Machine continues its 2016 season this weekend at the Pro-Elite Challenge in Aurora, CO, a tournament featuring 16 of the top US Men's, Women's, and Mixed teams. Machine enters the tournament as the number 1 overall seed after winning the US Open earlier in the month.
More information on the tournament schedule and attending teams can be found at http://play.usaultimate.org/events/US-Open-Ultimate-Championships-2016/
Machine will complete pool play against Michigan’s High Five, Denver’s Inception, and Kansas City’s Prairie Fire. The top finisher in the pool will advance directly to Sunday’s quarterfinals, the second and third place finishers will move into pre-quarter games on Saturday afternoon, and the fourth place finisher will move into a non-bracket round robin.
Full Game Schedule: http://play.usaultimate.org/events/TCT-Pro-Elite-Challenge-2016-Colorado-Cup/schedule/Men/Club-Men/
Select games will be recorded via Ultiworld – Machine is not currently slated to appear on the broadcast schedule unless in semi-finals.
Machine will be sending an almost full roster of 25 players, only missing Nick Prozorovsky to a non-injury related conflict. While several players are nursing mid-season injuries, every rostered player is expected to cleat up, with Bob Liu (wrist), Jonathan Helton (leg), Stephan Mance (shoulder), and Percy Stogdon (foot) being game time decisions. Machine will also be joined for the first time this season by out of city player Alex Evangelides (San Francisco, CA) who has been stationed in Nairobi for the past month on business. Also making their first tournament appearance for the season will be veteran O-line handlers Ron Kubalanza and Brett Kolinek. The D-line will see the first time appearances from staples Mike Schwenk and Stephan Mance, along with rookie Joshua Stevens-Stein.
Regardless of outcomes, you can expect Machine to bring a strong Bushwhacking game to the sidelines. (We don’t know why we are into this right now, we just know we are.)
To follow along for live updates: http://twitter.com/machineultimate
Check back after the tournament for a recap, highlight video, and much more throughout the season!