Columbia Independent School Hosts Big Cat Quiz Bowl
Twenty-four teams from 10 Missouri middle schools competed in the 11th annual tournament on November 7, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Secondary Education
Columbia Independent School hosted the 11th annual Big Cat Quiz Bowl on November 7, 2026, with 24 teams from 10 middle schools across Missouri taking part. The tournament is typically the state's first middle school quiz bowl event of the academic year.
Why it matters
The tournament serves as a qualifying event, as the top 15% of teams will advance to the Middle School National Championship Tournament in Chicago. It gives Missouri middle school students a structured competitive academic outlet.
Each team plays nine rounds, with questions drawn from National Academic Quiz Tournaments for academic qualification. CIS entered six teams, divided by skill level, and has won national trophies in 2018 and 2019.
The players
Columbia Independent School
A private school in Columbia, Missouri, whose quiz bowl program has earned national trophies and competed at the national level.
The details
Teams are divided by skill level, and students are placed on higher teams based on practice performance. Middle school teams practice twice a week after school for an hour and a half, typically beginning in early September.
Timeline
2018: CIS wins a national trophy.
2019: CIS wins a national trophy and places 13th nationally.
Early September: Quiz bowl practice generally begins.
November 7, 2026: CIS hosts the 11th annual Big Cat Quiz Bowl.
May 2027: The Middle School National Championship Tournament is held in Chicago.
Season Trajectory
The Big Cat Quiz Bowl feeds the NAQT pathway that leads to the Middle School National Championship in Chicago. CIS's 2019 13th-place finish, improved from 21st the year before, shows the program's upward trajectory within that national structure.
Families of Missouri middle school students interested in quiz bowl can expect after-school practices twice weekly, each about an hour and a half. Teams are sorted by skill level, so new students can be placed on higher teams based on practice performance.
The takeaway
Structured academic competitions like quiz bowl give students consistent practice and a path to national-level recognition. Students interested in joining can start by attending after-school practice in early September.
What happens next
The top 15% of teams will qualify for the Middle School National Championship Tournament in Chicago in May 2027, and the team hopes to send at least two teams to nationals.
Further reading
Explore more on Secondary Education to see how academic competitions like this one fit into school programs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KRCG.
