By Micah Johnson
Communication Student – Huston-Tillotson University
AUSTIN– Dr. Alaine Hutson, Professor of History, and her Honda All-Star team represented Huston-Tillotson University in the Pre-National Championship Tournament, which took place on the campus of Prairie View A&M University. HT was represented by Team Captain Aisha Henderson, Micah Johnson, Arsenio Brown, Jonathan Wayne, Nimi Kemuel, Breana Flores, and Paul Muckleroy.
Ten teams from four states participated in the competition as listed below:
Huston-Tillotson University –Austin, Texas
Prairie View A&M University (2 teams)- Prairie View, Texas
Mississippi Valley State University- Itta Bena, Mississippi
Xavier University- New Orleans, Louisiana
Texas College- Tyler, Texas
Langston University- Langston, Oklahoma
Jarvis Christian College- Hawkins, Texas
Alcorn St.- Lorman, Mississippi
Grambling State University- Grambling, Louisiana
HT finished room play with a 2-2 record and a 3-way tie, but won the tie-breaker and entered the semifinals with the #2 seed. In a close fought match, Mississippi Valley State defeated Huston-Tillotson University, which finished second after losing to Xavier University in the championship. HT tied for third place alongside Langston University.
The Honda Campus All Star Challenge is the first and only Quiz Bowl type competition for America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Created in 1989, the competititon has revamped its structure, continues to upgrade, and has awarded more than $7 million dollars in grants to the participating HBCUs.
HT is currently considered the #1 team in Texas and is awaiting the nation tally in order to determine if they qualify for the National Tournament this April in Los Angeles, California. HT’s qualification will be the University’s second consecutive year entering the tournament, a feat which hasn’t happened since the five-year-in-a-row span from 1995-2000.
HCASC is the first-ever academic competition between students at America’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities. For more information check out the official HCASC website.
