Spectrum 3847 Celebrates Strong 2026 FIRST Robotics Season and 12th Consecutive FIRST Championship Appearance
Spectrum 3847, the accomplished FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team from St. Agnes Academy and Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, wrapped up a successful 2026 season in the FIRST In Texas (FiT) District
during REBUILTTM presented by Haas.
during REBUILTTM presented by Haas.
With their robot Infrared at the forefront, the team delivered consistent excellence across district events and earned its 12th consecutive invitation to the FIRST Championship underscoring the program’s sustained strength and long-term success. As one of only 28 teams in Texas to qualify for the FIRST Championship, Spectrum 3847 ranked No. 8 out of 181 teams statewide. The team joins the world’s top student engineers to celebrate STEM excellence and compete on an international stage.
Key highlights included:
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Key highlights included:
- FiT District Space City @ League City Event #1 (March): District Event Finalist as the 1st Pick of Alliance 2, and earned the Quality Award.
- FiT District Space City @ Friendswood Event #2 (April): District Event Winner title as the 1st Pick of Alliance 1.
- FiT District Championship – Mercury Division (April 15-18): District Championship Finalist as the 1st Pick of Alliance 2 alongside partners 10340 and 624.
As a perennial First in Texas force with top-10 district rankings, Spectrum 3847 excels in qualification scoring and playoff strategy, often serving as a reliable “safe high pick” for alliances thanks to their well-rounded robots. Multiple event wins, finalist appearances, and design/quality awards reflect the team’s strong mechanical engineering and autonomous execution. Although 2026 qualification rounds were slightly less dominant than the prior year, their high alliance selection value and ability to punch above their seeding in playoffs remained evident—further proof of the program’s consistency and reliability as one of the most well-run teams in Texas robotics.
“Every long night in our lab, every tough decision, strategy, and every challenge we encountered — this team faced them all with grit, determination, and grace,” said Allen Gregory IV, Head Coach of Spectrum 3847. “Making it to the FIRST Championship for the 12th consecutive year is a powerful reflection of their resilience and teamwork. What truly makes me proud is seeing how much they’ve grown — not only as talented
engineers, but as compassionate teammates and confident leaders. Our mentors, especially our dedicated Spectrum alumni, have been essential to this journey, pouring their time and knowledge into these students behind the scenes. This program is about so much more than building robots; it’s about developing character, creating lifelong friendships, and building a supportive community grounded in Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition that will stay with them long after they graduate.”
Spectrum 3847 proudly supported its developmental team, Photon 8515, which provides first-year students hands-on experience in robot building, driving, and competition roles under veteran mentorship. Photon competes in two Texas district events, focusing on student growth and mentorship. Photon 8515 earned a standout District Event Finalist finish at the FiT District Houston Event as the 1st Pick of Alliance 3 and received the Gracious Professionalism Award for their sportsmanship and collaboration.
Beyond competition, Spectrum 3847 maintains a culture of transparency and mentorship. For more than 15 years the team has published detailed build blogs sharing CAD, code, and design processes, and they host the popular Texas Robotics Invitational (TRI) off-season event to foster learning and community engagement.
engineers, but as compassionate teammates and confident leaders. Our mentors, especially our dedicated Spectrum alumni, have been essential to this journey, pouring their time and knowledge into these students behind the scenes. This program is about so much more than building robots; it’s about developing character, creating lifelong friendships, and building a supportive community grounded in Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition that will stay with them long after they graduate.”
Spectrum 3847 proudly supported its developmental team, Photon 8515, which provides first-year students hands-on experience in robot building, driving, and competition roles under veteran mentorship. Photon competes in two Texas district events, focusing on student growth and mentorship. Photon 8515 earned a standout District Event Finalist finish at the FiT District Houston Event as the 1st Pick of Alliance 3 and received the Gracious Professionalism Award for their sportsmanship and collaboration.
Beyond competition, Spectrum 3847 maintains a culture of transparency and mentorship. For more than 15 years the team has published detailed build blogs sharing CAD, code, and design processes, and they host the popular Texas Robotics Invitational (TRI) off-season event to foster learning and community engagement.
Spectrum 3847 extends sincere thanks to its sponsors, including St. Agnes Academy, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, Analog Devices, Boeing, BAE Systems, REV Robotics, Gene Haas Foundation, TE Connectivity, QADWorks, Intuitive Foundation, Del’s Plating Works, NI/Emerson, Solarcraft, Inc., Texas Workforce Commission, Fabworks, and SendCutSend and community partners whose support makes this work possible. The team is already preparing for an even stronger 2027 season and welcomes new students interested in robotics, engineering, and collaboration.
