Competitive robotics teams Knightmare and Daydream delivered a standout season, qualifying for the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis after securing victories over top programs.
Impressive Wins and Rankings
The teams racked up 83 head-to-head match wins against competitors from more than 40 universities, including squads from Georgia Tech, Purdue, and Texas A&M. They claimed the No. 1 spot in the U.S. for individual robotic skills at the VEX University Robotics Competition (VURC) 2025-26.
Keys to Success
Kushal Patel, an aerospace engineering major and Knightmare team member, credits the achievements to deep experience and genuine passion. “Combined, the team has over 50 years of VEX robotics experience, with our most senior member competing since third grade,” Patel states. “We don’t just participate for resume bullet points—our team competes for the love of competition.”
The Robotics Club of Central Florida (RCCF) structures its teams to build skills across experience levels. Daydream welcomes beginners, enabling new members to compete immediately against other schools. Knightmare targets advanced participants. “Unlike other design teams where newcomers stick to internal events, Daydream members hit the ground running,” explains Kapri O’Brien, a mechanical engineering major and RCCF project lead. “This setup fostered growth for both teams, even allowing them to vie against each other for awards, which propelled Knightmare and Daydream to the world championship.”
Outreach and Community Impact
Both teams engage in outreach, volunteering at VEX events nationwide. They recently hosted a successful VEX IQ challenge for middle and high school students. Patel also contributes to the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, which manages VEX operations.
Future Growth in High-Tech Hub
In a region renowned for high-tech innovation, the teams eye expansion through industry partnerships. “Our team builds essential engineering skills beyond the classroom,” O’Brien notes. “Support via financial or material donations sustains this space. We prototype with computer vision and machine learning, gaining hands-on expertise for future tech roles.”
Industry partners and interested students can reach out at outreach@rccf.club.
