10 Questions with Premier Ultimate League’s Eileen Murray of the New York Gridlock!
The Premier Ultimate League is one of the coolest leagues to put on your radar. For ultimate frisbee (or simply “ultimate”) players, the growth of the league marks an exciting time for those looking to continue taking their game to the next level. The sport of ultimate is beloved by players from around the country, and we’ve been stoked to see many ultimate players rocking and finding comfort in, IDA’s women’s specific cleats and turf shoes.
Related: Shop IDA Rise Elite, Club, and Turf shoes!
To celebrate a recent collaboration with the PUL and learn more about the league, we dropped 10 questions on Eileen Murray of New York Gridlock! Be sure to follow the league @premierultimateleague on Instagram and then pick your squad!
🥏 1. What is ultimate, and how is it different from other team sports like soccer or football?
EM: Ultimate is a combination of soccer and football. The action is continuous until a score, and teams move from offense to defense within the point. However, the goal is a catch in the endzone, just like American football. The field sense and strategy for ultimate is similar to these field sports.
🏟️ 2. What is the Premier Ultimate League, and why was it created?
EM: We are a semi-professional ultimate for women and non-binary athletes. Our journey began with a simple goal - to create an inclusive and competitive league that showcases the incredible athleticism and spirit of the game. Our mission is to achieve equity in the sport of ultimate by increasing accessibility to the sport for, and visibility of women, transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, and genderfluid people through high-quality competition, leadership experiences, and community partnerships. Our league strives for gender, racial, and economic diversity in the sport of ultimate.
📍3. Which teams are part of the Premier Ultimate League, and where are they located?
EM: In the north division: Indy Red, Milwaukee Monarchs, Minnesota Strike, New York Gridlock Ultimate, Philly Surge. And in the south division: Atlanta Soul, Raleigh Radiance, Austin Torch, DC Shadow, LA Astra, Nashville Nightshade
⏱️ 4. How long is a typical ultimate game, and how is it structured?
EM: Our games have four 12-minute quarters. There is time between quarters and a 10-minute half-time. With stoppages, games last about 2 hours.
🤝 5. What does "Spirit of the Game" mean in ultimate, and how does it shape the culture of the sport?
EM: Even in this league, the game is self-officiated and players make their own calls!
The full text for the SOTG is on the USA Ultimate website (LINK). The main ideas are:
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Spirit of the Game is a set of principles which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play.
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All players are responsible for knowing, administering, and adhering to the rules. The integrity of ultimate depends on each player’s responsibility to uphold the Spirit of the Game, and this responsibility should remain paramount.
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It is assumed that no player will intentionally violate the rules; thus there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent infractions, but rather a method for resuming play in a manner that simulates what most likely would have occurred absent the infraction. An intentional infraction is cheating and considered a gross offense against the Spirit of the Game. Players are morally bound to abide by the rules and not gain advantage by knowingly committing an infraction, or calling one where none exists.
However, in our league, we use "team ambassadors" to increase communication within and between teams regarding equity, safety, and spirit of the game before, during, and after PUL games. The purpose of this is outlined in our rulebook here.
😅 6. What are (3) things people might be surprised to learn about ultimate and/or the league?
EM: It has nothing to do with dogs. You run MILES in each game. Tennis players make great throwers.
⭐ 7. Who are some standout athletes in the PUL, and what makes them special?
NY Gridlock: 20 Yina Cartagena
- One of NY's Colombian athletes, Yina started with NY in 2023. This year, Yina is being sponsored by SALT, who made a short film about Yina, What We Carry, that can be found on Instagram and YouTube.
Indy Red: 9 Corinn "Champ" Rains
- Corinn Rains moved from the Columbus Pride to Indy Red after Columbus folded in 2022. She's called the "queen of layouts," and in her free time is a Crashworthiness Research Engineer at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Austin Torch: 14 Emma Berrigan
- Emma Berrigan, or EMSKIII (alias for queer, pro athlete, drummer, and electronic) is a music artist and DJ. When she isn't playing ultimate, she is playing across the country and world. Learn more about Emma in this article.
Atlanta Soul: 9 Liv Ford
- Liv Ford joined the Atlanta team in 2024 and captained the team in 2025. She is an amazing teammate and handler. Liv is getting her MBA, coaches mixed YCC, and according to her team, is "the queen of croc charms."
💻 8. Where can fans watch PUL games, and how can they support their favorite teams?
EM: Fans can watch games on the PUL YouTube page and support their teams through our yearly fundraiser, the Player Sponsorship Program, that runs in February each year. Replica jerseys and other merch is available through our apparel partner Breakmark.
🌱 9. How does the PUL support youth development and community engagement?
EM: Each team in the PUL is unique in how they engage with their communities. Teams hold youth clinics and other outreach programs alongside home games, raise money for local organizations, and work with local businesses for watch parties.
🔮 10. What does the future look like for the Premier Ultimate League and the sport of ultimate?
EM: From the League...
New Teams & Realignment: The PUL added Los Angeles Astra to the South Division in late 2024, providing momentum for further growth. Additional expansion opportunities remain open, signaling a continued strategy to broaden its geographic footprint.
Collaboration with WUL & UFA: The Western Ultimate League (WUL) and PUL are working ever more closely, hosting their first joint event - an All-Star Game. The game will be hosted by the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA; formally AUDL) during their championship weekend on Saturday, August 23 at 4pm CT in Madison, WI.
Be sure to follow the league @premierultimateleague on Instagram and then pick your squad!