As the Series is finally here, we preview the most competitive Sections> across the nation, including one section where you will be suprised who> we think is going to win.>

HONORABLE MENTION:> #1 Bay Area Section - Apr. 16-17 - Livermore, CA> Traditionally the best Section in the country, this year doesnn't even> land in the 'can't miss' category. Stanford received several first> place votes in the NUMP through the early season and backed it up with> a win at Santa Barbara Invite, but struggled since, including losing in> the Quarterfinals to UBC at its own tournament, not making the top 8 at> Centex and then losing to Washington on Sunday, and posting few marquee> wins. Last year's National Runner-Up, Cal-Berkley has fallen on hard> times this year, and hardly looks like Sectionals will be any> different. UC-Davis may be on the rise, playing one-point games at> Stanford Invite with tournament Semifinalists Georgia and UBC, and> recently posting a win over UCSD. UC-Santa Cruz should not be an easy> dismissal.> OUTLOOK: Stanford will likely be looking ahead to Regionals where it> might be the fourth best team, not good enough for a return trip to> Nationals. Look for the upset of the season with UC-Davis playing down> to the wire in the Final and taking the game.> 1 UC-Davis - 2 Stanford - 3 California - 4 UC-Santa Cruz>

#2 Coloinal Section - Apr. 16-17 - Salisbury, MD> While the MetroEast may not be full of powerhouses, it is not short of> drama. This Section features three teams that could go own to win the> Region, including last year's representatives at Nationals, Delaware> and George Washington, and this year's suprise team, Maryland.> Outlook: It's too bad it's single elimination to the finals, because> these teams are likely to split several meetings.> 1 Maryland - 2 George Washington - 3 Delaware>

RIVALRY SECTIONS:> #1 North Carolina Section - Apr. 23-24 - Greenville, NC> North Carolina won last year, but looks a lot different from that team;> NC State doesn't ever seem to miss a beat; and darkhorse tournament> host, East Carolina, is looking to return to power. NC State, with a> win, will likely take the top seed at AC Regionals.> #2 So Cal Section - Apr. 16-17 - Santa Barbara, CA> Certainly tops the charts of rivalries in College Ultimate, currently,> but neither team looks to have the clear edge. Santa Barbara's edge may> still be in the mental category, but San Diego's trip to Nationals may> help them get over the hurdle and position themselves for the more> important win at Regionals.> #3 Texas Section - Apr. 16-17 - Denton, TX> Texas A&M is flying under the radar this year, despite being the> highest ranked team in the South Region. Texas looked unimpressive at> Centex, but this team has the talent to win the Region. The big> question still remains about Max Cook's admitted 6th year of> eligibility.> #4 Michigan Section - Apr. 16-17 - Lansing, MI> Michigan has posted a more impressive resume late in the season, but> still doesn't look dominant. Michigan State gained invaluable> experience from last year's Nationals apperance.> OUTLOOK: NC State has too much depth for UNC to overcome, UCSB will> continue its dominance, Texas superstars are too much for A&M, and> Michigan is the toss-up pick.> NC: 1 NC State - 2 UNC - 3 ECU> SOCAL: 1 UCSB - 2 UCSD> TX: 1 Texas - 2 Texas A&M> MI: 1 Michigan - 2 Michigan State>

SECTIONS YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATCH:> #3 Colorado Section - Quick, name the last time Colorado lost to> someone in its Section.> #2 Lake Superior Section - Quick, name the second best team in> Wisconsin.> #1 Toss-Up: Desert Section and Big Sky Section - Can you even name two> teams that play in these Sections if you aren't also in these Regions?>

CAN'T MISS SECTIONS:> #3 Ozark Section - Apr. 16-17 - Tulsa, OK> Though this Section might not even produce a Nationals qualifier, it> does have some of the nation's most underrated teams. Kansas, last> year's representative from the South Region, has finished in the top 8> of the year's two biggest tournaments, Stanford Invite and Centex, but> is ranked only 12th in the NUMP. Oklahoma is perhaps the tallest team> in College Ultimate, but a short bench and lack of one dominant player> may become an issue. Arkansas made a big splash at this past weekend's> Fool's Fest and is certainly peaking at the right time.> OUTLOOK: Whichever team grabs the top seed will certainly have an> easier road, with Washington U as the likely four seed. We say Kansas> is that top seed, and wins the section after Arkansas wins a hard> fought game with Oklahoma. Oklahoma then evens the score in the> playback game.> 1 Kansas - 2 Oklahoma - 3 Arkansas>

#2 Washington/BC Section - Apr. 23-24 - Vancouver, BC> This section features the two highest ranked teams in any section, with> NUMP #7 Washington and #9 British Columbia, and would be the most> interesting Section in the country if not for the lack of depth. UBC> has the most impressive result, a semifinal at Stanford Invite, but> Washington does have a win over Wisconsin at Centex.> Outlook: Washington has looked more steady than flashy, and UBC seems> to have the potential to make a run at Nationals. No team will run away> with this game.> 1 British Columbia - 2 Washington>

#1 South Section - Apr. 9-10 - Gainesville, FL> If we told you at the beginning of the season that one Section would> produce Finalists at Stanford Invite, Centex, FWC, Terminus, Ultimax,> and Easterns, you may have picked an AC Section, but probably not this> one. Georgia has won the Section two straight years over Florida,> including a win in Gainesville two years ago on double game point and> at the game-to-go to Nationals that same year. Georgia holds a 5-3 edge> in the head-to-head matchups over the last three years and seems to> have the mental edge. Even with the success, Georgia's recent results> have raised serious questions, as the team appears to be a little> Jeckyl and Hyde. The team went to the Finals at Queen City before> losing to Virginia, and after winning big games against Brown,> Wisconsin, and Carleton on the washed out day at Stanford, and then> making it to the Finals the next day, including a second win over> Brown, the team looked poised to take a seat amongst the favorites at> Nationals. Recently though, they barely won a game at Terminus, they> missed the top 8 at Centex and ended up finishing 15th, and lost in the> Quarterfinals at Easterns. Which team will show up this weekend?> Florida's season has been the opposite, losing in the Quarterfinals at> Queen City and Stanford Invite, but then making an impressive run to> the Finals at Centex and then again the next weekend at Ultimax, and> has moved to #4 in the latest edition of the NUMP. Florida has the> talent to not only win the Section but also the Region, but the ability> to win big games still remains a question. The reason this Section tops> the list is the depth, with Georgia Tech having made the Finals at> Terminus and actually moved up in the UPA Rankings enough to overtake> Georgia for the #2 seed, and Florida State having recently made the> Finals at Easterns, and beating Florida twice last year, including> eliminating them from Regionals. The rest of the Section is not very> good, but the top 4 should make for an exciting Sunday.> Outlook: Georgia hasn't looked good enough, but they know how to play> when it really counts. Look for Florida to go down early in the Finals> and not be able to recover as they have against non-Regional opponents.> Georgia Tech and FSU should be tough games, but Florida and Georgia> will both be primed.> 1 Georgia - 2 Florida - 3 Georgia Tech - 4 Florida State>

PARTING SHOT: Which team that doesn't win its Section will then go on> to make Nationals?>