June 22nd, 2025
Article by Weldon Genies
Photography by Daniel Cohen
CHICAGO—For the first time in team history, the Chicago Union finished the 2025 UFA regular season with an undefeated 12-0 record! The U wrapped up the season with a doubleheader sweep this past weekend, earning a dominant 39-14 victory at Martin Stadium on Saturday against the Detroit Mechanix. They then traveled to Madison on Sunday and ground out a close 24-18 win against their divisional rival, the Madison Radicals.
From the opening pull against the Mechanix, it was all gas and no breaks for Chicago, as they quickly got out to a 9-4 run in the first quarter and never looked back. Rookie sensation Daan De Marrée continues to stuff the stat sheet, tallying 719 total yards, 423 receiving yards, 296 throwing yards, seven goals, four assists, three blocks, three hockey assists, and led the Union in +/- with +14. The way De Marrée has taken charge for the U has been something to behold this season, as he has quickly established himself as one of the elite scorers in the UFA, while making the entire team better through his willingness to distribute the disc, as well as being a stout defender. Brandon Van Deusen once again has a fantabulous outing as a handler, racking up 404 throwing yards, three assists, and three hockey assists. Xavier Payne also had a spectacular evening, tallying 331 throwing yards, 86 receiving yards, six assists, three hockey assists, and a goal. Ben Preiss had an outstanding performance on Saturday, tallying 368 total yards, 243 receiving yards, 125 throwing yards, three goals, three assists, two hockey assists, and one goal. Ultimately, the Union had the advantage in every primary stat. Still, the most significant discrepancy was in turnovers as the Union’s D-line was able to force Detroit to turn the disk over 33 times, while the Union only turned the disk over seven times. Co-head coaches Dave Woods and Charlie Furse have created a palpable identity on defense, where the entire squad is constantly focused on generating stops and forcing turnovers at a high clip.
The U then traveled to Madison on Sunday for a rivalry match against the Radicals, which was a close contest the entire way. A major contributor to this outing for Chicago was rookie Sofiene Bontemps, who had his statement game, tallying 342 total yards, 177 receiving yards, 165 throwing yards, three assists, and two goals. With this only being his third game of the season, Bontemps provides the Union with another fresh body who can plug and play wherever help is needed. This is a terrifying thought for other UFA playoff contenders, as this UFA powerhouse is only getting stronger as they get closer to Championship Weekend! Paul Arters was also very pivotal in this matchup, tallying 390 total yards, 281 throwing yards, 109 receiving yards, three hockey assists, one assist, and one block. Pawel Janas had a lovely day as a handler, racking up 237 throwing yards, three assists, three hockey assists, and one block. The difference on Sunday between winning and losing was the impressive depth of Chicago’s roster, as they were able to have more people step up and impact the game. On any given game day, the Union has a plethora of very talented players who can answer the bell when asked, which is an extreme advantage when it comes to close situations when players may be tired and need a quick spark.
The UFA playoff format consists of the top three seeds in each division (East, West, Central, and South) who make the playoffs. The top seed in each division receives a bye, while the second and third seeds play each other this upcoming weekend, and the winner advances to face the top seed in their division championship. The winner of the division championship advances to the final four, which is also known as the UFA Championship Weekend, hosted in Madison, Wisconsin. There will be semi-finals and finals matchups to decide who will be crowned the 2025 UFA champions. For more information on the matchup times, please visit this link.
The Union were able to cap off this fun 2025 regular season with a 24-18 win to go undefeated and are sit as the #1 seed in the UFA Central Division, which grants them a bye in the UFA playoffs, as there is a two week wait until the UFA Central Division Championship, which the U will host on Saturday, August 9th at 6 P.M. CT. The number two-seeded Minnesota Wind Chill hosts the number three-seeded Madison Radicals on Saturday, July 26th at 6 P.M. CST to decide who will play Chicago in the Central Division Championship. This match will stream live on WatchUFA.tv if you want to catch a sneak peek of our potential opponents for the championship!
The Union asks for everyone in the Evanston-Chicago area to come out and cheer for the U on Saturday, August 9th, as they begin their playoff run with a quest to capture a UFA championship trophy! This is an exciting time to be part of something special, available for just under $25, with free parking. Feel free to grab your tickets here, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
