CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In the spirit of March Madness, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is pleased to announce the 2023 Academic Showdown finale bracket selection. The live online drawing gave teams their first look at the first round match-ups. The Academic Showdown finale is scheduled for March 31, 2023, at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston with matches beginning at 9 a.m.
Below are the results of the bracket selection:
Match 1: James Monroe High School vs. Winfield High School
Match 2: Morgantown High School Team 1 vs. George Washington High School
Match 3: Spring Mills High School vs. Wheeling Park High School
Match 4: Huntington High School vs. Morgantown High School Team 2
Match 5: Ripley High School vs. Berkeley Springs High School
The finale features double elimination at three venues within the Culture Center. The second year of the competition has more than doubled in participation with 71 teams competing in five regionals. This compares to just 29 teams competing during the inaugural year. Grand champion George Washington High School and Runner-up Spring Mills High School return to the competition at the Culture Center.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting will stream the finale on its YouTube channel as well as broadcast it live on the West Virginia Channel.
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.
Pictures of regional winners and details about the Academic Showdown are available on the WVDE website. Watch the bracket selection process here.
For media inquiries, please contact 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.
