Writer: Blair Fannin, (979) 845-2259,b-fannin@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Richard Gallagher, (979) 845-3805
COLLEGE STATION — A Texas A&M University economics quiz bowl team won the national championship, while another Aggie team placed third, at the recent American Agricultural Economics Association competition held in Chicago.
Forty-one collegiate teams competed in the double-elimination competition, including 38 teams from the United States and three teams from Canada.
The quiz bowl competition is played much like the television game show, Jeopardy. Two teams compete with 40 questions drawn from eight categories that include agribusiness/finance, macro-economics, management, marketing, micro-economics, potpourri, quantitative analysis, and resource/policy.
The national championship team members were senior agribusiness majors Paula Braden, Garden City; Erin Donaho, Kent; and Dawn Dunkin, Giddings.
The third place team included Brandon Hill, Arlington; Clay Kolle, Inez; and Gara Travis, Lubbock.
After five rounds, the two Aggie teams met as the only remaining undefeated teams and played to a tie in regulation time, which required a tie-breaker round.
In securing the national championship, the Aggies defeated teams from the University of Quelph, Washington State University, University of Illinois (twice), University of Arkansas, the University of Idaho; and the third-place finishing Aggie team.
Dr. Richard Gallagher, assistant professor at Texas A&M, coached the teams. Sponsors included the Department of Agricultural Economics, the Ag Development Council, the T.R. Greathouse Endowment, and the Texas A&M Reveille Club.
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