During disc golf’s off-season, sponsorship news dominates headlines. This year, on the FPO side of things, names like Kona Panis, Hailey King and Catrina Allen created enough buzz to keep content-starved disc golf fans somewhat satisfied until the 2022 season officially starts.
But if fans limit themselves to focusing only on the more “household” names in women’s disc golf, they’ll miss out on the development of some of the sport’s most talented players. This is happening in Europe – some stateside fans may recognize these names, but far too many won’t:
- Heidi Lane
- Eveliina Salonen
- Henna Blomroos
All three of these women are bonafide FPO stars …
Globally, each is (literally) a top-15 talent.
Wouldn’t you know it, though, one of the brightest female up-and-comers doesn’t even have an ocean keeping her from the DGPT circuit. Unbelievably, she first picked up a disc in 2019 …
She’s Ella Hansen of Team Discmania.
Her story’s a bit different from most, though …
Hansen was introduced to Ultimate at the University of Oregon. Known for her defensive footwork and distance throws, she quickly earned the nickname “One Throw Ella.” The name stems from her ability to find a teammate in the end zone with a single pass. Hansen and the Ducks would go on to win the women’s Ultimate D-I College Championships in 2015.
Incredibly, she’d also win the gold medal at the 2018 World Flying Disc Federation U-24 Championships in Perth, Australia as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Ultimate was Hansen’s thing. These days, disc golf is Hansen’s thing.
And clearly, her skills have translated quite nicely.
Hansen first started playing disc golf competitively in 2020. Though her first season was largely hindered by COVID restrictions, in 2021, she finished seventh at the MVP Open at Maple Hill. She also finished third at both the Portland Open and the United States Women’s Disc Golf Championships. Unsurprisingly, she was named the 2021 PDGA Rookie of the Year.
Oh yeah, and that whole “One Throw Ella” thing?
It still applies.
She took third at the 2021 Long Drive Contest at Pro Worlds behind Paige Pierce and Jennifer Allen. Add her 937 rating and the fact that she’s the 21st-ranked FPO golfer in the world, and Hansen’s 2021 season starts to blur the line between disc golf fact and fiction.
* Paige Pierce
— Green Splatter (@GreenSplatter) February 3, 2022
* Catrina Allen
* Kristin Tattar
We talk about these FPO players on the regular. But you know who’s really going to shake things up this season, in spite of getting almost ZERO coverage?
Ella Hansen.
Mark it down. She’ll do big things.
Kristin Tattar is still the No. 1 talent. Pierce is still a top threat. And Allen’s still the champ. But with Europe set to invade American courses in 2022, the hierarchy of women’s disc golf as we’ve known it for the past half-decade is going to change – and drastically …
Hansen will play a major role in the impending FPO shake-up.
Take note: Ella’s the real deal. And she’s only getting better.
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Way to, One Throw Ella!
Thanks for reading, Kirk – appreciate it, man!
Ella’s awesome 🙂