2026 COMPETITION EVENTS
March 6 - 8, 2026
The LakerBots kicked off the 2026 competition season at the New England FIRST Pine Tree District Event in Falmouth, Maine with a strong showing. The robot performed consistently throughout qualification matches, with only a few spindexer belt adjustments and a quick fix on a loose intake roller needed during Day 1. The team also celebrated several successful Level 1 climbs, especially exciting since the climbing mechanism had only been completed the day before the event.
One of the most exciting moments came when our alliance achieved the highest match score of the day — 487 points during Qual Match 28. In addition to competing, our students and mentors demonstrated the spirit of Gracious Professionalism® by helping another team with wiring and repairs so they could return to the field. One of our team members, Danielle Cornellissen, was selected as a semi-finalist for the FIRST Leadership Award and will compete again at Districts against all other semi finalists.
The weekend concluded with an incredible honor as LakerBots Team 8046 was awarded the FIRST Impact Award, the most prestigious award in the FIRST Robotics Competition. This recognition celebrates the team’s ongoing efforts to expand STEM opportunities, mentor younger robotics teams, and build strong community partnerships across the Lakes Region.
🎥 Watch our 2026 Impact Video below to learn more about how the LakerBots are creating lasting impact through robotics. Members of Team 8046 credit the support of mentors, families, alumni and more than 60 local sponsors for helping make their programs possible.
2026 IMPACT VIDEO
TEAM LAKERBOTS - FRC 8046
2026 Final Video.movLEADERSHIP SEMI-FINALIST
DANIELLE CORNELLISSEN
Following this event, the LakerBots are now tied for 16th in the district with 104 qualifying points, keeping us on a strong path toward the World Championship. We are also proud to share that our lead coach, Joe Derrick, was recognized as a Woody Flowers Award nominee and will advance to compete at the district level. The team will continue refining the robot over the next two weeks as we prepare for the New England District Championship in Springfield, MA.
JOE DERRICK - WOODIE FLOWERS NOMINEE
March 27 - 29, 2026
The LakerBots continued their 2026 season at the UNH District Event with an outstanding performance. The team finished qualification matches ranked 3rd and served as captain of the 3rd alliance, selecting Teams 1922 (Oz-Ram) and 509 (Red Storm). The alliance advanced to Match 13 in the playoffs (semifinals) before being eliminated by the 2nd alliance.
The robot performed reliably throughout the event, even under heavy defensive play, earning the team the Quality Award for machine robustness and overall reliability. Aside from a few intake repairs due to intense match play, the robot held up extremely well across the competition.
Match 84 had the highest score on the Newsom Division!
With their overall performance across the season, the LakerBots finished ranked 35th out of more than 200 teams in New England, earning an invitation to the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas.
The team is incredibly proud of the progress made this season and is excited to represent the Lakes Region on the world stage alongside approximately 30 other New England teams. Preparations are now underway as the LakerBots set their sights on the World Championship.
April 15th-18th
The LakerBots wrapped up their district season at the New England District Championships in Springfield, MA with an exciting and hard-fought performance.
After a challenging start in qualification matches, the team rebounded and climbed from 39th to 14th by the end of Day 2, including achieving the highest match score in New England this season. This momentum carried into alliance selection, where Team 8046 was chosen to join the 7th alliance for the playoff rounds with FRC Teams 5962 perSEVERE and Team 4909 Bionics.
The team competed hard in playoffs, advancing to Match 6 before being eliminated in a competitive bracket. Throughout the event, the robot continued to perform well under pressure, and the team demonstrated resilience and growth across all aspects of competition.
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