Grambling Quiz Bowl Team Headed to HCASC Nationals

Members of the Grambling State University Academic Quiz Bowl Team defeated Prairie View A&M University to win the regional Honda Campus All-Star Challenge on January 31. Grambling will compete in nationals March 21-25 in Torrance, Calif. Team members, from L to R, are: Jharrayne McKnight, Bello Ahmadou, Dave Fields, John Carter, Whitney Gaston-Loyd and Jasmine Ayatey.

The Grambling State University Academic Quiz Bowl Team is headed to the national tournament in March after winning the regional tournament on January 31 at Prairie View A&M University.

Grambling is a part of the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC). For 25 years, HCASC has hosted regional and national academic quiz bowl competitions for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

During the regional competition, 10 teams are divided into two divisions, A and B. The winner of each division advances to the championship round, and the regional winner advances to the national tournament held March 21-25 in Torrance, Calif.

Grambling defeated Xavier University 530-330 to win the Division B title, and then took on Prairie View, the 2010 national champions, in the final match of the tournament. Though Captain Dave Fields described it as a “close match,” Grambling defeated Prairie View 565-485 for the win.

Fields, a junior nursing major, was especially proud of his team’s performance since he was the only returning team member. Everyone else who competed at the tournament was new to quiz bowl.

“I was happy. It was everyone’s first time, and we killed it, so it was nice,” he said.

The quiz bowl team won $3,000 for qualifying for nationals, but they could win up to $50,000 if they win the national tournament. In 2014, the team won $6,000 for making it to the Sweet 16.

“I think we have a better team than last year. Last year, we were in the top 16 out of 48 teams. This year I feel like we can go even farther up,” Fields said.

The members of the GSU Quiz Bowl Team are Whitney Gaston-Loyd, John Carter, Jasmine Ayatey, Jharrayne McKnight , Bello Ahmadou Ahidjo and Captain Fields. The team is advised by Charlette Favors, director of student organizations , and Juanita Bobo, a counselor.

Source: GSU Media Relations Office