Texas A&M Student Wins "Jeopardy" College Championship

Bryan-College Station Eagle ^ | 11-29-02 | Denney, Margot

[Theodore R.]

Ag wins Jeopardy! College Championship

By MARGOT DENNEY Eagle Staff Writer

Jeopardy! College Champion winner Kyle Hale poses after winning the special edition of the gameshow.

The answer was: one of the two planets not represented in composer Gustav Holst’s 1916 work The Planets.

If you’re Texas A&M University senior Kyle Hale, who works as music director at Aggie student radio station KANM, the question was easy: “What is Pluto?”

And with that, the 20-year-old political science major from Katy won the 2002 Jeopardy! College Championship in an episode of the popular game show that aired Friday.

The final round of the college competition was filmed in mid-October on the Ohio State University campus, but Hale and his parents were required to keep his winning a secret until the show was broadcast.

Hale’s victory was worth $51,300 to him and enriched A&M’s general scholarship fund with a $50,000 gift from Volvo.

Hale also won one of the automaker’s 2003 S60s and is guaranteed a space in next year’s Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.

He celebrated Friday with a group of friends at KANM’s studio, while his parents, Timothy and Vanessa, threw their own party in Katy.

“The experience was just insane,” Hale said. “Going all the way from the preliminary rounds in Houston in July to the national championships was amazing,”

To get to the final round, Hale had to survive four preliminary rounds against college students from 15 other states. Contestant coordinators for the show saw more than 2,000 college students for the tournament.

Hale was guarded about his plans for spending his prize money.

“I’m sure my friends will have some great ideas for me once they learned I won,” he said.

• Margot Denney’s e-mail address is mdenney@theeagle.com.

[ken5050]

Sadly, the Longhorns are whomping the Aggies this afternoon....yet,still... Tuck Fexas

[stands2reason]

Tuck Fexas

Hey, at least we don't have Hillary! representing us....

[ken5050]

Low blow.....but, sadly, merited...though it wasn't my fault...I did my best.....oddly enough, I've always had a soft spot for the Aggies since my first, and only, visit to College Station in 1966 for a freshman bb tournament....I was at NYU..it was my introduction to Texas coeds...big hair, and chicken-fried steak.....I still am passionate about 2 out of 3......

[Endeavor]

It is bad, isn't it? My parents came up here (IL) from Tyler for Thanksgiving and we're watching the "game." Gig 'Em - E

[ken5050]

I think that Slocum has past his prime.....his offense is too conservative, and I think that style of play costs him some recruits.....

[Endeavor]

You'll find nothing but agreement here. We've been hoping to get rid of Slocum for years. If he doesn't get canned after this season, there will be an awful lot of unhappy Aggies. Fortunately, we're getting a new AD and that improves the odds that this is Slocum's last game. Fingers crossed.

[anniegetyourgun]

I've wondered how many contestants under the age of 30 would survive the old Jeopardy approach.

[ken5050]

FYI.. a must read for you....."Backyard Brawl"..the history of the Texas-Texas A&M football rivalry.....a great read...I really enjoyed it..

[manfromlamancha]

A&M, must of been a low turn out for Jeopardy College Championship. Did the University of Uganda not try out this year?? ;)

[ken5050]

come on.....no Aggie jokes.....it's Thanksgiving...and there isn't enough bandwidth....

[lodwick]

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Kyle kick a$$ on Jeopardy last week.

Hook'em.

[Endeavor]

Thanks for the tip on the book. I'll cruise over to Amazon and order it.

And thanks for squelching the Aggie Jokester. How is it that an NYU'er is so kind to my Aggies?

[Endeavor]

Congratulations on a very good game, Lod. Nice game for Sims, too - I'm glad. I always thought he was made a scapegoat a lot of the time.

[don-o]

I've wondered how many contestants under the age of 30 would survive the old Jeopardy approach.

Those were the days, my friend.

I used to pick up Art Fleming late night on KMOX, I think.

Is he still alive?

[stands2reason]

You did leave yourself wide open for that one. I might have been kinder to you had my Mavs been holding a 15-game streak today, but it was not to be. *sigh*

[lodwick]

I heard on the radio that your guys had six turnovers for crying out loud - will they blame RC for that?

It's tough to beat the Little Sisters of the Poor when you have six give-aways.

Anyhow - y'all dough-popped the Sooners, whilst we just swooned...here's to next year!

[strela]

The answer was: one of the two planets not represented in composer Gustav Holst’s 1916 work The Planets.

The other one was Earth.

[lodwick]

Jeopardy bump.

Will we be able to get Jeopardy on the cruise? Or will that be another withdrawal prob?