UND hosts Signature VEX Robotics competition

Second annual North Dakota Signature event draws hundreds, introduces students to STEM related careers

On Jan. 9 and 10, hundreds of high schoolers from across North America descended on the Alerus Center in Grand Forks for UND’s second annual VEX Robotics competition.

The two-day competition was hosted by UND, featured 80 teams and more than 400 competitors and is a signature VEX event – meaning it served as a qualifier for national and international competition. VEX’s stature is growing rapidly, with more than 20,000 teams representing 50 countries competing in some 1,700 competitions around the world.

Ryan Adams, dean of UND’s College of Engineering & Mines, opened the event. Addressing students, he stressed robotics’ applications to the disciplines of engineering offered at UND.

“We are working in air, space, on the ground and below the ground,” he said. “Robotics is an incredibly important part of that. Everything you’re doing now, keep doing it, and come talk to us if you’re interested in taking it to the next level.”

Andrew Dahlen, lecturer in Mechanical Engineering who also served as an advisor to student teams, concurred, saying the competition provides participants with firsthand exposure to the University’s many offerings.

“We like to say this is the best hunting ground for future engineers,” Dahlen said. “If we go to a high school and try to exhibit or talk to a class for an afternoon, we might get a glancing shot. With this program, the students are saturated – they are spending their waking moments wrenching, writing code and trying to tweak their robots.

“It’s kind of a gamification of engineering – it’s a lot of fun to watch,” he added.

Fargo-based Border States Electric was named the event’s sponsor of the year. Last year, the company – a major supplier of electrical components for companies across the U.S. – helped launch an Automation Innovation Lab at UND.

The lab, housed in the College of Engineering & Mines, is designed to help students gain skills necessary to enter careers in the manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Quinn Halstengard, branch operations supervisor at Border States, spoke of the company’s relationship with UND as being vital for economic and workforce development in the region.

“We want to make sure they’re getting real life experience and scenarios within their labs, and that they build relationships with us as a supplier when they get into the field,” Halstengard said.

The two tournament champions were “Havøc” of Millard North High School in Omaha, Neb., and “Washed” of Brownell College Preparatory School, also located in Omaha. The teams will travel to St. Louis for the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship, slated for April 21-30.

Other award winners include:

• Tournament Finalists:
  • Red 40 (Team #7225F) of Southland High School from Adams, Minn.
  • Whisper (Team #8110W) of Mankato West Robotics from Mankato, Minn.
• Excellence Award: Havøc (Team #5069Y) of Millard North High School from Omaha, Neb.
• Design Award: ISLANDERS (Team #7686A) of Tiger Robotics from Harrisburg, S.D.
• Robot Skills Champion: WASHED (Team #1028A) of Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School from Omaha, Neb.
• Robot Skills 2nd Place: Havøc (Team #5069Y) of Millard North High School from Omaha, Neb.
• Judges Award: Hitmen (Team #96671H) of Red River High School from Grand Forks, N.D.
• Innovate Award: SPLASH!!! (Team #98377S) of Technical Senior High from St. Cloud, Minn.
• Think Award: WASHED (Team #1028A) of Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School from Omaha, Neb.
• Amaze Award: Masked Bandits (Team #7192F) of Windom Senior High from Windom, Minn.
• Build Award: 218 Ways to Break Down (Team #1532F) of Bemidji VEX Robotics from Bemidji, Minn.
• Create Award: Whisper (Team #8110W) of Mankato West Robotics from Mankato, Minn.
• Sportsmanship Award: Wildcard (Team #99319W) of Princeton High School from Princeton, Minn.
• Energy Award: Pink Havoc (Team #98377H) of Technical Senior High from St. Cloud, Minn.
• Inspire Award: Tech Toucans (Team #98377T) of Technical Senior High from St. Cloud, Minn.

Written by Joe Banish  //  UND Today