CHAMPAIGN-URBANA (Chambana Today) — Champaign-Urbana’s two FIRST Tech Challenge robotics teams have secured spots at the 2026 state championship following strong performances at the Central/Southern Illinois League Tournament on February 7. Ctrl-Y finished 4th overall and earned 2nd Runner-Up honors for the prestigious Inspire Award, which recognizes excellence in robot design and community outreach. Ctrl-X, which relaunched this year, ranked 6th overall, with a majority of its members being first-year participants.
Both teams practice weekly at the John Deere Innovation and Technology Center at the University of Illinois Research Park. The 22 team members represent nine local schools, and they credit their success to the support of mentors and sponsors including John Deere, The Libman Company, and Wagner Machine Company.
Laurie Larson, Head Coach of both teams, has been involved with FTC Robotics for many years, initially as a parent and now in her coaching role. “Qualifying both teams for state is an incredible accomplishment,” Larson said. “Our students dedicate hundreds of hours learning engineering, coding, teamwork, and leadership skills. Watching them grow in confidence and problem-solving ability has been just as rewarding as the competition results.”
The state competition will be held on March 6-7, at Northern Illinois University. For more information, visit the team websites at ftc.ctrlyrobotics.org and ftc.ctrlyrobotics.org/ctrl-x, or follow the teams on Instagram at @team12971 and @team15042.