Night Train
From Ultipedia
Night Train is the men's club Ultimate team at the University of Virginia. Founded in 1978, Night Train is a member of the Ultimate Player's Association College Open division, playing the Blue Ridge Section of the Atlantic Coast Region. Night Train strives to compete with the best college ultimate teams in the United States, and is currently ranked 16 in the UPA College Open Top 25 [1] in pursuit of its first appearance at the UPA College Championships.
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[edit] Overview
Night Train is a University of Virginia Contracted Independent Organization, receiving funding of around $20,000 per year that covers the cost of tournament travel and accommodation. Aside from two captains, the team has the officer positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recruitment Chair, and Webmaster, all of which share duties such as administrative meetings, travel accommodations, budget management, and public relations. These positions are usually filled by upperclassmen, and carry the added responsibility of participating in strategic planning both on and off the field. Night Train practices three times per week in the Fall and four times per week in the Spring on UVA's Carr's Hill Field.
[edit] History
[edit] Team Name and Origin
The men's team at UVA has undergone a number of name changes, with Night Train being only the most recent incarnation. In the late 1990s and early years of the 2000s, the team was called the Roadhead Warriors, a name that was accompanied by explicit cheers and an equally vulgar logo. While popular among the men on the team, the name was replaced by Virginia Disorder in the middle part of the decade. Not to completely desert the suggestive theme of earlier years, the new name was often abbreviated as VD and said to stand for venereal disease.
In late 2005, the team decided that it would undergo yet another name change for the upcoming Spring season. Due to his penchant for the cheap and potent fortified wine, a visiting student from Tulane suggested Night Train[2], and after winning a vote, the first Night Train logo was stolen from a New Zealand jazz band[3]. More recent versions have been original pieces, and Night Train's current members hope that the name lasts.
[edit] Recent Season Performances
Night Train perennially performs well at Sectionals and has enjoyed moderate success at Regionals. Its most recent performance is among its best ever, and it is currently projected as the 2 seed for the 2009 Atlantic Coast Regional tournament.
| Year | Place at Sectionals | Place at Regionals |
|---|---|---|
| 2003-2004 | 2 | 5 |
| 2004-2005 | 2 | 9 |
| 2005-2006 | 2 | 16 |
| 2006-2007 | 6 | Did not qualify |
| 2007-2008 | 1 | 7 |
[edit] Former Captains
| Year | Captains |
|---|---|
| 2003-2004 | Ryan Morgan and David Nye |
| 2004-2005 | Robin Poullath and Dave Simons |
| 2005-2006 | Marshal Koch and Jason Ng |
| 2006-2007 | Tom Bannard, Adam "Juvie" Schiller, Brian Whitty |
| 2007-2008 | Kevin "Brooklyn" Aha and Robert Runner |
| 2008-2009 | Greg Ericksen and Robert Runner |
[edit] UPA Club Championships Participation
While competing with Night Train in the Spring, players have also played for high level teams such as Truck Stop[4], Axis of C'Ville[5], Potomac[6], Chain Lightning[7] and Johnny Bravo[8].
[edit] Current Team
[edit] Tournaments
The team typically enters its new players in the UPA Club Championships, playing Club Sectionals and Regionals in addition to a fall schedule of North Carolina State University's Wolfpack[9] and University of Georgia's Classic City Classic[10]. In the Spring, Night Train typically travels to five or six tournaments, those of which have recently included the ACC Championships, Trouble in Vegas[11], University of North Carolina's Queen City Tune-Up[12], Georgia Southern University's Southerns[13], University of North Carolina-Wilmington's Easterns[14], and the Ultimate Player's Association's College Championship Series.
[edit] 2008-2009 Roster
8 Greg Ericksen (Captain)
4 Robert Runner (Captain)
7 Charlie Scott (President)
27 Jonathan Neeley (Vice President)
00 Tyler Conger (Treasurer)
5 Tyler Healy (Webmaster)
10 Matt King
11 Svet Neov
13 Justin Webster
17 Ryan Early
19 Aaron Mullins
20 Tom Licitra
21 Brian Kiernan
23 Stephen Mondschein
24 Jim Boley
30 Will Galebach
33 Roy Matthews
37 Andrew Wilkes
41 Alex Dagley
44 Brooks Taylor
66 Iv Neov
[edit] B Team
In 2004, Night Train's first B team took the field, captained by Dan Harlan. The B team serves as both a developmental program for new players to hone and perfect their skills, as well as a platform for those who do not want the time commitment or competitive attitude required by the A team. Since its inception, Night Train's B team has seen remarkable growth.
[edit] Miscellaneous
Night Train's members are active in the greater Ultimate community, with members having played on teams and in tournaments throughout the United States, Canada, China, and Thailand. Vice President Jonathan Neeley currently serves as President of Charlottesville Ultimate Disc Organization, Charlottesville's governing body for Ultimate players in the community. Many team members are also active in Cvilleyouthultimate, a project to expand playing opportunities for high school students in the greater Albermarle County area.
