DC Breeze

The DC Breeze is an open professional ultimate team based in the District of Columbia, competing in the Atlantic Division of the American Ultimate Disc League. The team first played in the 2013 season. The Breeze play at Carlini Field (Catholic University).
History.
2013.
In the Breeze's inaugural season the team played its home games at Anacostia High School in East DC. They went 4-12 in the regular season and did not qualify for the playoffs. The Breeze finished 5th in the East Division.
2014.
The Breeze moved to the University of Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex for their second season after playing their 2014 home opener at George Mason High School in Falls Church, VA. The opener was the professional debut for highly touted University of Pittsburgh graduates Alex Thorne and Tyler DeGirolamo, and was a nail biter to the end as the Breeze fell one goal short of heavily favored AUDL defending champions Toronto Rush, 20-19. To date this is still the only Breeze game played in Virginia. The team went 10-4 in the regular season, finishing in 3rd place in the East Division and making its first playoff appearance, where the team lost to the Rush again. 2014 also marks the first season that Alex "Dutchy" Ghesquiere served as head coach.
2015.
The Breeze moved to Gallaudet University in 2015, and were again coached by Alex Ghesquiere. 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.
2016.
The Breeze again played home games at Gallaudet University, and were again coached by Alex Ghesquiere. They got back to winning ways, going 10-4 in the regular season for a 2nd place finish and earning a home playoff game for the first time. The team won its home playoff game vs the New York Empire for its first ever postseason victory, but then lost the East Division final to the Toronto Rush.
2017.
The Breeze made a coaching change in 2017, hiring Darryl Stanley as head coach while Ghesquiere moved into an oversight role as Technical Director after leading the team from the sideline the previous three years. The team again went 10-4 and finished in 2nd place, and once again won a home playoff game, this time against the Montréal Royal. And for the second consecutive season, the Breeze lost to Toronto in the Division Final.
2018.
Head Coach Darryl Stanley returned to lead the Breeze again in 2018, serving the first of a two-year contract extension. He guided the team to an 8-5-1 record, a second place finish in the AUDL East, and the team's fourth playoff appearance in the last five years. The season ended July 21st with a rain-soaked playoff loss, 19-15 to the New York Empire. However, this was the year of Matthew "Rowan" McDonnell on the field. McDonnell served as a team captain while collecting 38 goals, 47 assists and 11 blocks. The goal and assist totals both led the team, and he won the league's 2018 AUDL MVP Award.
2019.
Reigning AUDL MVP Matthew "Rowan" McDonnell returned as captain of the Breeze in 2019, and Head Coach Darryl Stanley also returned to lead the team from the sidelines for the third consecutive season. The duo guided the team to a 7-5 record, a third place finish in the AUDL East, and the team's fifth playoff appearance in the last six years. The season ended July 20th with another heartbreaking playoff loss, this time 22-21 to the Toronto Rush in a game played in New York. The season was once again highlighted by McDonnell's performance on the field. He followed up his MVP 2018 season with 67 goals, 51 assists and 5 blocks in a campaign that earned him both All-AUDL 1st Team and MVP Finalist honors. The 2019 Breeze roster also produced two All-AUDL Rookie 2nd Team members in AJ Merriman and Garrett Braun.