LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — The Nerds of Prey Robotics Team from Lake Minneola High School has been crowned Robotics World Champions.
The team secured the 2026 FIRST Robotics World Championship title earlier this month in Houston, Texas. They triumphed more than 600 top teams from around the world, with the finals viewed by 20,000 fans.
The championship win is particularly notable as no team from Florida has achieved a World Championship title since 2012.
The team’s journey was supported in part by funding from the Education Foundation of Lake County. The competition spanned four days, culminating in the Nerds of Prey winning their division before advancing to face seven other division champions.
Team member Lucas Parlato, who began his robotics journey at 7 years old, fulfilled a long-held ambition with this victory. “It has been my dream to be noticed by the top teams at the World Championship in Houston,” Parlato said.
He described the experience of participating in the finals as surreal. “Being a kid from Lake County and being selected to play man defense on the Einstein field (the finals field), which is the Super Bowl of Robotics, was surreal,” he added.
Bartholomew Nash, who serves as both the robotics teacher and coach at Lake Minneola High School, detailed the extensive preparation involved. “Before the robot even hits a field to compete, students must analyze the new game design that is released in January, understand the best way to score points and ensure they can defend their robot from other teams on the field,” Nash said.
He explained that students prototype designs using wood and metal, then construct the robots by adding motors, sensors, cameras, drive trains and electronics.
The competition involves alliances of three teams working together to collect balls and shoot them into high baskets. The first 20 seconds of each match are autonomous, with robots performing pre-programmed tasks. The subsequent 2 minutes and 20 seconds allow alliances to control their robots to gather balls and score points.
Nash also highlighted a significant challenge the team faced this year. “Reliability of the robot was the biggest issue for the team this year,” he noted. He explained that previous experience helped the team identify potential weak spots, ensuring their robot was robust enough to withstand hits during matches.
Despite having placed second many times in prior years, the team had not won a Regional Championship to qualify for the World Championship until this year.
Nash further emphasized the rarity of their achievement. “It is very rare to be on the Einstein field at your first championship event,” he said. He also pointed out the historical significance for Florida robotics, stating, “I also want to point out that no team from Florida has won the World Championship since 2012!”
William Roberts, the principal of Lake Minneola High School, expressed his immense pride in the team’s success, which he said was a result of their consistent efforts. “Over the last three years, I have watched this team work tirelessly, dedicating countless hours both on campus and at home to perfecting their craft,” Roberts said.
Roberts added that the team’s impact extends beyond competitions, creating a culture built on hard work, perseverance, excellence and service, with significant contributions from mentors and parents. His final remark acknowledged the collective effort: “It is truly an amazing thing to watch.”
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
