DC Breeze

The DC Breeze are a professional ultimate team based in Washington, D.C. The Breeze compete in the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) as a member of the East Division. The team first played in the 2013 season. The Breeze play at Carlini Field (Catholic University).

History

Early years (2013-2016) The DC Breeze were founded in 2013, posting a 4-12 record for fifth place in the East division.

In their second year, the DC Breeze found more success, with coach Alex "Dutchy" Ghesquiere and University of Pittsburgh rookies Alex Thorne and Tyler DeGirolamo leading the team to a 10-4 record and coming within one goal of defeating defending league champions Toronto Rush.

In 2015, League expansion to Pittsburgh and Raleigh took regional talent away from the Breeze, and the team went 7–7 in the regular season, failing to qualify for the playoffs as they had the year before.

In 2016, the Breeze went 10–4 in the regular season for a second-place finish and earned their first home playoff game. The Breeze won their first playoff victory in that game, defeating the New York Empire, but lost the East Division final to the Toronto Rush.

Darryl Stanley era (2017-2023) In 2017, the Breeze hired Darryl Stanley as head coach while Ghesquiere moved into an oversight role as Technical Director. The team again went 10–4 and finished in second place, and once again won a home playoff game, this time against the Montréal Royal. For the second consecutive season, the Breeze lost to Toronto in the Division Final.

In 2018, Matthew "Rowan" McDonnell joined the Breeze, serving as team captain while collecting 38 goals, 47 assists and 11 blocks. The Breeze finished the season with a 8–5–1 record, a second-place finish in the AUDL East, and the team's fourth playoff appearance in the last five years. Meanwhile, McDonnell won the league's 2018 AUDL MVP Award.

The 2019 season ended similarly for the Breeze, with a 7-5 record, elimination in the first round of playoffs, and McDonnell as an MVP finalist.. The 2019 Breeze roster also produced two All-AUDL Rookie 2nd Team members in AJ Merriman and Garrett Braun.

The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After being added to the new Atlantic Division in 2021, the Breeze posted a 10-2 regular season record, with breakout performances from O-line handler Johnny Malks and D-Line cutter AJ Merriman, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors.

For the 2022 season, the Breeze added former players Tyler Monroe, Christian Boxley, David Cranston, Troy Holland, Alan Kolick, and Delrico Johnson to the roster, while Merriman, Malks, and McDonnell returned. The Breeze posted a 10-2 regular season record, losing both games to the New York Empire, the eventual league champions.

In 2023, the Breeze went 9-3 and were eliminated in the East Division finals by eventual champions New York Empire. It would be Darryl Stanley's last game coaching the Breeze.

Boyle-Maxstadt era (2024-present) In 2024, Lauren Boyle was hired as head coach of the Breeze, while the league (formerly known as the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL)) also announced a rebrand to the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA). Notable roster departures from the 2023 Breeze campaign included Christian Boxley, David Cranston, Moussa Dia, Alexandre Fall, Jeremy Knopf, Joe Merrill and Benjamin Oort. The Breeze finished the 2024 season at 10-2, defeating the New York Empire for the first time since 2021 and claiming the franchise's first-ever East Division title. The Breeze faced the Minnesota Wind Chill in the UFA Semifinal under very windy conditions, who handed the Breeze their fourth-straight playoff loss to the eventual league champion.

In 2025, the Breeze went 7-5, feeling the loss of Malks acutely.

Boyle departed as head coach prior to the 2026 season and was replaced by Xavier Maxstadt, who had previously been an assistant coach and a player. Despite losing key players such as McDonnell and Thomas Edmonds, the Breeze ended the season with a 9-4 record.

Year-by-year YearReg. seasonGoals ForGoals Against FinishPlayoffs20134–122933785th EastFailed to Qualify201410–43473443rd EastLost Division Semifinal20157–73023165th EastFailed to Qualify201610–43963292nd EastLost Division Final201710–43923382nd EastLost Division Final20188–5–13433242nd EastLost Division Semifinal20197–52812623rd EastLost Division Semifinal2020 (cancelled)N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A202110–22842181st AtlanticLost 1st Round202210–23282772nd EastLost Division Final20239–32902412nd EastLost Division Final202410–22812311st EastLost UFA Semifinal20257–52542412nd EastLost Division Final20269-32842613rd EastLost Division SemifinalTotal110–59–1 (65%)407537606–11 (35%)

Full schedule +2013DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/20DC BreezeToronto Rush13–300–1Sun 4/28DC BreezeRochester Dragons26–251–1Sat 5/04New York EmpireDC Breeze25–111–2Sun 5/05Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze23–181–3Sun 5/12DC BreezeNew Jersey Hammerheads18–132–3Sat 5/18DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix17–182–4Sat 5/25DC BreezeRochester Dragons14–162–5Sat 6/01New Jersey HammerheadsDC Breeze20–223–5Sun 6/02New York EmpireDC Breeze23–133–6Sat 6/08Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze31–273–7Sat 6/16DC BreezeNew York Empire16–193–8Sat 6/22Toronto RushDC Breeze40–163–9Sun 6/23Rochester DragonsDC Breeze24–203–10Sat 6/29DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix21–233–11Sat 7/06New Jersey HammerheadsDC Breeze17–244–11Sat 7/13DC BreezeToronto Rush17–314–12 +2014DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/12DC BreezeToronto Rush19–200–1Sun 4/27DC BreezeRochester Dragons30–221–1Sat 5/03Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze22–302–1Sun 5/04DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix28–193–1Sun 5/18DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix25–214–1Sat 5/24Toronto RushDC Breeze27–174–2Sun 5/25Rochester DragonsDC Breeze21–265–2Sun 6/08DC BreezeMontréal Royal25–246–2Sat 6/14DC BreezeNew York Empire31–267–2Sat 6/28Montréal RoyalDC Breeze20–298–2Sun 6/29New York EmpireDC Breeze21–138–3Sat 7/05DC BreezeNew York Empire23–318–4Sun 7/06Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze20–259–4Sat 7/12New York EmpireDC Breeze13–1410–4Sat 7/19Toronto RushDC Breeze37–12Playoffs – 0–1 +2015DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/11DC BreezeToronto Rush17–370–1Sat 4/18DC BreezeOttawa Outlaws23–191–1Sun 5/03DC BreezeMontréal Royal20–211–2Sat 5/09Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze29–30 (OT)2–2Sat 5/16 DC BreezeNew York Empire18–222–3Sat 5/23Toronto RushDC Breeze33–212–4Sun 5/24Rochester DragonsDC Breeze25–263–4Sat 6/06Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze20–264–4Sat 6/20 DC BreezeNew York Empire7–84–5Sun 6/21New York EmpireDC Breeze21–134–6Sat 7/04Ottawa OutlawsDC Breeze25–265–6Sun 7/05Montréal RoyalDC Breeze25–215–7Fri 7/10DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix27–126–7Sat 7/11DC BreezeRochester Dragons27–197–7 +2016DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSun 4/10DC BreezeOttawa Outlaws28–171–0Sat 4/23DC BreezeToronto Rush24–25 (2OT)1–1Sat 4/30Toronto RushDC Breeze24–231–2Sun 5/01Montréal RoyalDC Breeze18–262–2Sat 5/07DC BreezeNew York Empire23–22 (2OT)3–2Sat 5/14Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze15–244–2Sat 5/21New York EmpireDC Breeze14–155–2Sun 5/22DC BreezeMontréal Royal28–146–2Sat 5/28Montréal RoyalDC Breeze27–226–3Sun 5/29 Ottawa OutlawsDC Breeze27–226–4Sat 6/04DC BreezeToronto Rush28–237–4Sat 6/11DC BreezeNew York Empire27–26 (2OT)8–4Sat 6/18Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze18–349–4Sat 6/25DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix27–1610–4Sat 7/16DC BreezeNew York Empire24–20Playoffs – 1–0Sat 7/23Toronto RushDC Breeze21–23 (OT)Playoffs – 1–1 +2017DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSun 4/09DC BreezeToronto Rush32–211–0Sat 4/22Raleigh FlyersDC Breeze23–21 (OT)1–1Sat 4/29DC BreezeOttawa Outlaws29–242–1Sat 5/06DC BreezeNew York Empire22–213–1Sat 5/13Toronto RushDC Breeze26–203–2Sat 5/20DC BreezeMontréal Royal23–204–2Sat 5/27New York EmpireDC Breeze25–285–2Sat 6/03Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze22–215–3Sun 6/04DC BreezeNew York Empire18–17 (2OT)6–3Sun 6/11DC BreezeToronto Rush25–177–3Sat 6/17Montréal RoyalDC Breeze27–237–4Sun 6/18Ottawa OutlawsDC Breeze13–288–4Sat 6/24DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix25–179–4Sat 7/22 Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze20–2310–4Fri 8/11DC BreezeMontréal Royal28 -16Playoffs – 1–0Sun 8/13Toronto RushDC Breeze29–26Playoffs – 1–1 +2018DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/7DC BreezeMontréal Royal22–240–1Sun 4/22DC BreezeOttawa Outlaws26–191–1Sat 4/28Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze18–181–1–1Sat 5/5DC BreezeNew York Empire18–191–2–1Sat 5/12DC BreezeRaleigh Flyers25–242–2–1Sat 5/19Toronto RushDC Breeze20–333–2–1Sun 5/20Montréal RoyalDC Breeze20–214–2–1Sat 5/26New York EmpireDC Breeze29–214–3–1Sat 6/02Pittsburgh ThunderbirdsDC Breeze20–114–4–1Sat 6/09DC BreezeToronto Rush25–245–4–1Sat 6/23Toronto RushDC Breeze21–286–4–1Sun 6/24Ottawa OutlawsDC Breeze30–296–5–1Sat 6/30DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix25–157–5–1Sat 7/14DC BreezeNew York Empire29–198–5–1Sat 7/21New York EmpireDC Breeze19–15Playoffs – 0–1 +2019DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/13New York EmpireDC Breeze21–180–1Sat 4/20DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix20–181–1Sat 5/4DC BreezeOttawa Outlaws24–152–1Sat 5/11New York EmpireDC Breeze26–252–2Sat 5/18Ottawa OutlawsDC Breeze22–212–3Sun 5/19Montréal RoyalDC Breeze19–203–3Sun 5/26DC BreezeMontréal Royal27–174–3Sat 6/1DC BreezeNew York Empire19–204–4Sat 6/15DC BreezeToronto Rush23–225–4Sun 6/16Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze16–216–4Sat 6/22DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix21–187–4Sat 7/6Toronto RushDC Breeze26–217–5Sat 7/20Toronto RushDC Breeze22–21Playoffs – 0–1 +2020 (Cancelled)DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/4Raleigh FlyersDC BreezeN/AN/ASat 4/11DC BreezePhiladelphia PhoenixN/AN/ASat 4/18Pittsburgh ThunderbirdsDC BreezeN/AN/ASat 4/25DC BreezeRaleigh FlyersN/AN/ASat 5/2Philadelphia PhoenixDC BreezeN/AN/ASat 5/9Atlanta HustleDC BreezeN/AN/ASat 5/16DC BreezeTampa Bay CannonsN/AN/ASat 5/30New York EmpireDC BreezeN/AN/ASun 5/31DC BreezePittsburgh ThunderbirdsN/AN/ASat 6/6Tampa Bay CannonsDC BreezeN/AN/ASat 6/20DC BreezeRaleigh FlyersN/AN/ASat 7/18DC BreezeAtlanta HustleN/AN/A +2021DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingFri 6/4New York EmpireDC Breeze19–180–1Sat 6/5DC BreezeTampa Bay Cannons24–101–1Sat 6/12Raleigh FlyersDC Breeze24–252–1Fri 6/18DC BreezeBoston Glory32–203–1Fri 7/2DC BreezeNew York Empire20–174–1Sat 7/10Atlanta HustleDC Breeze14–195–1Sat 7/17DC BreezeAtlanta Hustle13–175–2Sat 7/31DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix22–126–2Fri 8/6Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze13–207–2Sun 8/8Pittsburgh ThunderbirdsDC Breeze16–258–2Sat 8/21DC BreezeRaleigh Flyers22–21 (2OT)9–2Sun 8/29Tampa Bay CannonsDC Breeze16–2810–2Fri 9/3DC BreezeRaleigh Flyers16–19Playoffs – 0–1 +2022DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/30DC BreezeNew York Empire19–220–1Sat 5/14DC BreezeMontreal Royal27–171–1Sat 5/28Toronto RushDC Breeze26–272–1Fri 6/3DC BreezeBoston Glory25–203–1Fri 6/10New York EmpireDC Breeze25–213–2Sat 6/18DC BreezeToronto Rush26–164–2Sat 7/2Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze21–225–2Fri 7/8DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix25–246–2Fri 7/15Montreal RoyalDC Breeze14–247–2Sat 7/16Ottawa OutlawsDC Breeze17–248–2Sat 7/23Boston GloryDC Breeze21–23 (OT)9–2Fri 7/29DC BreezeOttawa Outlaws24–1710–2Sat 8/13DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix23–18Playoffs – 1–0Sat 8/20New York EmpireDC Breeze19–18Playoffs – 1–1 +2023DateHome teamAway teamFinal ScoreStandingSat 4/29Carolina FlyersDC Breeze16–211–0Sun 5/7DC BreezePhiladelphia Phoenix20–192–0Sat 5/13DC BreezeNew York Empire17–18 (OT)2–1Sat 5/20Toronto RushDC Breeze13–203–1Fri 6/2DC BreezeCarolina Flyers19–203–2Fri 6/16DC BreezeMontreal Royal23–144–2Fri 6/23Montreal RoyalDC Breeze18–255–2Sat 6/24Boston GloryDC Breeze16–206–2Fri 6/30New York EmpireDC Breeze21–186–3Sat 7/8DC BreezeBoston Glory22–157–3Sat 7/15Philadelphia PhoenixDC Breeze18–20 (OT)8–3Fri 7/21DC BreezeToronto Rush27–179–3Sat 7/29DC BreezeBoston Glory19–12Playoffs – 1–0Sat 8/12New York EmpireDC Breeze19–24Playoffs – 1–1