Pacific Coast Division Team Takes 2015 World Geography Bowl Title

The Pacific Coast team won first place in the 2015 World Geography Bowl, an annual quiz competition for teams of college-level geography students representing the AAG’s regional divisions. This was the 22nd year for AAG hosting during its annual meeting.
On April 24, nine teams, each representing an AAG regional division, competed at the Hyatt hotel in Chicago. All nine regional divisions were represented by a team: East Lakes, West Lakes, Great-Plains Rocky Mountains, Middle Atlantic, Middle States, New England-St. Lawrence Valley, Pacific Coast, Southeast and Southwest Divisions. A spoiler team comprised of students present at the competition was added to round out the brackets. One of the spoiler team members, fourth-grader Ari Vogel from Wildwood Elementary School in Amherst, Mass., even scored for the team.
At the beginning of the exciting competition AAG President Mona Domosh addressed the crowd with an uplifting message and at the end presented the winners with prizes.
The winning Pacific Coast Division team’s roster was:
- Brendan Gordon, University of Idaho
- Jesse Minor, University of Arizona
- Noah Silber-Coats, University of Arizona
- Laura Sharp, University of Arizona
- Tina White (coordinator), Cypress College
The first runner-up Southeast Division team’s roster was:
- Pete Akers, University of Georgia
- Ronnie Schumann, University of South Carolina
- Claude Buerger, University of South Alabama
- Alejandro Molina, University of North Carolina- Greensboro
- Rebecca Groh, University of Tennessee
- Matt Cook, University of Tennessee
- Dawn Drake (coordinator), Missouri Western State University
The second runner-up Middle Atlantic Division team’s roster was:
- Christopher Hart, George Washington University
- Kean Mcdermott, George Washington University
- Madeline Hale, George Washington University
- Michelle Stuhlmacher, George Washington University
- Gloriana Sojo, George Washington University
- Ziqi Li, George Washington University
- Avery Sandborn, George Washington University
- Tracy Edwards (coordinator), Frostburg State University
The top five individuals with best personal scores were awarded an MVP prizes. Listed in order of most points earned:
- Christopher Hart, George Washington University
- Pete Akers, University of Georgia
- Kevin Bean, Bridgewater State University
- Brendan Gordon, University of Idaho
- Kate Rigot, University Of Colorado, Denver
WGB Founder and Retired Geographers Association members make a special appearance
As a special surprise to all, the founder of the World Geography Bowl Neal Lineback and other members of the Retired Geographers Association, including Richard and Susan Nostrand, Will Rense and Marvin Baker delivered eight boxes of delicious Chicago-style deep-dish pizza for the gathering crowd of contestants and audience members.
Thanks to 2015 WGB prize donors and volunteers
Organizers of the World Geography Bowl would like to express thanks to the countless volunteer question writers, team sponsors/coaches, moderators, judges, and scorekeepers who make the competition possible, and to the many students who competed throughout the country. We would like to recognize the volunteers this year as: Casey Allen (University of Colorado at Denver), Tom Bell (Western Kentucky University & University of Tennessee), Susan Bergeron (Coastal Carolina University), Michaela Buenemann (New Mexico State University), Laurence W. Carstensen (Virginia Tech), Jamison Conley (West Virginia University), Clinton Davis (Temple University), Richard Deal (Edinboro University), Lisa Dechano-Cook (Western Michigan University), Dawn Drake (Missouri Western State University), Rob Edsall (Idaho State University), Peggy Gripshover (Western Kentucky University), Tracy-Ann Hyman (University of the West Indies), Melvin Johnson (University of Wisconsin at Manitowoc), Frank LaFone (West Virginia University), Patrick May (Plymouth State University), Jon Moore (ETS), Jeffrey Neff (Western Carolina University), Lee Nolan (Pennsylvania State University), Colin Reisser (George Washington University), Wesley Reisser (US State Department & George Washington University), Angela Rogers (Pennsylvania State University), Zia Salim (California State University at Fullerton), Jodi Vender (Pennsylvania State University).
World Geography Bowl organizers thank its supporters who generously donated atlases, books, gift certificates, softwares, and MVP awards – Avenza Systems, The University of Chicago Press, The University of Georgia Press, Edward Elgar Publishing, Esri, Lonely Planet, MaxQDA, National Geographic Society, W. H. Freeman & Company and Waveland Press – who recognize the important role the competition plays in building a sense of community and generating excitement around geographic learning. Your continued support is truly appreciated.
Thanks to World Geography Bowl executive director Jamison Conley (West Virginia University) for his first year of leading the competition.
2016 World Geography Bowl – San Francisco
The 2016 World Geography Bowl competition will be held in San Francisco in April, 2016. Regional competitions typically occur during the fall at respective AAG regional meetings, where regional teams for the national competition are usually formed. For more information on organizing a team, contact the World Geography Bowl executive director, Jamison Conley, at West Virginia University at Jamison [dot] Conley [at] mail [dot] wvu [dot] edu or Niem Huynh at nhuynh [at] aag [dot] org.
Note: This post has been edited to reflect that it was the 22nd annual event. A previous version stated it was the 26th annual event.