Robotics in the ring: WVU hosts 4th annual VEX Competition inspiring tomorrow’s engineers and computer scientists

Middle School Tournament Champions Lil’ George and Clankers from Sherrard Middle School compete at the 4th annual VEX Robotics Competition at WVU. (WVU Photo/Paige Nesbit)

Robotics engineering is capturing the imagination of middle and high school students across the state, turning classrooms into innovation hubs and sparking a new wave of competition.

Story by Paige Nesbit, director of marketing and communications
Photos by Megan Rinker and Paige Nesbit

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

This weekend, more than 50 teams put their coding and engineering skills to the test at the 2026 VEX Robotics Competition hosted by Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at  West Virginia University.

Now in its fourth year, the VEX competition brings student teams from across the state of West Virginia to design, build, and compete with their robots in an elimination-style skills match for a chance to qualify for the VEX Robotics State Championship hosted in Fairmont from March 8-10, 2026.

Twenty-five West Virginia high school teams competed for glory on Saturday. Teamwork was crucial in this competition as teams George Drinks Water and Atomic from John Marshall High School won first place, while Iron Patriots: K-otic and Iron Patriots: Platypus from Wheeling Park High School earned second. High school winning teams now have the opportunity to advance to the regional competition, and will receive a $1,500 scholarship per year for four years if they decide to attend the Statler College. Excellence Award went to team George Drinks Water who will go straight to the State Championship.

On Sunday, 26 middle school teams from across West Virginia vied for victory, with Lil’ George and Clankers from Sherrard Middle School earning first place. While Loose Screws and Rubber Duckies from Sherrard Middle School earned second, respectively. Middle school winners received $425 in scholarships for Statler’s Engineering Challenge Camps and will now qualify for the state tournament. Excellence Award went to team Lil’ George who will go straight to the State Championship.

In this year’s game, called Push Back, teams are challenged to earn points by scoring blocks in goals, controlling zones within goals, and ending the match with their robots in specific “parking spaces.” In addition to head-to-head competitions, teams also complete individual skills challenges, including an autonomous challenge that relies entirely on students’ code.

“Robotics competitions like VEX teach youth how to actually be engineers, as they work through all of the steps of the engineering design process,” stated Annie Harmon, the Statler College Robotics Engineering Outreach Coordinator. “During one school year, teams must design, build, code, and test their robot, while documenting every step of the process. Theory becomes reality when students actually see how the code they’ve written performs in the real world, and how the machine they’ve built interacts with other robots.”

While robotics competitions like VEX build engineering and computer science skills, outreach events like this also give youth the chance to practice teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, and sportsmanship.

“We are delighted to host this competition that offers a valuable experience for all kinds of students,” Harmon stated. “As the coordinator of robotics outreach, my primary goal is to offer opportunities for West Virginia’s youth to experience high-quality STEM programming. After all, outreach to the community is part of WVU’s land-grant mission. We want to give youth the chance to cultivate an interest and appreciation for the process of science and engineering, while building their skills and confidence.”

These events lay the foundation of fundamentals in robotics, and the Robotics program at WVU serves as a destination for those students interested in a future in the field.

The Statler College has increased efforts in robotics outreach since 2024, when the College received a $1 million grant from NASA. This grant was integral in launching the new robotics engineering undergraduate program — one of fewer than two dozen R1 Carnegie research classified universities that offer the degree, funding robotics research, and expanding robotics outreach efforts.

The College’s capacity to provide K–12 outreach represents a rare opportunity to introduce students to an emerging and specialized discipline early in their academic pathways, helping to cultivate sustained interest and create a strong pipeline of future learners and professionals in the state and beyond.

Schools interested in robotics or engineering and computer science outreach programs should visit the Statler College outreach website and submit an interest form for upcoming engineering experiences.

For information on upcoming robotics competitions in West Virginia, visit https://www.wvrobot.org/.

With the recent partnering with Campus Recreation, two robotics-themed Kids Nights Out events are being offered. Learn more at campusrecreation.wvu.edu.

To learn more about robotics program offerings and sponsorship opportunities here in the Statler College, visit the WVU robotics website or contact  Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Department Chair Jason Gross.

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