Roster 2025

2025 Coaches

Franklin Rho - Head Coach

In our first season with the Premier Ultimate League we have Franklin Rho as our Head Coach! He’s played on myriad elite teams, coached nearly as many, and was the original Los Angeles Aviators Head Coach. We’ve prepared a short Q&A for those of you who don’t know this legendary Los Angeles Ultimate coach:
Astra: Anything you’d like to share about joining the Astra?
FJR: I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. The city’s motto is, “Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars).” Was becoming the next coach of Astra predestined? No, of course not. I don’t believe in such things. Nonetheless, I thank the universe and all involved celestial bodies for aligning and affording me this amazing opportunity.
Astra: Any fun facts or wild hobbies you’d like to share?
FJR: I referee soccer games, partly because it’s challenging and mentally stimulating and partly because it connects me with people and worlds I would otherwise never encounter. But the real reason (in case my Catholic mother is reading this)? I’m atoning for all the complaining I’ve done about bad calls and other trifling sports-related injustices. I mountain bike and credit it with keeping me mentally fit through the pandemic. I’m resisting the temptation to get an e-bike until I’m ready to embrace the next tier of being an OLD MAN. I write things, mostly when I’m not doing whatever the opposite of writing is.
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You can get to know Coach Rho even better at our home games this year! We’ll have more staff announcements coming soon, but for now please give a warm welcome back to elite LA Ultimate for Head Coach Franklin Rho.

Lindsey Cross - Assistant Coach, Flex

Introducing the inimitable Assistant Coach Lindsey Cross!
Lindsey started her Ultimate career under the helm of Coach Frankie as a USC Hellion, helping to bring the team to the national stage. She spent 6 years with a legendary CO powerhouse club team, helping as a player➡️captain➡️player-coach from the team’s inception. She helped bring the team to 2 semi-final Championship appearances. She’s coached high school Ultimate in Colorado for years, including the YCC U-20 Girls team. Under Lindsey’s coaching, the YCC team made several quarterfinals appearances and multiple players went on to participate on National U24 teams.
Here’s a short interview with our new Flex Line AC:

Astra: So you started your career with Coach Frankie, do you have any nicknames that have stuck since your time at USC?
Lindsey Cross (LC): I have a few nicknames, mainly “Screech” from USC, and “Linda” which was an unfortunate autocorrect situation that stuck with me in the Colorado Ultimate scene.
Astra: Any secret talents?
LC: I’ve won various lip syncing competitions! I also don’t get any Instagram ads.
Astra: What takes up your time outside of Ultimate?
LC: I engineer cool things for work.
Astra: What’s your vision for the Astra this season?
LC: I’m excited to help build what LA Women’s and Non-Binary Ultimate can be. Seeing all the talent and chemistry at tryouts was invigorating, so being able to cultivate that and build a culture focused on hard work, community, and trust is something I’m looking forward to.
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We’re super excited to have Lindsey on board this year! Make sure to catch her in action as we take on the Premier Ultimate League in 2025.

Carlos Ruiz - Assistant Coach, Defense

It’s our pleasure to introduce Assistant Coach for the 2025 season, Carlos Ruiz!
Carlos is a decorated coach and player. He’s formerly been an Assistant Coach for the Super Bloom in ‘22 and ‘23, as well as currently holding the Head Coach position for the Mexican National team! He has experience at all levels of Ultimate from youth to pro, and we’re very excited to have him on the squad as we take on the Premier Ultimate League
Here’s a short Q&A so you can get to know our D-Line AC:

Astra: What made you so excited to join the Astra?
Carlos Ruiz (CR): First of all I really believe I can be influential on the sideline, but I also believe in the power of the league and teams to amplify visibility for POC. In my case this has had a huge effect on my career and I want to give back with the experience I’ve gained. I want to represent the Bipoc and Latino community with dignity.
Astra: What did you study in college?
CR: I play the Saxophone and have a Master’s in Composition!
Astra: Dogs or cats?
CR: I have two dogs, both Border Collies.
Astra: What’s something not many people know about you?
CR: I can do a lot of magic tricks with cards thanks to the pandemic. I also used to play competitive chess until I was 16.
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Make sure to catch Carlos in action this season! We heard he might demonstrate a card trick if you ask nicely at a home game.

Andrew McRae - Assistant Coach, Offense

Welcome aboard to Assistant Coach Andrew McRae!
Andrew has been a pillar of Los Angeles Ultimate since 2004 when he joined the UC Irvine team as an athlete. He has over 20 years of experience in Ultimate and will be invaluable to the team’s growth. We’re very excited to have another decorated coach with us for the new year. For those of you who don’t already know Andrew, here’s a short interview with our O-Line AC:

Astra: When did you start coaching?
Andrew McRae (AM): I started in 2017 coaching the team I played on in college at UCI.
Astra: How about for the semi-pro scene?
AM: That was with the Los Angeles Aviators in 2018 where I helped bring the team to Championship Weekend.
Astra: A lot of folks are super excited to see the new coaching staff including yourself. Have you worked with any of the other coaches before?
AM: Fun fact, Frankie was actually my first club coach way back with Renegade in 2011. He was also the Head Coach when I played on the Aviators in 2015.
Astra: Any wild Ultimate stories?
AM: Less fun fact, Beau Kittredge broke my nose in my first ever AUDL game on the 2nd point I played.
Astra: What do you hope to see from the team this season?
AM: I hope to see Astra as a rising force in the PUL. I think we’ll really surprise some teams that most of our players have never matched up against before.
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We’re glad to have Andrew with us for 2025! Catch him in action on the sidelines as we take on the Premier Ultimate League in 2025.

Who We Are

Los Angeles Astra is a trailblazing professional women’s and non-binary ultimate frisbee team based in Southern California. Originally founded in 2019 as the LA Ninety‑Nines, the team rebranded to Astra—a nod to the “stars,” reflecting both Los Angeles’s storied entertainment heritage and the team’s aspiration to shine brightly in the competitive landscape. They made their mark in the Western Ultimate League before joining the Premier Ultimate League (PUL) for the 2025 season.

The Astra believe that women and non-binary athletes deserve to be seen on the brightest stage available. We welcome friends, family, and sports fans new to Ultimate to come and enjoy our sport and the excellence we strive to achieve. We are committed to advancing gender equity in sport, fostering elite-level competition, and inspiring the next generation of athletes.

Goals

develop women's professional ultimate and further gender equity in Southern California.

1.

Create a culture where women and non-binary athletes are setting a precedent as pro Ultimate competitors.

2.

To compete against the highest level in Ultimate.

3.

To inspire young athletes to play at a higher level.

Staff & Ownership

Alison “Buster” Yoho - General manager

Alison 'Buster' Yoho started playing ultimate frisbee in college in 2011. After a few years of playing in leagues and club in the greater LA area, she helped start the LA Mixed club team Spoiler Alert in 2018. In 2019 and 2021, she was the SoCal mixed sectionals coordinator for USAU. She also served on the board for LAOUT, starting in 2020 and then was president of LAOUT from 2021 to 2023. She is excited for her next journey as the 2025 General Manager for Los Angeles Astra.

Elizabeth Gupta-Harrison - co-owner

Technology executive at the Walt Disney Company specializing in video streaming. Elizabeth holds an MBA from NYU Stern, and has been playing and coaching Ultimate for over 20 years. Elizabeth’s extensive experience in tech, product management, and Ultimate is invaluable to the growing team.

Ashley Hart - co-owner

Entrepreneur and former founder/CEO of She Plays (fantasy sports provider and news source for women’s sports). Over 15+ years experience in administrative, team-building, and fundraising leadership roles. Lifelong sports fan passionate about building community through athletics. She’s got a deep love for the game, a sharp eye for operations, and a commitment to growing visibility and equity in professional women’s sports.