Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Transaction Log - 2025

This page will serve as your go-to stop for all Thunderbirds transactions throughout the 2025 UFA Season. Stay up to date with free agent signings, re-signings, staff signings, and trades!

Last Updated: 02/07/2025 at 2:21PM EST

02/07/2025 | Signing | Scott Olinger Signs 1-Year Deal as Defensive Coordinator

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Scott Olinger have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract as a defensive coordinator. Scott started playing ultimate at Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 2008 and instantly fell in love with the sport. After graduating in 2012, he moved back home to Pittsburgh and began playing with Dire Wolf, a men's club team. This was critical for shaping his beliefs on team culture. The culture of accountability, camaraderie, and intensity was like nothing he'd experienced before, and he's brought that attitude to every team of which he has been a member. He's played for and coached a variety of Pittsburgh teams, including Slag Dump, Alloy, and Stealers. This is his 6th season of coaching, and his first coaching professionally in the UFA. He's focused on the defensive side of the game, and believes that constant pressure is key to controlling a game, even though it may not show up on the stat sheet. He's excited to reconnect with many former teammates and players he has coached previously, and get to know the rookies and veterans he hasn't worked with before.

02/06/2025 | Re-signing | John "Jojah" McMonigal Commits to 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Jojah McMonigal, the team leader in goals in 2024, have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. McMonigal was voted the "Most Improved Award" by his teammates and coaches at the end of the 2024 UFA Season. McMonigal went from 8 offensive points played in 2023 to 164 offensive points played in 2024. 

McMongial, donning his signature pink headband, tossed the Frisbee 175 more times and still managed to increase his completion percentage from 96.15% (25 attempts) to 97.56% (200 attempts). On June 2nd, 2024 against Indianapolis, McMonigal caught fire, recording a +8, scoring 6 goals, throwing 2 assists, on 29 completions in the Thunderbirds 26-18 victory at Highmark Stadium. Entering his age 25 season, McMonigal is still in the midst of his prime playing days. 

02/05/2025 | Re-signing | Noah Celuch Returns on 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Noah Celuch have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. Celuch, entering his 4th season in the UFA all for the Thunderbirds, has been a Swiss army knife for the Thunderbirds. He's contributed to the team in a variety of factors. In 2023, Celuch operated nearly exclusively on the offensive line, playing 211 total points on the o-line out of 231 total points played. He finished with 11 assists that season. In 2024, Celuch adapted his game to fit the Thunderbirds current system and played 64 o-line points and 91 d-line points. However, he threw 11 assists in 2024, the same total as the previous year with 141 less o-line reps! Out of his 10 total UFA games last season, Celuch started on the o-line in two of them. 

Game

PP

M

AST

GLS

BLK

+/-

Cmp

Cmp%

TY

RY

05/25 @ TOR13-21 20 22 4 1 1 3 32 91.43 177 170
05/24 vs DET27-18 23 20 3 0 0 3 15 100 68 118

Celuch's willingness to play on both sides of the Frisbee makes him an excellent teammate and a coaches dream. Celuch will enter the season injured, but looks to return fully healthy by mid-May. 

02/04/2025 | Re-signing | Aiden Landis Signs 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Aiden Landis have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal that will bring Landis in for his first full UFA Season. Landis, who joined the Thunderbirds at the mid-way point last season after completing his college career at the University of Pittsburgh, is now poised to play a full seasons worth of UFA action. In only his 3rd game as a Pro, Landis caught fire, throwing 5 assists on July 6th, 2024 on the road at the very difficult place to play, Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI. He chipped in 3 goals and 3 hockey assists (the throw before the assist), which accounted for 50% of all scores in the Thunderbirds close 21-20 loss that day. Landis will continue to make his impact felt in the Western Pennsylvania region after having played for the following teams in the past: Pine-Richland HS ('14-'18) Pittsburgh Impulse ('15-'18) Temper ('21-'Present) Thunderbirds ('24 - Present).

 

02/03/2025 | Re-signing | Marcel Oliart Returns for Sophomore Season

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Marcel Oliart have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. After finishing up his college ultimate career with perennial powerhouse Pittsburgh, Oliart had a very productive rookie season for the Thunderbirds in 2024, headlining the cutting crew on the starting O-line. Across 7 games, Oliart recorded over 1,700 receiving yards, 13 goals, and 5 assists. He averaged 244 receiving yards per game last season which ranked 1st on the team and 17th in the UFA last season. "The loyalty I feel to my teammates and this city is growing every day," said Oliart. "I want this city to earn its respect and I want to do it with my brothers by my side." Having gained valuable experience in the Pro Legaue, Oliart looks to take his game to the next level for the Thunderbirds high-powered offense. 

 

01/22/2025 | Re-signing | Head Coach Max Barowski Back on a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Head Coach Max Barowski have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. Barowski, an Oklahoma State graduate in 2013, captained the team for three years. Afterwards, he moved to Seattle where he played one season for the Seattle Rainmakers, Seattle's Professional Ultimate team competing in the now defunct Major League Ultimate (MLU), as well as five seasons for the Seattle Ghost Train, who he says was his favorite team to ever play on. After moving to Pittsburgh in 2018, Barowski played on various Pittsburgh club teams like the Pittsburgh Stealers. In 2022, Barowski was named the Thunderbirds Head Coach, and has been with the team since. Barowski was on the sidelines for Pittsburgh's massive upset win against the 2024 UFA Champion Minnesota Wind Chill and Pittsburgh's win against Indianapolis where the Thunderbirds recorded only 5 throwaways in the game, a then UFA record. Barowski returns in 2025 with one goal in mind: post-season UFA action.

 

01/15/2025 | Re-signing | Michael Dillard Commits to a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Michael Dillard have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. Dillard made his UFA debut for the Boston Glory in 2021 against the DC Breeze - it would be his only game of that season. In 2022, Dillard would sign with the Thunderbirds, and over the next 3 years, would register 31 total games played, 10 assists, 15 goals, and 7 blocks. What makes Dillard exciting as a player the consistency in his growth year after year as a Pro player. From the 2022 season to the 2023 season, Dillard raised his completion percentage from 86.9% on 73 throws to 94.9% on 93 throws. In 2024, he did it again, notching a 96.3% completion percentage on 104 throws. Dillard provides the Thunderbirds with intangibles that don't always show up on the stat sheet. His steady hand as a commander on the defensive line on break opportunities gives the Thunderbirds a greater chance at long sustained drives that result in scores. He also has a knack for coming up with clutch plays in difficult positions. Here he is catching a 1-handed buzzer beater from a tipped pass in the end-zone, helping lead the Thunderbirds to a huge home victory against the Indianapolis AlleyCats. 

Dillard will once again look to throw more completions at a higher completion rate en route to providing consistency and stability to the Thunderbirds. 

01/11/25 | Re-signing | Will Hoffenkamp Returns on a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Will Hoffenkamp have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. Hoffenkamp will enter his sophomore campaign after putting up one of the more dominant performances from a rookie in Thunderbirds history. Graduating from the University of Pittsburgh where he played all 5 seasons for perennial powerhouse En Sabah Nur, 'Hoff' took no time adjusting to the Pro level. In only his 3rd game as a Pro, Hoffenkamp recorded assists on 59 completions, throwing for 517 yards while only recording one turnover en route to a dominating team performance against the Indianapolis AlleyCats, winning 26-18. His vision for all areas of the field made Hoffenkamp particularly dangerous as show in his throwing chart vs the AlleyCats that night. 


Hoffenkamp throwing chart from 6/2/2024 vs the Indianapolis AlleyCats

As a facilitator, Hoff led all Thunderbirds in completions per game, averaging 45.88 completions per game. His quick command of the offense has the Thunderbirds very excited about what he can bring his 2nd year in the League. 

01/08/25 | Signing | David Berg Joins Team as an Assistant Coach

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and David Berg have agreed to terms on an Assistant Coaching role for the 2025 UFA Season. Originally from Pittsburgh, Berg learned the game in Pittsburgh’s youth ultimate program. He went on to play ultimate for over 15 years, including at George Mason University and with the DC Breeze (UFA). Upon returning to Pittsburgh, Berg joined the coaching staff of Temper (Club) this past year and is excited to bring his experience and passion to the Thunderbirds this season. Berg will be replacing the vacant position left by Assistant Coach Nick Bozich, who is committing more time to his growing family. 

01/07/25 | Re-signing | Charlie Vukovic Signs a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and 2024 Thunderbirds captain Charlie Vukovic have agreed on a 1-year UFA contract renewal. Vukovic won two awards as voted on by his teammates after the 2024 season; the 2024 'Defensive MVP Award' as well as the 2024 'Team Culture Award'. One teammate said, "He brings energy to this team that we need and pushes his teammates to get better in a respectful way." Another added, "I feel like Charlie made a huge step forward [last season]...very proud to call him my captain". Unfortunately, Vukovic's 2024 season was cut short due to a foot fracture he suffered after the 17-12 win at Chicago on June 14th, 2024. In total, he played 7 games in '24, recording 9 blocks, one of which was a momentum swinging Callahan that occurred in the Thunderbirds massive 16-15 victory upset of the eventual 2024 UFA Champion Minnesota Wind Chill on May 18th, 2024. 

As of January 7th, Vukovic is nearing 100% and most recently competed at U-24 World's Tryouts for Team USA. He's backing up his health claims with his workout posts. He recently posted that he hit one of his big off-season strength goals: 405lbs for 4 reps with a trap bar deadlift. (See below)

Last year, Vukovic set the tone early at the Thunderbirds 2024 Open Tryouts in a mic'ed up session that showed Vukovic's leadership ability and ultimate IQ. His return signals another sign that the Thunderbirds foundation is still strong heading into 2025. 

 

01/02/25 | Re-signing | Jimmy Towle Back on a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Jimmy Towle, the longest tenured captain in Thunderbirds history, is returning to the Thunderbirds for his 9th season in the UFA - all as a member of the Thunderbirds. Towle brings a level of dedication and passion to his game, evidenced by his improvement in throwing accuracy over the past 7 full seasons. 

Year G CMP CMP% CMP% Change
2024 11 225 98.25 +1.50%
2023 10 238 96.75 +1.72%
2022 10 172 95.03 +1.67%
2021 12 239 93.36 +0.46%
2019 11 144 92.9 +1.71%
2018 12 145 91.19 +9.61%
2017 7 31 81.58 n/a

Towle ranks 2nd all-time in Thunderbirds history in total scores (Goals + Assists) with 266. He is also 7 goals shy of surpassing Thunderbirds legend David Vatz for 2nd all-time in goals scored in Thunderbirds history, a feat he is almost certain to reach in 2025. Thunderbirds play-by-play announcer Matt Weiss has said that Towle is the most under-rated player in the UFA today - which is hard to understand. Dating back to 2019, he has scored at least 1 goal in 51 of his last 57 games. His leadership and ability to wreck the game on offense has the Thunderbirds very excited about the 2025 UFA Season. 

01/02/25 | Re-signing | Anson Reppermund Commits to a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and UFA defensive legend Anson Reppermund have agreed on a 1-year contract for the 2025 UFA Season. Reppermund is back for his 9th season in the UFA as a member of the Thunderbirds, and his 10th season in the UFA having spent one season with the Madison Radicals in 2018 that culminated in a UFA Championship. Reppermund is 5th all-time in career blocks at the League level with 169 total blocks. He takes the number one overall slot all-time in blocks per game (min 100 games played) with 1.56 blocks per game. He also currently maintains several Thunderbirds records: blocks in a single game (6) which he accomplished twice. Once May 22nd, 2016 @ Minnesota and once on May 6th, 2017 @ Seattle. His 34 total blocks in 2016 is the most in a single season in Thunderbirds history, and his 147 total career blocks are the most in a single career in Thunderbirds history. Additionally, he has amassed 16 total blocks in post-season play, with his most notable performance coming on July 16th, 2016 where he recorded 5 blocks in a single game vs Minnesota en route to a 20-18 victory. Reppermund is 3 regular season assists shy of accomplishing a feat that no one in Thunderbirds history has accomplished: 100+ assists, 100+ goals, and 100+ blocks in a career. Reppermund patrolling the skies for the Thunderbirds defensive unit will once again make opponents think twice before trying a down-field pass. 

12/31/24 | Re-signing | Jon Mast Returns on a 1-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and center handler Jon Mast have agreed on a 1-year contract for the 2025 UFA Season. Mast will return for his 9th season in the UFA, all as a member of the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds. Mast most recently won a National Championship in the club division with Hybrid, Michigan's elite mixed ultimate frisbee team. Mast, over his 89 game regular season career and 7 game play-off career, is almost certain to eclipse 100 total career games played for the Thundebirds, a feat in which only Max Sheppard and Anson Reppermund have accomplished in the 10-year history of the Thunderbirds organization. His 271 hockey assists (the throw before a goal) is 1st all-time in Thunderbirds history by a staggering amount (2nd place being Jimmy Towle with 124). He'll also pass another milestone in 2025 - the rare 2,000 points played club, which is currently also only held by Sheppard and Reppermund. Having Mast back will solidify once again the Thunderbirds passing attack on offense and provide stability throughout the '25 UFA season.