The FIRST Robotics Competition San Diego District Event, presented by Qualcomm, held March 20–22, 2026, at Francis Parker High School, brought together 40 high school teams and 1,200+ students for an electrifying weekend of FIRST® AGE™ REBUILT™ competition and a milestone worth celebrating: 20 years of FRC events in San Diego!
From the moment teams arrived, the energy was unmatched. Gracious Professionalism® was on full display, with teams supporting one another every step of the way — in the pits, on the field, and everywhere in between.
The opening ceremony set an inspiring tone for the weekend, with a warm welcome from Dr. Kevin Yaley, Head of School at Francis Parker, and inspiring remarks from Rashmi Tripathi, Director of Engineering at Qualcomm. It was a fitting nod to the event’s longtime title sponsor and a champion of STEM in San Diego.
The weekend was packed with standout moments beyond the competition field:
- Women in STEM Day & STEAM Robotics Observance Day: March 21 was officially declared Women in STEM Day and STEAM Robotics Observance Day in San Diego and STEAM Robotics Day in California thanks to the support of Joel Anderson and Carl DeMaio. A powerful recognition of the work happening in the FIRST community every day.
- #FIRSTLikeAGirl Meetup: Students gathered to connect, celebrate, and lift each other up in a dedicated meetup that embodied the spirit of inclusion and empowerment at the heart of FIRST.
- NIWC Pacific Career Conversations: Students had the opportunity to connect with professionals from NIWC Pacific to explore internship opportunities and real-world STEM career pathways.
- Game Piece Museum: In honor of 20 years of FRC events in San Diego, a special Game Piece Museum gave attendees a chance to look back at two decades of innovation, competition, and community.
Congratulations to the teams and individuals who earned top honors at the San Diego District Event!
- Impact Award Winner: Team 8119 – TigerBotics
- Winning Alliance: Team 3128 – Aluminum Narwhals, Team 2102 – Team Paradox, Team 2658 -Σ-Motion
- Leadership Award Semi-Finalists: Ashlyn D with Team Spyder Team 1622, Matthew H with NOMAD Team 6995
- Engineering Inspiration: Team 2485 – Overclocked
- Full Awards List: 2026 Awards
A huge thank you to the 100+ volunteers and dedicated mentors who powered this event, and to the Francis Parker crew and Overclocked for helping welcome everyone into a new venue and making it feel like home from day one.
This is what FIRST is all about.
Thank you Ken Woo for these wonderful photos!
Feel free to download and share any of these photos. You can tag FIRST California at @firstroboticscalifornia on Instagram and use hashtags #FIRSTinCA, #morethanrobots, #omgrobots, #REBUILT and #FIRSTAGE.