2026 Nebraska VEX IQ State Championship
Your team is headed toward the State Championship, here's everything you need to know to prepare!
We're looking forward to celebrating what your students have accomplished this season. Our goal is to provide a high-quality, well-run championship experience that is accessible and fair for all Nebraska teams.
Key Dates & Action Items
| Date | Item |
|---|---|
| Fri, Feb 14 | Last chance to auto-qualify for Middle School (Mustang Madness tournament) |
| On or after Mon, Feb 16 | Skills-based State invitations begin (Middle School) |
| Tue, Feb 17 — 11:59 PM | Digital Engineering Notebook submission deadline |
| Fri, Feb 27 — 4:00–8:00 PM | Skills runs, inspection & practice (optional) |
| Sat, Feb 28 — 8:00 AM–4:00 PM | Main tournament day — judging, matches & awards (required) |
About the Event
Join us for the Nebraska VEX IQ State Championship on February 27–28, 2026. Talented students from across Nebraska will come together to showcase their robotic ingenuity in this year's VIQRC game: Mix & Match.
Venue
Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum
28210 West Park Highway, Ashland, Nebraska 68003
View Map
RobotEvents Pages
How Teams Qualify for State
There are two ways teams qualify for the Nebraska VEX IQ State Championship.
1. Automatic qualification at tournaments (last chance: Feb 14)
Some teams qualify directly at local tournaments by winning specific awards. The final opportunity for Middle School to auto-qualify is the Mustang Madness tournament on February 14, where the Teamwork Champion alliance will receive the last automatic State spot of the season.
Note: All Elementary invitations have already been sent.
2. Skills List invitations (how most teams qualify)
After the February 14 events are finalized, most remaining State spots are filled from the Nebraska Robot Skills rankings. This is how the majority of teams will qualify.
For Nebraska Middle School VEX IQ teams, these invitations may begin on or after February 16, 2026. If your team is invited this way, you will receive an email and the invitation will appear in your RobotEvents account.
You can view the current Middle School Skills rankings here.
This process follows the "Qualification Methods" section of the RECF Qualifying Criteria. If you're unsure about your team's status, feel free to reach out.
Digital Engineering Notebook Submission
We are again using electronic judging for Engineering Notebooks so volunteer judges can review each notebook thoroughly before the event.
Submission Deadline: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 — 11:59 PM
Teams can begin uploading their notebooks now — you do not need to wait until the deadline.
Coaches, please submit your team's notebook via the submission link in the "My Account" panel of the team contact on RobotEvents.com. For step-by-step instructions, see How to Submit a VIQRC Digital Engineering Notebook.
Innovate Award Eligibility
Teams interested in the Innovate Award must include the following information when submitting their Digital Engineering Notebook, using the Innovate Award Submission Information Form:
- A brief description of the novel aspect of the team's design.
- The page numbers and/or sections where documentation of this work can be found.
- An explanation of why the team's approach is unique compared to other possible solutions to the same problem or task.
Judging & In-Person Interviews
Judging will follow the RECF Guide to Judging to ensure consistency and fairness across the season.
Judges will conduct in-person interviews at your team's pit table during the State Championship on Saturday. More details on interview timing will be shared in a follow-up email.
What to Expect from the Two-Day Event
Friday (Optional): Complete Skills runs, pass inspection, and get familiar with the venue — a great way to take pressure off Saturday.
Saturday (Required): The full championship experience — judging, qualification matches, finals, and awards.
We'll share a detailed agenda, skills strategy tips, volunteer needs, concessions info, and field logistics in upcoming emails.
Award Medal Sponsor
We are grateful to Buildertrend for sponsoring the student award medals at this year's State Championship. Because of their support, every student on a trophy-winning team will receive a medal recognizing their individual contribution — whether they were designing, building, programming, driving, or strategizing. Their partnership helps us celebrate teamwork and student achievement across Nebraska.
Thank You
If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out. We're looking forward to a great State Championship with your teams! 🚀
Tara and Brandon Petersen
gainingSTEAM.net
[email protected]
Feel free to share this with other coaches or parents. If someone would like to be added to our mailing list, they can email [email protected].