Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence

The Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence (PACE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer alliance of advocates for high school quizbowl competition across the United States.

We run the National Scholastic Championship (NSC), an annual national high school quizbowl tournament. Additionally, PACE awards the Morgan Costa-Rhodes Memorial Scholarship for graduating seniors, the Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Awards for impactful members of the quizbowl community.

PACE is a 501c(3) non-profit. Your donations help us fund the NSC, college scholarships, outreach, the HSQuizbowl forums, and many other projects.

2024 National Scholastic Championship

The 2024 National Scholastic Championship will be held at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Reston, VA outside of Washington, D.C. on June 8-9, 2024.

The Hyatt Regency Reston has previously hosted the NSC in 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019, and we are looking forward to returning to the Washington DC metro area for the first time since the pandemic.

The tournament will be directed by Ben Weiner, and the set will be head edited by Ganon Evans.

More details on registration will be announced soon.

2023 National Scholastic Championship

Congratulations to Barrington High School A, of Barrington, IL, the 2023 NSC champions. They defeated Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology A, of Alexandria, VA, in the second game of an advantaged final. Thomas Jefferson won the first game of the final 440-290, but Barrington won the second 470-330 and the tournament—more details available in the complete tournament stats.


Latest News

  • Welcome PACE’s July 2023 Member Class!
    The Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence is pleased to welcome nine new members from across North America, representing seven different states and two countries. PACE is very excited to welcome a new member class that’s passionate about projects ranging from outreach and tech to set production. Read more about each of our new members and … Read more
  • 2023 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Awards – Nominations Open Through 4/10
    The Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Awards. The Cooper Awards, which recognize those who contribute to the “spirit and honor of quizbowl competition,” will be presented at the 2023 PACE National Scholastic Championship in Rosemont, Illinois on June 10-11, 2023.
  • NSC 2023 Open Staff Call
    The Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence is in need of staff for the 2023 NSC at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois, on June 10-11, 2023.
  • 2023 PACE NSC Open Registration
    PACE will open registration for the 2023 NSC to all teams regardless of qualification status on March 1st, 2023.
  • 2023 Morgan Costa-Rhodes Memorial Scholarship
    PACE is proud to announce the 2023 Morgan Costa-Rhodes Memorial Scholarship, a one-time $2000 college scholarship for current high school seniors.