Inside The UFA: Chicago's Big Reload, Carolina Rebuild Amidst Turnover


January 7, 2025
By Ian Toner

The casual Chicago Union fan may have been surprised to see Charlie Furse announced as a 2025 co-coach last week. But those closest to the program understand Furse’s passion has been evident throughout his career and his transition to this role has been years in the making.

Between 2016 and 2023, he played five seasons for Chicago, captaining in 2021 and contributing to a defense that won two Central Division titles and earned back-to-back Championship Weekend appearances. In 2024, he started serving in a player development role and gradually became more involved in strategy and assistant coaching as the season progressed.

“I wondered, ‘Would I be as energized by team success being a coach as I was a player?’” Furse said in late December as he reflected on his early 2024 coaching experience. “The answer was a resounding ‘yes’ [...] that’s given me confidence to step up as co-head coach and lead with enthusiasm.”

Furse was quick to point out the accomplishments of co-head coach Dave Woods and the excitement he has to continue working with him.

“He’s taken the team to the playoffs every year he’s been head coach,” referencing the Union’s consecutive playoff appearances dating back to 2019. “The consistency there is definitely something to appreciate.”

Chicago worked to get this co-coaching plan in place to give Woods (and the Union captains) more support as Woods prepares for a busy summer, with his own wedding on the horizon in June.

“Reflecting back and thinking about the leaders and the ups and downs you experience together–that’s what I reflect on most fondly,” Woods said. “How much work, effort, heartache and strife you go through, but the euphoria when you have a big win or a successful season [...] I’m excited about that again.”

“I don’t know what my future will look like beyond this year with the team,” Woods said. “I’m excited. It feels like a last dance type of situation. Let’s try to make a run together.”

And the Union, thanks to years of recruiting efforts from Furse, returning captain Ben Preiss, and others, appear to be reloading with some serious firepower.

World Games champion Nate Goff, who last suited up with Chicago for one game in 2023, is back for 2025.

“This team has a chance to do great things,” Goff said. “We could be a special team if we as a team can execute in the intricacies of this league [...] At the end of my career, also a great last chance to work with Dave Woods, Jack Shanahan, and Charlie Furse. These guys have been so big for this organization going back to the Wildfire days. 

“We can’t let Minnesota win again.”

The Union have also inked a few Belgian buzzsaws in Daan de Marrée and Sofiene Bontemps, players with remarkable experience and accomplishments on the European and world stages.

“I do know that I can learn a lot again at the highest level because I want to become a better player,” said de Marrée, Ultiworld’s 2023 and 2024 European Player of the Year. “My goal is to help the Union go to Championship Weekend, be important on and off the field and have a lot of fun with the team.”

Paul Arters, who competed with the Belgian club team Mooncatchers in 2022 and 2024, is coming back to the Union for the first season since 2023, as well, in part because the Union signed his former Belgian teammates.

“It wasn’t the only thing, but yeah, that was big for me deciding to play Union,' Arters said in a late December text message. “I really like playing with those dudes [de Marrée and Bontemps], and I think they’re both going to ball out.”

Furse confirmed that three 2024 Union rookies are returning for the 2025 campaign, as well: UFA First Team All-Defense selection Jake Rubin-Miller, 2024 UFA fifth-leading goal scorer Wilson Matthews, and UFA Second Team All-Defense honoree and First Team All-Rookie selection Nate Astrom.

“They’re huge for us,” Furse said. “We’re excited to see them build off their success.”

“We have so many young talented players who are on the precipice of being great,” Goff added. “I want to watch these guys figure it out and dominate.”

In addition to Preiss, all other 2024 Union captains, including Shanahan, Sam Kaminsky, and Dex Dremann, will be back in blue and white in 2025. Andrew Sjogren will join the 2025 Union leadership group, too.

Following Cam Brock’s Live with Lep discussion about the AlleyCats’ turnover and outlook, four-year Indianapolis veteran Xavier Payne confirmed he will join Chicago for 2025.

“My decision to stop playing for Indy was a rough one,” said Payne, who threw more assists than any other AlleyCat in 2024. “Tim, Derek, and Travis have been amazing to me as owners of a team and Shep is not only a great coach but a friend. I am not sure how many more years I have left in the league so I wanted to make a run at Championship Weekend [...] my time with Indy was amazing and I will always be a fan of theirs and a supporter of the program. It was just time for me to move on.”

“It also helped that Chicago did a great job recruiting me,” Payne, who will commute from Louisville, Kentucky, added. “They made me feel wanted as a person and as a player. I am unsure of my role for the Union but I trust their judgement and will play wherever they see me fit best. I like playing frisbee so I’m hoping I play both sides of the disc.

“There is now a chip on the shoulders of a lot of people in Chicago” after the way the 2024 season ended, Woods explained, referencing the Union’s crazy overtime loss to Madison in July.

“We’re ready for the revenge tour,” Woods added.

Carolina Coping With Turnover Following Title Game Appearance

If Carolina is going to return to Championship Weekend in 2025, it’ll have to do so without many core contributors from its 2024 finals run.

Young phenom Tobias Brooks has joined Colorado, where he plays college ultimate with the Mamabird program. It’s unlikely that 2021 champion and 2024 finalist Anders Juengst, who has relocated from the Triangle to New York City, will play in the UFA in 2025. Henry Fisher, who transformed from towering goal scorer to dynamic defender in 2024, has retired. And longtime quarterback and international champion Sol Yanuck’s future with Carolina is uncertain.

“Until I know where I match for residency in late March, I won’t know the extent to which I will or will not be able to play, let alone where I’ll be living,” Yanuck said in a late December text message. “Different programs have different policies on vacation days and my schedule will dictate a lot of when I can take time off to play games and practice. I’m operating as if I’m taking the season off. But just lots of unknowns until March.”

Fisher is retiring because he’s planning to enter residency, as well, hoping to match into a pediatrics program.

“Playing for the Flyers has been an amazing experience, and I have nothing but good things to say about the team and the program in general,” Fisher said on Sunday.

“For a while, I’ve planned to sit out this UFA season,” Juengst wrote in a late December email. “While our run to the championship game was amazing, it left my body in bad shape, and I struggled through worlds [the 2024 World Ultimate Championships] and the [USA Ultimate] club postseason at 80 to 90 percent.”

Despite these losses, owner Mike DeNardis said the Flyers have secured 2025 commitments from:

DeNardis also said on Friday, Jan. 3 that Carolina’s leadership is continuing conversations with other top talents in the Triangle area, though he couldn’t confirm specific targets.

DeNardis, whose coaching retirement was made public at 2024 Championship Weekend, also confirmed Carolina has solidified its 2025 coaching staff, and fans should expect a formal announcement in the near future.

Notable News

  • Khalif El-Salaam on his 2025 UFA plans via a late December text: “Almost decided but nothing final.”

  • In case you missed it, Jack Williams told Evan Lepler that he won’t be trying out for the 2025 USA World Games squad.

  • Former UFA champion John Lithio recently had ACL surgery, and though he won’t be able to play in 2025, Furse said he’ll find ways to contribute off the field.

  • Joe White, who sustained a serious injury at the 2024 USA Ultimate Club Championships, is likely not an option to play for the Union in 2025, according to Furse.