. A gold medalist at U24 Worlds with Team USA, Yuan is a nimble handler defender capable of playing the full field on breaks. Watch for him in zone rotations, covering the handler set alongside the likes of McCann.
Finally, Gavin Abrahamsson leaves Philadelphia for Boston. A D-Line cutter in his 3rd season, Abrahamsson has the potential to be high-impact once the college season ends.
THE CAPTAINS
A roster that stays as intact as Glory’s has no shortage of leadership, but one change highlights this more than any other. Joining returning captains McCann and Ned Dick is Orion Cable.
One of the league’s biggest bodies (yes, he’s taller than Babbitt), Cable has been a mainstay for Boston since 2021- and is the team’s all-time leading goal scorer, with 82 tallies in just 24 games. A captain for Boston DiG - a club to which much of Glory’s roster belongs, Cable is a quiet, lead-by-example grinder capable of playing either side of the disc.
12 GAME SLATE
Glory boasts the league’s second-easiest strength of schedule, at a metric of .480, ahead of only the Los Angeles Aviators. Boston’s entire slate is within the East Division, meaning there is no shortage of challenges ahead. An extra road matchup with the defending division champion DC Breeze is no small task. DC have bested Boston in each of the last two playoffs, but with Boston’s retooling, these matchups are circled on every calendar in the league. Glory also drew an extra meeting with Montreal Royal, including their first two games of the season. Royal finished last in the East last season, but are a feisty outfit that never go down without a fight.
The first of those matchups is just a few days away, with Glory’s 2025 UFA campaign opening Saturday, April 26th, at Medford’s Hormel Stadium with Royal paying a visit to their former Rookie of the Year. The stage is set for a 5pm pull to get the new season underway.
