The top 5 Quidditch team names at the Quidditch World Cup

Yes, they are athletes.

They ride brooms, throw quaffles, toss bludgers, don costumes and chase a yellow-clad runner that acts as a snitch.

And they can ‘ditch.

You’ll be able to catch these world-class athletes this weekend at the US Quidditch World Cup 8, at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill on Saturday and Sunday.

If you didn’t know about it, it’s probably because Charlotteans don’t tread too far into South Carolina. But this is making me reevaluate my bubble.

LOOK AT THIS VIDEO!

Watch it again! Especially the Snitch guy! He’s in all Yellow!

I can’t tell you how excited I am to LIVESTREAM this event while I day-drink at Sunday brunch.

There are 80 teams at this event. 80! That’s more teams than there are new Emojis! And they are from everywhere too: Miami, UCLA, Harvard, British Columbia.

The event itself doesn’t have a favorite – seeds are determined by team play on Saturday – but we all know a favorite should have a phenomenal team name. So we here at C5 scanned through the team names and found the 5 best:

(5) Crimson Warhawks

Hailing from The University of Kansas, the Crimson Warhawks don a team name that is to be feared. Combining the two words creates a simple imagery that pierces the mind. The simplicity and integration of the school mascot—the Jayhawks—are a nice touch.

(4) Western Washington Wyverns

Points for alliteration and embracing the nerdiness of the sport. Major points for having a creative name and being from the Pacific Northwest. Also, a Wyvern looks ferocious and creepy.

(3) Northern Arizona Narwhals

If you were playing the Quidditch World Cup, and were traveling all the way from Flagstaff, Arizona, to ride around on brooms, wouldn’t you want to have a team name with Narwhals in it? That’s what I thought. Points.

(2) The Silver Phoenix

This may be the secondary team from Texas A&M, but they are the primary name-team from College Station. The Phoenix is a bird that rises from the ashes after it dies and the shade of Silver just adds to the power of this name. They even have a Chaser who has the legendary name 0f Geno Cantú! Geno Cantú! I love this team!

(1) Tufts University Tufflepuffs

Say this team name out loud.

Tell it to a Harry Potter Fan.

Go giggle like a school girl.

J.K. Rowling is cheering for you, teams. I am too.

Photos: Observer files, Facebook

This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 12:29 PM with the headline "The top 5 Quidditch team names at the Quidditch World Cup."