Three West Liberty University exercise physiology students earned first place in the College Bowl competition at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (MARC-ACSM) annual meeting, held Nov. 6-8 in Harrisburg, Pa. The team, Sophie Abraham, Shaela Holliday and Jacob Walker, all juniors, outperformed competitors from colleges and universities across the region to claim the top spot.

The College Bowl, a fast-paced, “Jeopardy!”-style academic challenge, featured 18 teams from a pool of 20 registered institutions. By winning the regional title, the WLU students will advance to the national ACSM College Bowl in May in Salt Lake City, where they will represent the Mid-Atlantic region against chapter champions from across the country.

Jason Metz, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology and ACSM West Virginia State Representative, praised the students’ preparation and collaborative mindset.

“I’m incredibly proud of their teamwork,” Metz said. “They had a great strategy that was agreed upon by all members of the team, and they executed that strategy perfectly. Going into the challenge, I emphasized having fun and teamwork. I told them I’d rather they lose as a team than win and not have enjoyed the experience.”

Metz and faculty member Ryan Koenig traveled with the students, along with four graduate students from the Exercise Physiology program.

Participation in the MARC-ACSM meeting provides valuable academic and professional development opportunities for Exercise Physiology students, including exposure to emerging research, networking with peers and professionals, and engaging in experiential learning.