Valencia College announced on Mar. 25 that its Brain Bowl teams achieved strong results at the National Academic Quiz Tournaments Community College Championship held in Chicago, with both squads finishing in the top ten.
The achievement highlights Valencia’s continued success in academic competitions and underscores the college’s reputation for excellence in quiz bowl events.
The Red team secured third place with a record of nine wins and two losses, earning them a spot at the upcoming NAQT Intercollegiate Tournament scheduled for April 9-12. The Black team finished ninth overall after winning the middle bracket with an eight-win, three-loss record out of a field of twenty-four qualifying teams. Clete Reinberger led as captain of the Red team and was named top scorer among all 104 students participating. Team members Isabella Da Costa, Heloisa Carneiro, and Kai Devane joined him on the Red squad. The Black team included Greg Suarez—ranked twenty-third overall—alongside Jason Neff, Keira Mackinnon, Samantha Norman, and Reyna Martinez.
Reflecting on their performance against first-place Chipola College and second-place Murray State College—both games decided by final questions—Reinberger said: “This year, what was exciting was seeing that we were as good as any team there.”
Coach Chris Borglum described how expectations shifted during the tournament: “By the time we finished the first day, I started to change my expectations,” he said. “I talked to Clete that day and he agreed… I was very much hoping for third place, which is a podium spot just like the Olympics.”
Kai Devane attributed part of this year’s success to improved teamwork following his addition to fill gaps in history knowledge: “He completed our team,” Reinberger said. Devane added his personal motivation: “I’d love to have my name etched in that history… And we want to bring a championship back to Valencia.”
Samantha Norman from Wekiva High School played art history specialist for the Black squad while also enjoying visits around Chicago with teammates. She encouraged new students interested in joining not to be intimidated by difficult topics or fast-paced matches: “At my first practice I didn’t really know anything,” she says. “But I really felt like it could do it. I knew I could get better if I just kept practicing.”
Valencia’s Brain Bowl program has a longstanding tradition of excellence; over twenty-six years since NAQT began crowning community college champions, Valencia has won eight state titles and nine national championships while placing among the top three seventeen times.
