Pictured: Will Brandt ’24 competing on the Minnesota Wind Chill, a professional ultimate frisbee team. Photo courtesy of Rich Moll
Senior Will Brandt ’24 has made a name for himself in the ultimate frisbee world. He captains the St. Olaf Bezerkers, commonly referred to as the Zerks, and is one of the younger players on the professional team Minnesota Wind Chill. Brandt has been recognized as Ultiworld’s Men’s D-III 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 Rookie of the Year, and Runner Up for the 2023 All-American First Team.
Brandt started playing ultimate in middle school, after being introduced to the sport by his two older brothers.
While originally ultimate was a secondary sport to basketball, Brandt became more involved in high school and joined the Zerks during his first year at St. Olaf.
Playing at St. Olaf has been particularly special for Brandt through the relationships he has made. “I really appreciate playing at college with my friends, that’s kind of what it’s all about,” said Brandt in an interview with The Olaf Messenger.
The Zerks are a club team, meaning they receive limited funding and support from St. Olaf Athletics. Fundraising is crucial to support travel and other expenses for the team to compete. If the team makes the National Championships, they have to take their finals early in order to travel to the games. Brandt believes that these obstacles prove his teammates are very dedicated to the sport. “We put in a lot of work to make our season happen, and we’re proud of that,” Brandt said.
The Zerks have yet to win a D-III National Championship. In Brandt’s time at St. Olaf they’ve been close with a second place
finish and two third place finishes. For Brandt’s last season on the team, his goal is to achieve the championship title. When asked about his individual accolades, Brandt said “it came as a surprise for the first time, for sure, but […] it doesn’t really mean too much because we never won the championship.”
Brandt also plays on the Minnesota Wind Chill during the summer. He earned a spot on the team after attending open tryouts on a whim at 17 years old. A year later, he signed a three-year contract which was recently renewed for two more years. This past year, they made it to the league semi-finals.
While Brandt’s time with the Zerks concludes after this season, he will continue to play for Wind Chill. He also plays on Sub Zero, a club team in Minneapolis and coaches a youth club team in the Twin Cities. Off the field, Brandt received a return offer for a software engineer program at U.S. Bank that begins shortly after graduation.
Ultimate frisbee will always be part of Brandt’s life, and it has already left a lasting impact on him.
“It provides a sense of community,” Brandt said. “All my friends play frisbee, for better or for worse. There’s a lot of cool people in the community and it’s a really good way to get exercise and socialize.”
The Zerks are set to host conferences at St. Olaf during April 13-14.
