Columbus is set to host a February ultimate tournament for the third year in a row as part of a partnership between Golden Triangle Ultimate and Lowndes County Recreation. The “Bulldog Brawl” will be the third iteration of a tournament that began in 2023 and has grown steadily since then.
A year ago, 14 university club teams arrived for the event, and this year, 16 universities are sending teams to compete, including clubs from MSU, LSU, Southern Illinois, Berry College, Auburn, Avemaria, Illinois, Missouri, East Carolina, Vanderbilt, Union College, Georgia State, Alabama, St Louis University, Indiana, Kennesaw State and Clemson.
“This is its third iteration, it started as ‘Columbus Conundrum’ two years ago, so this year is pulling the most teams, and it’s the biggest event we’ve hosted at their fields,” GT Ultimate member Dawson Archer said. “This is our main regular-season event for the last three years. I think it’s part of what makes our program more than just getting off the ground, it establishes us as a pillar for ultimate Frisbee in the southeast.”
Archer and current Mississippi State University ultimate club president, Gideon Miller, have seen their clubs grow in visibility because of their ability to host tournaments over the years, with two additional tournaments in the works this year.
Miller is in his first year of being in charge of the tournament, planning alongside former president and Golden Triangle Ultimate Club co-founder Archer, who helped organize the previous two tournaments, as well as a summer club tournament, and helped form a partnership with Lowndes Recreation that has seen the Roger Short Soccer Complex play primary host to several tournaments and events in the last three years with help from Lowndes Rec and Deputy Director Tom Velek.
“It’s the most we could have wanted from anyone,” Miller said of the partnership with Lowndes Recreation. “Tom has been a blessing to help put on these tournaments, and they’ve helped so much with community involvement, the traveling teams, and he has put so much effort into making their experience that much better in Columbus.”
Lowndes Rec worked alongside the Columbus Visitor’s Bureau and the Columbus Arts Council to host a Mississippi-themed welcome reception to kick off the festivities on Friday night. The community is pitching in with recovery yoga at the YMCA offered to visiting players, as well as hotel and restaurant packages to accommodate more than 250 players coming in for the weekend event.
There will also be a block of 20 tickets available for athletes to attend the inaugural Empower speaker series hosted by Columbus Soccer Organization and Allegra Health at the Lyceum at Lee on Saturday night.
“They’ve been great with us, and pivotal as far as the facilities,” Archer added. “It’s a big deal for us because they help behind the scenes, working with the community and getting hotel blocks, which makes it possible for these teams to stay and learn a bit more about the city they’re staying in.”
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