SCF Brain Bowl Team Phoenix Wins State Tournament for 2nd Year in a Row

For the second year in a row, State College of Florida (SCF), Manatee-Sarasota’s Brain Bowl team Phoenix won the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) State Tournament. The tournament took place April 15-16, 2016 at the Spring Hill campus of Pasco-Hernando State College.

The SCF Phoenix team was unbeatable throughout the tournament, ending the preliminary rounds with an 11-0 record. In the championship round, the team defeated Tallahassee Community College with a score of 605 to 275. Tallahassee’s team put up a strong fight only losing in their rounds with SCF for a final record of 10-2. Team captain, Michael Freedman, won the Dave Ehlert High Point Award for earning the most points individually. Other team members were Paul Foerster (14th), Haley Miller (16th), and David Espinal (27th).

“We continue to be so proud of our Brain Bowl teams,” said SCF President Dr. Carol Probstfeld. “Their determination and hard work makes them a top contender and well-deserved champions.”

Team members Freedman, Miller, and Espinal, along with Austin Goode recently placed second at the National Academic Quiz Tournament (NAQT) Community College Championship Tournament in Atlanta, Ga. and were invited to play at the Intercollegiate Championship Tournament in Chicago, Il.

Team captain Freedman has been accepted to both New College and University of Florida. Whichever he decides to attend, he will major in Mathematics and Physics and plans to play on the Brain Bowl team. David Espinal will continue to pursue his Associate in Science in Nursing at SCF next year as well as playing with the Brain Bowl team. After graduating in December, Espinal will stay at SCF to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Haley Miller will attend University of South Florida next year and plans to major in either Mathematics or Literature.

Michael Moore, SCF graduate and member of the 2015 State and National champion SCF Fire team, attended the tournament as a coach along with Christina Dwyer, SCF assistant professor, mathematics.