Bridgeport Competing in 2026 Academic Showdown on Friday
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on April 30, 2026
Bridgeport High School will face Charleston Catholic High School in the first round of the 2026 Academic Showdown finale at the State Culture Center in Charleston on Friday.
Students from Morgantown High School will return to defend their three-time championship title. Season 5 of the Showdown featured 52 teams from 29 counties across six regional competitions.
The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) will host 12 teams representing Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Hancock, Harrison, Jefferson, Kanawha, Marion, Mercer, Monongalia and Putnam counties in back-to-back double-elimination matchups. Joining the festivities are local high school bands and a live audience.
The first-round matchups are as follows:
Bluefield High School vs. Huntington High School
Weir High School vs. Fairmont Senior High School
Hurricane High School vs. Princeton Senior High School
Charleston Catholic High School vs. Bridgeport High School
Jefferson High School vs. Braxton County High School
Morgantown High School vs. Spring Mills High School
Additionally, five students who demonstrate sportsmanship and scholarly leadership throughout the finale will be named to the All-Star team.
The event runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) will stream the finale on its YouTube channel beginning at 9 a.m.
The Academic Showdown is a partnership between the WVDE, WVHEPC, the West Virginia Department of Tourism and WVPB.
