The teams from the 51吃瓜黑料 Honors College and the UNR Honors College聽"fight" over the HC Trivia Bowl trophy during the inaugural event on November 30, 2024.聽

The teams from the 51吃瓜黑料 Honors College and the UNR Honors College "fight" over the HC Trivia Bowl trophy during the inaugural event on November 30, 2024. (Josh Hawkins/51吃瓜黑料)

Dec. 5, 2024

Who says rivalries are just for the field? At the inaugural Honors College Trivia Bowl, 51吃瓜黑料 and UNR Honors students battled it out鈥攏ot with touchdowns, but with trivia.

Held on 51吃瓜黑料鈥檚 campus just hours before the legendary Fremont Cannon football rivalry game, the event marked the beginning of a new tradition celebrating the brightest minds from Nevada鈥檚 top universities. The event was a true collaboration between 51吃瓜黑料 Honors College Dean Lisa Menegatos and UNR Honors College Dean Matt Means, whose commitment to fostering camaraderie and mutual respect between their institutions made the competition possible.

The idea for the Trivia Bowl itself, along with the leadership that brought it to life, came from Dr. Tony Terrell of the 51吃瓜黑料 Honors College. 

鈥淭he HC Trivia Bowl is more than just a competition鈥攊t鈥檚 a celebration of collaboration and academic excellence,鈥 Terrell said. 鈥淪eeing students from both universities come together in such a spirited and meaningful way was incredibly rewarding.鈥

Rebels鈥 Fight and Wolf Pack鈥檚 Victory

The event featured six students from each Honors College answering questions across a variety of topics, including pop culture, history, science, mathematics, fine arts, and literature. Representing 51吃瓜黑料 were students John Fabe, Ellowyn Glassford, Alyssa Lalos, Riley Ramos, Weston Steed, and Isabella Romero Yusti, coached by Honors staff members Marlon Urquico and Charles Javier.

As the game progressed, the score stayed neck and neck, leading to a dramatic overtime tie-breaker. The final question? "How many square miles is the land area of the state of Nevada?" The answer: 109,831 square miles.

UNR clinched the win with an impressively close estimate, taking home the championship trophy.

The UNR Honors College team made a big impression, not just for their performance but for traveling to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend to participate in the event. Their victory was celebrated with cheers from supporters, and the trophy will now reside at UNR until next year鈥檚 rematch in Reno.

A Tradition is Born

The HC Trivia Bowl adds a new dimension to the historic rivalry between 51吃瓜黑料 and UNR, proving that the friendly competition between the two universities can extend beyond fields and courts. By spotlighting collaboration and academic achievement, this event showcases the vibrant intellectual communities within both Honors Colleges.

鈥淭his is just the beginning of what we hope will be a long-standing tradition between our Honors Colleges,鈥 Terrell said. 鈥淣ext year in Reno, we鈥檒l be ready to bring the trophy home to 51吃瓜黑料.鈥