Ripon Robotics Team 7915 Achieves Program Firsts at Lakeland Competition
Ripon Robotics FRC Team 7915 demonstrated strong performance at the WIN District Lakeland Event held at Lakeland University last weekend, securing a sixth-place finish and earning its first judge’s award. The competition marked the opening event of the 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition season in Wisconsin, attracting a total of 33 teams.
2026 Season Theme: REBUILT
This year’s FIRST Robotics Competition theme, “REBUILT presented by Haas,” challenges teams to apply STEM skills to the concepts of archaeology, engineering, and historical reconstruction. Teams are tasked with discovering, interpreting, and restoring historical artifacts, focusing on innovation and structural, historical, and technological rebuilding.1
Team Growth and Robot Development
The 2026 season features the largest team in Ripon Robotics program history, with 11 students participating. Team members dedicated hundreds of hours to the design, construction, testing, and operation of their robot prior to the competition.
Competition Results
Ripon’s drive team, consisting of Kyler Rieder, Nathan Hanson, and Micah Rieder, collaborated with various alliance partners throughout the 66 qualification matches. The team achieved a top score of 254, ranking ninth among all teams during the qualification rounds.
After 12 qualification matches, Team 7915 secured sixth place, the highest placement in the program’s history. In the playoff rounds, Ripon captained Alliance 4, selecting igKnightion of Onalaska and Robotans of Sparta as their alliance partners.
Alliance 4 faced Alliance 5 in a close match, resulting in a 153-112 loss. They subsequently defeated Alliance 8 with a score of 174-113, but were later defeated by Alliance 3, 191-95, after an alliance partner encountered difficulties with game pieces. The alliance ultimately tied for fifth place.
Quality Award Recognition
Ripon Robotics also received the Quality Award, the team’s first judge’s award in program history. The award recognizes teams for robust machine design and fabrication. According to the judges, the Ripon Robotics team “created a sturdy, lightweight frame with extra protection for their wiring. Armed with a thorough post-match checklist and comprehensive spares. They kept their robot in top performance throughout the entire event.”
Looking Ahead
Founded in 2019, Team 7915 is currently in its eighth season with FIRST. The team will next compete at the WIN District Mukwonago Event on March 27-28.