University’s quiz team wins ‘Battle of the Brains’ tournament

The University’s College Bowl team has won the Chicago-area college tournament dubbed the “Battle of the Brains,” continuing its reign as a quiz-team dynasty. Ranked No. 1 in the national players’ poll, Chicago conquered Northwestern University in the final round with a score of 230 to 140, earning Chicago students the official trophy labeled “Smartest in the City.”

The tournament took place Sunday, Nov. 14, in the 94th-floor observatory of the John Hancock Center. Other participating schools included the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Chicago’s winning team included team president and fourth-year John Tangren, first-year Alice Chou, second-year Jeff Bennett and second-year Chris Zimpleman.

The win comes on the heels of the team’s record-setting 1998-99 academic year season. They became the first team in quiz bowl history to win all three national titles in the same year––the ACF National Championship, the College Bowl Company Inc. National Championship Tournament and the National Academic Quiz Tournaments National Championship.