UVU Students Earn Medals in 11 Contest Categories at 2026 SkillsUSA Championships

Utah Valley University students once again proved they are among the nation's best at the 2026 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Twenty-nine UVU students qualified to represent Utah in 20 contest categories after winning state championships earlier this year. After a week of competition against the top students from across the country, UVU competitors earned medals in 11 contest categories, bringing home six gold medals, two silver medals, and three bronze medals.

UVU's success contributed to another strong showing for the state of Utah. Utah finished second in the nation for combined high school and post-secondary medal counts, earning 41 total medals, including 33 at the post-secondary level. More than one-quarter of those medal-winning contests were earned by UVU students, highlighting the university's significant role in the state's success.

"UVU students and faculty represented us exceptionally well," said Darin Taylor, UVU SkillsUSA director. "When we arrive at nationals, other states know who they're competing against. Our students consistently demonstrate the skill, professionalism, and work ethic that make UVU one of the top institutions in the country."

UVU's national champion gold medalists were:

• Logan Archibald and Ricardo Cervantes in Audio Production (Digital Media)
• Matthew McDonald in Baking and Pastry Arts (Culinary Arts)
• Trey Monson and Jackson Stuart in Digital Cinema Production (Digital Media)
• Kohler B. Wilcox in Extemporaneous Speaking (Communication)
• Jackson Godbold and Willard Hurst in Mechatronics (Technology Management and Mechatronics)
• Eric Newman in Power Equipment Technology (Applied Engineering & Transportation Technologies)

Silver medalists included:

• Nikolaus Brown in Cabinetmaking (Construction Technologies)
• Daniel Jardine and Spencer Wright in Cyber Security (Information Systems & Technology)

Bronze medalists included:

• Paul Black and Jayden Wilkins in Interactive Application and Video Game Development (Digital Media)
• Cristian Raymundo in Related Technical Math (Mechanical & Civil Engineering)
• Kyler Ercanbrack and Marcos Zavaleta in Robotics and Automation Technology (Technology Management and Mechatronics)

This year's competition also marked another milestone for the university. Brendan Peterson, an incoming UVU student in the Smith College of Engineering and Technology, was elected as a national SkillsUSA officer, becoming the first national officer from Utah Valley University.

SkillsUSA is one of the nation's largest workforce development organizations, providing students opportunities to demonstrate technical expertise, leadership, and career readiness through real-world competitions. More than 6,500 state champions from across the United States competed at the national championships this year.

UVU's continued success at SkillsUSA reflects the university's commitment to preparing students for high-demand careers and equipping them with the skills needed to excel in the workforce from day one.

Learn more about SkillsUSA and UVU student achievements at the SkillsUSA Championships website.