Hotchkiss

Hotchkiss
Location: Lakeville, CT Motto: Faith. Family. 'Bowl.
Club Presidents	Cooper Roh
Coaches	Unknown
State Championships	2019 (NHBB New England regional, JV division), 2020 (NHBB Connecticut, varsity division)
National Championships	none
National Appearances	Nat'l History Bowl: 2019, runner-up
Program Status	Active
School Size	approx. 635
NAQT Page	link

The Hotchkiss history bowl & quizbowl program (also known by the pseudonym "Team Coldhug") represents The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Established during the 2018–19 academic year, the Bearcats (alternatively known as the "Polardogs") won the NHBB New England regional championship in their inaugural season, but their most notable achievement to date came when freshman Cooper Roh led them to a 2nd place finish at the 2019 National History Bowl finals in the JV division. During their impressive "Cinderella" run in the tournament, they defeated the likes of Montgomery Blair and at one point even grabbed the "1"-card during the playoffs with a win against top-ranked Hunter College High School. Coldhug would finish runners-up to Hunter A and Pedro Juan Orduz, losing in an advantaged final.

Hotchkiss earned a bid to, but did not attend, the 2019 edition of HSNCT. Shortly before the premature cancellation of the 2019–20 season due to COVID-19, the program claimed its 2nd-straight regional NHBB title by winning the Connecticut state championship, defeating Wilton in varsity bowl finals.

Origin of "Coldhug" nickname

• Their team nickname/pseudonym is a pun on the school's name, Hotchkiss. (Hotchkiss = "hot kiss" => "cold hug" = "Coldhug")
  • Additionally, the team's self-stylized 'official mascot', the "Polardogs", is a nod to Hotchkiss's actual athletics nickname, the Bearcats.

Current roster

(may be incomplete)

• Cooper Roh (captain)
• Jack McGlinn (co-captain)
• Yihan Ding (co-captain)
• Huck Whittemore
• Sachin Umashankar
• Arhan Chhabra
• Aaron Stone
• Nani Veluchamy