FRANCHISES
EAST DIVISION
Charlotte Aviators
The Charlotte Aviators, the most recent expansion team in MLQ, retooled in 2023 after the retirements of several of the key players who helped to secure their place in the league. Now, with a combination of experienced leadership and future stars, the team will look to gel and compete for a division crown in 2024.
OTTAWA BLACK BEARS
The Ottawa Black Bears are one of two Canadian franchises currently competing in the league. With a long history of rostering members from the Quadball Canada National Team, the Black Bears bring a different style of play that poses a distinct challenge for their East Division rivals.
New York Titans
In 2023, The New York Titans finished the regular season as the number one seed for the second time in three years. But then they faced upset in dramatic fashion by the Chicago Prowl in the semifinals at the 2023 MLQ Championship. With a veteran core of US National Team talent and young players that showed they could contribute in a major way, 2024 will once again be championship or bust for the Titans.
Boston Forge
The Boston Forge are one of the most storied franchises in the league, with three MLQ titles to their name, including the first two. Last season they face the retirements of many of the veterans that led them to those championships, and the Forge fell to third place in the East Division for the first time ever. In 2024, they’ll look to a new group of young talent to carry them back to the top of the league.
Washington Admirals
The Washington Admirals got over the hump and finally placed within the top two in the East Division in 2023, earning a bye to the quarterfinals for the first time. Though they could not knock off the Austin Outlaws, the Admirals are loaded with top-tier talent, including USNT stars Julia Baer and Rachel Heald, at every position and poised to improve upon their best-ever finish in 2023.
NORTH DIVISION
TORONTO RAIDERS
The Toronto Raiders joined the league in 2019, becoming the second team in the league from Canada. After a disappointing 2022 that was largely defined by injuries to key players, the Raiders got healthy in 2023 and secured second place in the North Division en route to their first-ever quarterfinals appearance at the MLQ Championship. They will look to build upon the experience in 2024.
CLEVELAND RIFF
The Cleveland Riff have typically played close games with their division rivals. But like the other professional sports teams in the city, the Riff have suffered a series of heartbreaking losses. Building on some small victories over the past few seasons, the Riff will look to flip that script in 2024.
CHICAGO PROWL
The Chicago Prowl enter their second season after relocating from Indianapolis as the hottest and most-hyped team in the league. The Prowl, with rookie head coach Kennedy Murphy, knocked off the favored New York Titans in an instant classic best-of-three semifinals series last season and earned their first finals berth since 2017. With heightened expectations around the league, can the Prowl reach the promised land and win their first Benepe Cup in 2024?
Minneapolis Monarchs
The Minneapolis Monarchs relinquished their North Division crown in 2023, falling to the Chicago Prowl away from home and ending their impressive winning streak over their fierce rivals in the process. But the Monarchs saved their season and once again captured the hearts of the league by putting together a string of dramatic victories in the play-in bracket at the 2024 MLQ Championship. Can they break through in the quarterfinals in 2024?
DETROIT INNOVATORS
The Detroit Innovators have shown a youthful spark in recent seasons, returning to the MLQ Championship in 2023 after a one-year absence. Bristling with top young talent that is improving year-in and year-out, they will look to cause real problems in a revamped North Division that is no longer divided in half.
SOUTH DIVISION
San Antonio Soldados
The San Antonio Soldados have been nothing but successful in their first four seasons as a part of the league, making it to the semifinals of the Benepe Cup three times. But a South Division title has so far eluded them, having never taken a series from their rivals, the Austin Outlaws. They’ll search for that elusive title and a deep run at the MLQ Championship this year.
LEAGUE CITY LEGENDS
The League City Legends bring their physical brand of play back to the South Division for another season. A team that has always played up to its competition, notching some of the most impressive upsets in league history through the years, League City will look to return to the Benepe Cup this year after narrowly missing out in 2023.
Austin Outlaws
The Austin Outlaws became the first team to ever hoist the Benepe Cup five times with their title in 2023, completing a dominant franchise three-peat and securing a Triple Crown for US National Team Head Coach Michael Parada in the process. It was the last dance for several of their longtime stars though, most notably quadball GOAT Augustine Monroe and US National Team star Kaci Erwin. With the rest of the league closing the gap and Chicago, New York, and San Antonio hot on their heels, the Outlaws will look to stave off the competition in 2024.
Kansas City Stampede
The Kansas City Stampede have seen massive growth in the past few years alongside the growth of top local college programs at the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri, and Creighton University. Now, after coming up a game short in the play-in bracket last season, they will hope to challenge their division rivals in Texas for a spot in the quarterfinals with a roster that is young but battle tested.
NEW ORLEANS CURSE
The New Orleans Curse took a major step this past season, winning their first game at the MLQ Championship since 2016. With unmatched chemistry from many years of competing together, they will look to build on that performance this season and continue their upward trend through the South Division.