Teamwork took center stage today—not on the field, but in the water—as student teams competed in the 2026 MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena.
Teams were tasked with demonstrating their ROVs’ (remotely operated vehicle) capabilities in the Marine Technology Training Tank as they navigated through a series of challenges under strict time constraints. Students presented their projects to a panel of judges, articulating their design process and objectives. They also captured an overview of the entire project on a marketing display, telling the story of their ROV’s conception and purpose.
These teams have been planning, building, and preparing for months. Fifteen teams competed today, traveling from as far as Michigan’s upper peninsula, Ohio and Wisconsin. Ten of the teams were in the Navigator category, and five in the Ranger (most advanced) category. The top Ranger team from each regional is invited to the World Championship this summer. Alpena’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary had the pleasure of hosting the World Competition in 2025, and this year teams are headed to Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada for the grand competition!
This year’s tasks align with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), and highlights the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025-2034)—a global effort to better understand and protect Earth’s frozen regions. Students are challenged to develop technologies that can operate in cold, dynamic, and extreme environments, reflecting real-world ocean and cryosphere conditions.
WINNERS LISTED HERE
Navigator Overall 2nd place: ARGO – Alcona Middle School, Harrisville, Michigan
Navigator Overall 1st place: HARP Tech – Heritage Coast S&R, Iosco County 4H
Ranger Overall 2nd place: Lakeview SubAquatics – Lakeview Technology Academy, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Ranger Overall 1st place: Underwater Research Robotics (UR²) – Alpena High School
Safety Award: Lakeview SubAquatics – Lakeview Technology Academy, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Tethered Together Award: Caffeinated Currents – Thunder Bay Jr High, Alpena, Michigan
Somehow Someway Award: Fuse Munchers – Alcona Middle School, Harrisville, Michigan
Innovation Award: Underwater Research Robotics (UR²) – Alpena High School, Alpena, Michigan
MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition is supported by local professionals, including engineers and inventors, and especially by volunteers who act as judges for the competition, evaluating the student’s ROVs, poster displays, and engineering presentations. The competition is one of nearly 40 regionals held around the world. The UR² Ranger Team from Alpena High School is advancing to the 2026 MATE ROV World Championship Competition in Newfoundland this June!
