Carlsbad, CA – Army and Navy Academy’s Robotics Team delivered a dominant performance at the Army JROTC San Diego Regional Competition, earning an undefeated record and capturing three of the event’s highest honors against many of the top teams in the Pacific region.
Hosted by the 8th Brigade Army ROTC, the competition featured the VEX V5 Push Back scenario and brought together 23 elite teams from across the Pacific. Army and Navy Academy finished preliminary rounds with a perfect 7-0 record, then swept the final elimination round 4-0 to secure the VEX V5 Tournament Champion title. The team also earned Robot Skills Champion and the prestigious Innovate Award, recognizing excellence in design process, engineering documentation, and technical performance.
As a result of this championship performance, the Warriors qualified for the National VEX V5 Robotics Competition in April 2026 in St. Louis.
To compete, teams completed a rigorous robot inspection, submitted detailed engineering notebooks, and participated in logic and reasoning-based cadet interviews. The Warriors distinguished themselves in every category, including the Skills Challenge, which tested both autonomous programming and driver control. Throughout the event, cadets demonstrated advanced critical thinking and real-time adaptation, refining winning strategies match by match.
“Robotics started early enough, but we had delays and had to fix team problems first,” said Team Captain Cohen Lu. “With support from Chief Ortiz, Colonel Kunak, Ms. Amber, Mr. Monteleone, and President Shreiar, we still went undefeated and brought home three trophies. I’m proud of my teammates and the encouragement from these amazing staff members.”
In just its second year, Army and Navy Academy’s robotics program has rapidly emerged as a competitive force, fueled by disciplined preparation, strong mentorship, and countless hours of work by cadets committed to mastering both engineering and leadership.
“Our cadets earned this,” said Erick Kunak, Robotics Team Coach. “They showed maturity and approached this competition like engineers and leaders, staying calm, solving problems, and competing confidently.”
Barry Shreiar, President of Army and Navy Academy, emphasized the broader impact of the program’s success, “Robotics teaches our cadets how to plan, try again, and lead as a team. This win shows what they can do with the right support. We are committed to growing this program, including the space and tools our cadets need to keep building.”
The Academy congratulates cadets Cohen Lu, Tyler Hansen, Arav Gupta, Ottmar Hung, Jincheng Wang, Nicholas Chestnut, and Ziteng Chen on an exceptional regional championship run and looks forward to cheering them on as they represent the Academy at Nationals in Ohio at the end of the month.
Learn more about the JROTC 8th Brigade Championship
https://www.robotevents.com/robot-competitions/vex-robotics-competition/RE-V5RC-25-2843.html#general-info
About the Army and Navy Academy
Army and Navy Academy is a private all-boys military boarding academy for grades 7-12, located on the Pacific Ocean in Carlsbad, CA. As a Gurian Center for Excellence, we use boy brain science to help boys thrive. Our structured environment, exceptional teachers, and leadership programs align with how boys learn best through hands-on experiences, mentorship, and challenge. For over 115 years, Army and Navy Academy has been shaping virtuous young men by instilling confidence, character, and purpose.
Learn more at armyandnavyacademy.org.
