Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) are pleased to announce the 2023 team match-ups for the West Virginia Academic Showdown. Heading into its second year, 71 teams from 40 high schools representing 26 counties are scheduled to participate. The Showdown is an academic head-to-head competition testing students’ knowledge in subject areas including math, history, sports, fine arts and more.
College partners will host regional competitions throughout the months of January and February. The double elimination Showdown features questions from the National Academic Quiz Tournament. The top two teams from each region will advance to the finale at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston on March 31, 2023.
Students in grades 9 -12 may participate, and schools may enter up to two teams to compete. The field of competitors has grown this year with 51 additional teams enrolled over last year. Specific campus locations for each regional will be released prior to the events.
Marshall University Regional, Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center
Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, 9 a.m.
| Round | High School | vs | High School |
| 1 | Point Pleasant Team 2 | Hurricane Team 2 | |
| 2 | Spring Valley Team 1 | Logan Team 1 | |
| 3 | Spring Valley Team 2 | Logan Team 2 | |
| 4 | Point Pleasant Team 1 | Hurricane Team 1 | |
| 5 | Wahama Team 1 | Wahama Team 2 | |
| 6 | Poca | Winfield Team 1 | |
| 7 | Wayne Team 1 | Wayne Team 2 | |
| 8 | Huntington Team 2 | Winfield Team 2 | |
| (BYE) | Huntington Team 1 |
Shepherd University Regional
Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, 9 a.m.
| Round | High School | vs. | High School |
| 1 | Spring Mills Team 2 | Petersburg Team 1 | |
| 2 | Spring Mills Team 1 | Frankfort | |
| 3 | Petersburg Team 2 | Berkeley Springs Team 1 | |
| (BYE) | Berkeley Springs Team 2 |
West Virginia University Regional
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, 9 a.m.
| Match | High School Team | vs. | High School Team |
| 1 | Morgantown Team 1 | Williamstown | |
| 2 | Brooke Team 2 | Weir Team 2 | |
| 3 | Grafton Team 2 | Grafton Team 1 | |
| 4 | John Marshall Team 2 | Weir Team 1 | |
| 5 | John Marshall Team 1 | Lewis County | |
| 6 | Morgantown Team 2 | Brooke Team 1 |
Concord University Regional
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, 9 a.m.
| Round | High School | vs. | High School |
| 1 | Greenbrier West Team 1 | Greenbrier East Team 2 | |
| 2 | Bluefield | Tug Valley Team 2 | |
| 3 | Bridgeport Team 1 | Greenbrier East Team 1 | |
| 4 | Mingo Central Team 2 | James Monroe Team 1 | |
| 5 | Greenbrier West Team 2 | James Monroe Team 2 | |
| 6 | PikeView Team 2 | Tug Valley Team 1 | |
| 7 | PikeView Team 1 | Meadow Bridge | |
| 8 | Mingo Central Team 1 | Bridgeport Team 2 |
West Virginia State University Regional
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, 9 a.m.
| Round | High School | vs. | High School |
| 1 | Ripley Team 2 | George Washington Team 1 | |
| 2 | Sherman Team 2 | Wheeling Park Team 2 | |
| 3 | Riverside Team 1 | George Washington Team 2 | |
| 4 | Ripley Team 1 | Sherman Team 1 | |
| 5 | Sissonville Team 2 | South Charleston Team 2 | |
| 6 | Riverside Team 2 | Sissonville Team 1 | |
| 7 | Nitro | Wheeling Park Team 1 | |
| 8 | South Charleston Team 1 | Ravenswood | |
| 9 | St. Albans Team 1 | St. Albans Team 2 | |
| (BYE) | Charleston Catholic |
Media are invited to conduct interviews and get videos prior to the start of the event (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.). Once the competition commences, video and audio recordings are not permitted to prevent the public circulation of questions before the following regional events. Media may return at the conclusion of each regional to interview winning teams.
The Academic Showdown is a partnership between the WVDE, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, West Virginia Public Broadcasting and the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History.
Learn more about the Academic Showdown on the WVDE website.
Christy Day, West Virginia Department of Education Office of Communications,
304-558-2699 or Christy.Day@k12.wv.us, or Jessica Tice, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, 304-545-9412 or Jessica.Tice@wvhepc.edu.
