Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will host the 3rd Annual RPI VEX V5 Robotics Competition Push Back Tournament on Monday, January 19, 2026. The event, part of the VEX V5 Robotics Competition series, will be held at the Alumni Sports & Recreation Center (AS&RC) on the RPI campus and will bring together 36 high school robotics teams from New York, Vermont, and Maine for a full day of engineering, competition, and innovation.

“This tournament reflects RPI’s longstanding commitment to STEM education and helps inspire the next generation of problem-solvers and technical leaders,” said Cynthia Smith, director of Pipeline Programs at RPI. “We’re delighted to welcome young these engineers and robotics enthusiasts to our campus.”

In Push Back, alliances formed of two teams each compete to score goals and control zones within a 12’ by 12’ field during both autonomous and driver-controlled periods of play. Competitors will engage in qualifying matches, skills challenges, and elimination rounds beginning at 10:00 a.m., with awards presented at 5:00 p.m. The event is designed to promote teamwork, critical thinking, and hands-on engineering experience, and winners and finalists in several categories will qualify to participate in the regional championship tournament.

The event will be co-hosted by RPI Pre-College Initiatives and the RPI Robotics Club. Representatives from RPI student organizations — including RPI Motorsport, the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, Design Build Fly, and others — will be on hand throughout the day to share information about student life, academic opportunities, and campus resources.