Fridley Robotics Team Earns Regional Finalist Finish at the 2026 Iowa Regional
At the 2026 Iowa Regional, we delivered a strong overall performance, finishing the event as Regional Finalists and earning second place after a competitive finals series.
We started the event by working through inspection, weigh-in, and detailed system checks to make sure our robot was ready for the field. Once we cleared those milestones, we moved into practice matches, where we won two out of three and gained valuable feedback on robot performance and match strategy.
Qualification matches began on the second day, where we competed against a wide range of teams and alliances. Throughout these matches, we focused on consistent execution, communication, and refining our strategy. One of our biggest strengths during this stage was the reliability of our robot—it performed consistently and remained fully operational across our matches. We also continued improving how we coordinated with alliance partners and adapted to different match situations.
On the final day of qualifications, we carried those improvements forward and continued to build on what we had learned earlier in the event. At the conclusion of qualification rounds, we were selected by the #1 ranked alliance to compete in the elimination bracket. This selection reflected the impact of our robot’s performance and the way we contributed on the field throughout the event.
In the playoffs, we elevated our performance and worked effectively with our alliance to advance through each round. Match after match, we executed under pressure and continued to refine our approach. This effort carried us all the way to the finals, where both alliances demonstrated a high level of play. After splitting the first two matches, the event came down to a final tiebreaker. We narrowly missed the win in that match, finishing second overall and earning the title of Regional Finalists.
This result represents the full season of work we put in—from initial design and prototyping to fabrication, programming, testing, and competition. The Iowa Regional was a strong culmination of that effort and a reflection of the growth we achieved as a team.
