Innova Reuniting With Anthon, Williams, Gibson For 2018

Reading, several others rewarded with team promotions

Today’s #TeamInnova rollout on social media found the California-based brand reuniting with team members of seasons past and rewarding several others with promotions.

Josh Anthon, Bradley Williams, and Drew Gibson will spend 2018 on the company’s Team Champion sponsorship level, Innova Team Manager Jonathan Poole confirmed in an email. Anthon, who won the Ledgestone Insurance Open in August and is currently the PDGA’s ninth ranked player despite only playing in 11 tournaments this season, rejoins the unit after serving prison time related to a fatal hit-and-run in 2014. Williams comes back after being reinstated from a PDGA suspension late in September, while Gibson returns to the fold after spending the last two seasons with Dynamic Discs.

While there were not any other high-profile additions announced, three-time PDGA World Champion and reigning U.S. Masters Champion Des Reading was elevated to the company’s Hall of Fame team, which Poole said coincides with her induction into the Disc Golf Hall of Fame in October.

“As Innova team levels go, we consider the HOF to be our highest honor,” Poole said.

James Conrad, Lisa Fajkus, and Jessica Weese were all promoted to Innova’s Star Team, its top level of touring support. For Conrad, the bump comes after a six-win season where he was a constant threat to the game’s standard bearers. Fajkus, meanwhile, was a weekly contender in her first full season of touring and closed the year by tying for second place at the Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship. Weese was back on the road after sitting out most of 2016 with a shoulder injury and logged eight victories, including a DGPT title at the Utah Open and A-Tier wins at the Brent Hambrick Memorial Open and Kentucky State Disc Golf Championships.