Name: Bailey Zahniser
School: Oregon
Years on A-team: 5
Height: 5’4″
Right-handed
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Major: Art and Anthropology
Graduating: Class of 2013
Position: Handler/Cutter
When and where did you start playing ultimate? Who recruited you?
I started playing ultimate freshmen year of high school at Seattle Academy. The middle school at Seattle Academy offered ultimate and a lot of my friends played, so after a lot of heckling I decided to join in.
What does it mean to you to be nominated by your teammates?
To me, the Callahan award [nomination] is an honor.
What are your goals for this season?
Of course winning another College Championship would be amazing, but as a team we have recently set our goal beyond winning games to playing the best games of ultimate we can play.
Fugue in 2009 at Belligham Invite, Zahniser's first tournament with the team
What was your favorite moment of this season?
Coming together as a team.
What is your favorite part of being on your college team?
Playing with Fugue is an amazing experience. Aside from having Lou as a coach, my favorite part is playing with a group of girls that would not necessarily ever know each other but our love for this sport and the team brings us all together.
What’s your favorite in-season workout?
Gotta love agility and some gym time.
How has your college career been impacted by injury?
Injuries have been a major issue of mine in the recent years. Junior year, I had a hamstring strain that really prevented me from playing at my best. Last year, I tore my ACL in September, which kept me out of most of the season. I was able to come back by Nationals but by the semis I sprained my knee. This year I just had a dash of plantar fasciitis and a dislocated shoulder. Because injuries can have a huge impact on a team’s season, Fugue encourages outside of practice lifting and stretching!
What’s your club experience?
I played with Riot this summer, it was totally awesome.
Are you graduating after this season?
Def graduating – very sad day.
Zahniser was also a member of the U-20 Team USA Girls at WUGC in Vancouver in 2008. Here is her Callahan video.
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