The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) team has won an invitation to the National Qualifying Tournament, after a weekend of exciting competition hosted by Winston Salem State University. FAMU will join 31 fellow historically black colleges and universities in a quest to win the national championship trophy and a $100,000 institutional grant. The National Championship Tournament will be held at the American Honda Motors corporate headquarters in Torrance, California in April.
“Congratulations to the Florida A&M University Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Team for advancing to the national qualifying tournament. Their knowledge, teamwork, and competitive spirit exemplify the excellence of FAMU scholars, and we are proud to see them keep the Rattlers in contention for a ninth national championship,” said President Marva Johnson, J.D. “I commend American Honda Motor Company for its continued commitment to showcasing academic excellence at HBCUs.”
During the qualifying rounds, the Rattler scholars displayed a vast array of knowledge across multiple subjects, including history, current events, science, literature, religion, and pop culture. This year’s team includes:
Kenneth D. Smith, Captain
Junior, Civil Engineering major
Jacksonville, Florida
Jordyn Williams
Sophomore, Biology/Pre-Med major
Daytona Beach, Florida
Cadence Smith
Senior, Psychology major
Gainesville, Florida
Elijah Sorunmu
Junior, History major
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Founded in 1989, HCASC is one of American Honda’s signature annual philanthropic events and over the past 36 years, the company has provided more than $9 million in grants that have been used for scholarships, programs, and facility upgrades at HBCUs. The FAMU team, led by Vivian L. Hobbs. Ph.D., since its inception by the late President Frederick S. Humphries and Col. Bernard Hendricks in 1991, has won eight national championships and nearly one million dollars in grants—tops among all competing HBCUs.
"I have never been so impressed with a group of students who have never played HCASC before, and I am looking forward to seeing how they measure up against the other 31 finalists in California," said Coach Hobbs.
To follow the FAMU team’s journey, visit
https://www.hcasc.com/
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, March 10th 2026 at 4:35PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
