Four-student team represented 麻豆社 in the championship tournament
after advancing through regional competition
FRANKFORT, Ky. 鈥� Quick thinking, teamwork, and knowledge across disciplines carried
four 麻豆社 students to the national stage this spring as members
of the University鈥檚 Academic Team.
Kentucky State competed in April at the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship. As one of the tournament鈥檚 鈥淭hrilling 32,鈥� the Academic Team faced students from other historically Black colleges and universities in a fast-paced academic competition.
The University earned its invitation to the national championship after advancing from a qualifying tournament held at Winston-Salem State University in February.
The team included Debrianna Smith and Jacari Parmer, both nursing majors; Muthoni Goro, an engineering major; and De鈥橝ira Watts, who graduated in May with a degree in agriculture and food science. Smith served as team captain.
Grant Stepp, director of athletics and head academic coach, and Dantrea Hampton, librarian associate professor and assistant academic coach, guided the students through their preparation and competition.
During the national championship, the Thorobreds competed in three matches and secured multiple wins. Two students returned from Kentucky State鈥檚 2025 team, bringing experience and familiarity with the tournament, while two freshmen made their national competition debuts.
鈥淲hat impressed me most was how our students prepared, trusted one another, and responded under pressure,鈥� Stepp said. 鈥淐ompeting among the 鈥楾hrilling 32鈥� showed them that their knowledge and teamwork can carry them onto a national stage. They represented Kentucky State with confidence and made us proud.鈥�
For the first-year competitors, the experience proved both exhilarating and humbling. It also offered an early opportunity to test their knowledge, composure, and ability to collaborate under pressure.
Success in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge requires more than memorizing facts. Team members must develop broad knowledge across subjects while identifying areas in which individual competitors can build deeper expertise. Players also must communicate quickly and trust one another as they work to score points against the clock.
With the national championship experience behind them, team members are already preparing for the 2026-2027 academic competition season. Their strategy includes strengthening knowledge in specialized subject areas while continuing to study broadly across disciplines to increase the team鈥檚 scoring potential.
Recruitment will form another important part of that effort. The team plans to expand its visibility across campus and introduce more students to the excitement, camaraderie, and opportunities associated with academic competition.
Participation connects students with peers from across the HBCU community while helping them develop confidence, build lasting relationships, and gain new experiences through team travel. The Honda Campus All-Star Challenge also offers exposure to recruitment, internship, and potential career pathways with Honda.
鈥淭he Academic Team gives students a place to turn curiosity into confidence,鈥� Hampton said. 鈥淭hey expand their knowledge, build meaningful connections with students from other HBCUs, and discover opportunities that extend well beyond the competition itself.鈥�
Kentucky State students from all majors are encouraged to consider joining the Academic Team and putting their knowledge to work for the Thorobreds.
For more information, contact Grant Stepp at grant.stepp@kysu.edu or (502) 597-6655, or Dantrea Hampton at dantrea.hampton@kysu.edu or (502) 597-5946.
