Congratulations to Salem State University students Alyssa Grimshaw, Tyler Driscoll, Jacqui Parker, and Max Pennington, who brought home the championship title at the 2026 New England–St. Lawrence Valley (NESTVAL) Geography Bowl!
In an exciting competition featuring university teams from across the region, Salem State defeated UMass Amherst to advance to the championship round, where the Vikings secured a thrilling 90–85 victory over the University of Connecticut (UConn). The razor-thin margin capped off an impressive performance and marked Salem State's first regional Geography Bowl championship in more than a decade!
Making this achievement even more remarkable, Salem State's team was composed entirely of undergraduate students, competing against teams made up predominantly of graduate students. Their victory demonstrates the exceptional knowledge, preparation, and competitive spirit of Salem State's undergraduate geography students as they successfully competed against more academically advanced opponents.
The NESTVAL Geography Bowl is an annual quiz-bowl-style competition held during the regional conference of the New England–St. Lawrence Valley Geographical Society, a division of the American Association of Geographers (AAG). Students compete in a fast-paced test of their knowledge across physical geography, human geography, geospatial technologies, and global issues.
With this remarkable victory, Salem State's championship team will advance to represent the NESTVAL region at the National World Geography Bowl, held during the AAG Annual Meeting in New York City in February 2027.
The Department of Geography and Sustainability is incredibly proud of these outstanding students for their knowledge, teamwork, and competitive spirit. Their achievement reflects the strength of Salem State's geography programs and the talent of its undergraduate students.
Congratulations, Vikings! We're cheering you on as you head to nationals!