As one of the countries oldest and most prolific ultimate havens, Philadelphia has a history of producing great ultimate athletes from the city and local suburbs. But in creating a complete professional team, the Phoenix draw on talented players from across the Delaware Valley region to perfect their roster and compete with potent AUDL challengers. In this spotlight, we take a look at some of the Phoenix’s top contributors from the neighboring Garden State.
SCOTT XU
Phoenix veteran Scott Xu hails from Plainsboro, NJ, where he first played ultimate in 2006 as a freshman in high school. Xu went on to play at Rutgers University where he helped grow the ultimate program as a captain and starter. His collegiate career culminated in an appearance at the 2014 College National Tournament during his senior year. Helping to grow the ultimate program at Rutgers into a top performing team is one of his proudest accomplishments. Xu has continued to play for various club teams as a starter and captain. He has found ultimate to be an outlet allowing him to express individuality and passion. Xu is returning for his third season with the Phoenix. He is an excellent handler with a powerful throwing arsenal; this, combined with his quick speed, makes him difficult for opponents to guard. He easily switches between offense and defense, making him an effective player with the disc in his hands. Xu is a first-generation Chinese-American and works as a consultant in pharmaceutical sales and marketing.
SHASHANK ALLADI
West Windsor, NJ native Shashank Alladi was introduced to ultimate while he was looking for a new sport to try his senior year of high school. Friends invited him to practice with his high school’s team, and after just a few sessions he was hooked. When Alladi later attended Rutgers University, he joined their ultimate program and became a captain. A pivotal moment of his ultimate career was helping take Rutgers to the 2014 College National Championship tournament in his freshman year. He says the season lit a passion within to become a top ultimate player in the country. The 2019 season will be Alladi’s first with the Phoenix, though not his first in the AUDL as he previously played for New York Empire. A quick and creative thrower with the ability to generate power on deep throws, Alladi has now assumed the role of handler on the Phoenix defense. He says he’s ready to match up against his former teammates because, “in order to be the best you have to beat the best”, referring to the Empire's 2018 East Division championship. Alladi works in the field of biomedical engineering.
ALLAN MICHEL
Allan Michel hails from nearby Cherry Hill, NJ. He first heard about ultimate while attending Drexel University, and learned of their school team. He went on to play for Drexel and serve as a captain in his fifth year. Michel is returning for his second season with the Phoenix. His strength and physicality define his playing style, challenging the notion of a traditional ultimate player and forcing opponents to adapt quickly to his staunch defensive presence. As a defensive cutter, Michel is most looking forward to battling the DC Breeze and reigning AUDL MVP, Rowan McDonnell. When he’s not on the field, Michel enjoys playing in the chamber orchestra at his parish along with his father and brother. Michel currently works in electrical engineering.
The Phoenix host the New York Empire on Sat, April 27 in their 2019 home opener. Tickets and season packages are available here.
