Sunday Night Frisbee: Chicago Union v. Madison Radicals Game Preview
June 8th, 2025
Article by Weldon Genies
Photography by Noah Moell
CHICAGO—The Chicago Union hosts division rival Madison Radicals at Martin Stadium for their 2025 home opener on Sunday, June 8th @ 5 PM CT. Fans can grab tickets at the gate or on Union's online store.
Coming off of a dominant 22-11 victory over the Indianapolis AlleyCats, the Radicals come into this matchup at 3-1, tied for second in the Central division with the Minnesota Wind Chill. This is a revenge match for the Union, as the Radicals ended their season in the playoffs last year. For the Rads, they are producing at a similar level compared to last season as one of the better teams in the UFA. Madison is currently third in the UFA in break percentage at 39.5%, which showcases their ability to capitalize on opposing team turnovers at a high level. The Rads' are also ninth in blocks at 51, as there is a heavy emphasis on pressuring handlers and making it hard for receivers to get enough separation.
However, the Union's D-line has been a major catalyst for their success in their first two games, as they have been able to contain the opposing team's O-lines and rack up stops against talented teams such as the Atlanta Hustle and Minnesota Wind Chill. Co head-coaches Dave Woods and Charlie Furse have created a defensive identity where there is a clear priority on generating stops and being constant pests to opposing O-lines. 11 Union players tallied at least one block this past Saturday in their double overtime victory against the Hustle, which shows that there is a consensus goal to make plays on the disk, no matter who is in the lineup. This may not be exceptionally comforting for the rest of the UFA, as the Union O-line also has a lot of promise, and you can see the synergy that is beginning to form within the team. The Rads' O-line has also had some trouble controlling the disk, so expect a hungry Union D-line to apply constant pressure throughout the game.
Three players to watch out for the Rads' are Anthony Gutowsky, Jack Nelson, and Kelsen Alexander, who have been major contributors and catalysts for their impressive start to their season. With his third season with Madison, Anthony Gutowsky has been the number one option as a receiver to begin this season, tallying 770 receiving yards and 18 goals, along with eight blocks and five hockey assists. Gutowsky finished second in the entire UFA in goals last season with 53, demonstrating that he is an elite red-zone threat who consistently finds his way open to capitalize. With only four games, Gutowsky is on pace to pass that number this year so he is a major factor that the Union have to keep eyes on at all times defensively. Jack Nelson has been a jack of all trades in his fourth season with Madison, tallying 632 receiving yards along with 415 throwing yards, with eight assists, five goals, three blocks, and two hockey assists. Nelson is coming off a great showing in their last match vs the AlleyCats, where he scored three goals, recorded one block, and tallied 193 total yards. Eighth year veteran for the Rads', Kelsen Alexander, leads the team in throwing yards at 790, as well as hockey assists at eight. Being such a respected member of the Rads', he is a constant leader on the field and is an essential piece to Madison's gameplan offensively with his savviness as a handler.
A player to watch out for the Union is Daan De Marrée, who had an awe-inspiring UFA debut two weeks ago in their 16-11 victory against the Minnesota Wind Chill. With 271 total yards along with three hockey assists, two assists, and one block, De Marrée set a very high bar for himself in his first showing with Chicago, but there is still so much more to unveil to the UFA. As the Union's defense line continues to play at an elite level, this creates numerous break opportunities for the Union to counterattack and win against favorable coverage downfield. De Marrée was a highly touted rookie not only because of his ability to get open but also because of his ability to deliver the disk in a variety of ways at an efficient clip. This is an excellent opportunity for De Marrée to stamp his mark in the league with another stellar performance against the Union's arch-rival, the Madison Radicals, this Sunday.
The opening pull is at 5:00 P.M. CT and will stream live on WatchUFA.tv. There will be free parking available for all fans, and bring tons of energy to cheer on the U!
