Cheyney University’s Honda Campus All Star Challenge (HCASC) Varsity team came in third at the regional competition in Washington, DC Saturday, losing the runner up spot to Howard University by just one bonus question. Chicago State University took top honors.
After nearly six months of preparation, teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from across the nation travelled to seven HBCUs for official National Qualifying Tournaments. The competitions were fast-paced, action-packed trivia games with questions from various categories including science, history, art, math, general knowledge and current events.
At each site, after a random draw, the teams were placed into divisions of five teams each for a round robin competition. From there, the top four teams advanced to single-elimination playoffs.
“We had trouble with sports questions and, at points, our reaction time was a little slow when it came to hitting the buzzer,” acknowledges Dr. Clyde Ledbetter, a Cheyney professor who coaches the team. “We will work on these areas if we make it to the national competition. Our strengths were in HBCU knowledge, pop culture, and literature.”
The winner and runner-up from each regional competition automatically go to the April national competition in California where 48 HBCU teams will go head-to-head in the brain games. This year, a new social media voting option allows one school from each of the district championships to make it into nationals based on votes via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Voting goes until the end of day February 8. In the competition at University of the District of Columbia Saturday, Cheyney moved from fifth place to second place in voting.
"Voting right now is essential,” admits Meghan Sowersby, a HCASC second year player. “I really feel the support.”
Voters must make an account here using an email address and password. Then, they can vote three times a day in less than a minute.
“Everything depends on people continuing to vote every day,” adds Meredith Morrison, team captain and the only senior on the team. In 2015, she and the Cheyney team came in second in the nation at the California competition, earning $25,000 for the University’s HCASC program. This year is her last opportunity to go for the gold."We may not have gotten in the top two at regionals, but our teamwork was amazing,” remarks Morrison. “I am insanely proud of how the team did and how well we worked together and complemented each other.”
While voting for seven of the 48 national spots ends on February 8 and 14 spots have already been clinched, the rest of the field will be announced on or before February 15th.
"If we make it to CA, we will expand our knowledge in Black history and global geography, two areas that I noticed we were lacking,” shares Sowersby. “We still need to get quicker on the buzzer and build our confidence. Once you miss one question, it's easy to slow down and hesitate. I know we can improve."
Cheyney’s Varsity players are all Keystone Honors Academy Scholars. In addition to Sowersby and Morrison, a sophomore, Freshman Stephen Adasonla and Junior Jesse Lucas represent the nation’s first HBCU. Adasonla is the new kid on the block.
York College, Lincoln University-Missouri, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, UDC, and Bowie State also competed at UDC Saturday.
To vote for Cheyney’s HCASC team three times a day now through February 8th, click here to create an account.
https://www.hcasc.com/nct17/votelogin.asp
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Tuesday, February 7th 2017 at 11:24AM
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