CMU's College Bowl team successful in tournament
Promoted as the "varsity sport of the mind," college bowl is essentially a question-and-answer game.
John Meixner, philosophy associate professor and CMU's College Bowl coach, said the activity is trivia-based.
"If you are good at a Jeopardy-type game you would find you'd be pretty good at this game."
Meixner has been Central's coach for three years and has enjoyed his experience.
"It has been very rewarding," Meixner said. "It's been a challenge, but a lot of fun, too."
Central placed seventh out of the 14 teams that competed at the College Bowl Regionals, which took place Feb. 18-20 at Kent State University in Ohio.
Meixner said, considering the many other Michigan and Ohio schools eligible to enter teams in the tournament, CMU's placing is even more impressive.
"We were the first of all the Mid-American Conference teams who competed," Meixner said.
Central's team consists of five students Karen Brunsting, Newaygo senior; Paul Yancho, Flushing sophomore; Bryan Nightwine, Brighton senior; Eric McDonald, Mount Pleasant senior; and Elissabeth Modiano, Grosse Ile sophomore.
It was especially gratifying for CMU to beat Kent State, the team that eliminated CMU in the final-four round last year, Meixner said.
"We were 7-6 among the registered teams, but many of the losses were very close," he said. "Three of them could have gone the other way with just a one-question turnaround.
"It is a little disappointing that we don't get more competition," Meixner said. "The University of Michigan has been champion a couple years in a row. They are always the toughest competition."
Meixner said since the team has no additional competitions scheduled, the next item on its agenda will be the College Bowl Tournament next fall.
Students interested in getting involved with the college bowl team can contact Meixner, at 774-3497, or Barbara Kowallic, director of the College Bowl and Bovee University Center executive secretary, at 774-7480.
