The CREW Caps Historic Robotics Season with State Championship and World Stage Finish

Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southeast FIRST Robotics Team 7769, The CREW, completed one of the most successful seasons in program history, earning the 2026 FIRST in Michigan State Championship and advancing to Einstein Field at the FIRST Championship in Houston.

The CREW entered the Michigan State Championship ranked second in its division before being selected by top-seeded FRC 27 Team RUSH of Clarkston. The alliance was completed by FRC 3668, The TroBots of Whitmore Lake. Together, the teams delivered an undefeated playoff run, winning the DTE Energy Foundation Division and ultimately capturing the FIRST in Michigan State Championship title.

The state championship added to an already standout season for Team 7769, which also earned tournament wins in Woodhaven and Troy, along with three judged awards: two Autonomous Awards and the Excellence in Engineering Award. Following its state championship performance, The CREW advanced to the FIRST Championship in Houston, representing OSTC-SE, Oakland Schools, and Career and Technical Education programs on an international stage.

At the FIRST Championship, The CREW competed in the Galileo Division, where the team posted a 9-1 qualification record and earned the No. 1 overall seed among 75 teams. During alliance selections, Team 7769 partnered with FRC 1690 Orbit of Israel, FRC 5181 Explorer Robotics of Pennsylvania, and FRC 8229 Balikbayan Bots of Nevada.

The alliance continued its dominant season with a perfect 5-0 playoff record, capturing the Galileo Division Championship and advancing to Einstein Field, the highest level of FIRST Robotics Competition. On Einstein Field, the alliance opened with a victory before mechanical issues in the following match moved the team into the lower bracket. The group responded with a dramatic final-seconds win in the next round before concluding its championship run in the semifinals.

The CREW finished the season with a 70-5 overall record, five tournament championships, and three awards. The team closed the season ranked No. 1 in Michigan, No. 3 in the United States, and No. 3 globally.

Beyond the rankings and trophies, The CREW’s season reflected the skill, teamwork, resilience, and professionalism of OSTC-SE students. Their performance highlighted the strength of hands-on Career and Technical Education and demonstrated how student innovation, industry mentorship, and community support can come together to compete at the highest level.

The team also recognized the mentors, sponsors, and community supporters whose contributions helped make the season possible, including Aptiv, DoW STEM, Nissan, Beningo Embedded, Oakland ENT, Fire Defense Co., Fori Automation, PushCorp, Hallmark Tool and Gage, Witzenmann, Triple Inc., Harcourt, Integral Blue, Last Anvil, BALJAK, and Oakland Schools.