About us

Who are the Millerbots?

The Millerbots at Detroit Worlds 2018

The Washburn Millerbots, now in our 15th season, were founded in 2008 by Sarah Etzel, Peter Grul, Jerrod Nelson, Mark Le Feber, and Linda Teppo. Based out of Washburn High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we compete as FIRST Robotics Team 2549. Over the past decade, our team has won four Regional competitions, two Imagery awards, two Safety awards, one Engineering Inspiration award, one Industrial Design Award, and gone on to compete at Nationals four times.

As Millerbots, we are more than just a sports team, we are a family. While our obvious aim as a FIRST Robotics team is to win each season, we have other goals as well. We provide our team members with experiences in real-world engineering, design, and problem-solving; we learn how to work together as a team and effectively communicate complex ideas, even through disagreement.

Washburn Millerbots (Team 2549) FIRST Robotics Competition Awards

  • Winner – 2019 MN North Star Regional Winner and Industrial Design Award Sponsored by General Motors

  • Winner – 2018 Engineering Inspiration Award

  • Winner – 2017 Best Mascot

  • Winner – 2016 Pit Safety Award

  • Winner – 2015 Imagery Award In Honor Of Jack Kamen

  • Winner – 2014 Imagery Award In Honor Of Jack Kamen

  • Winner – 2012 Industrial Safety Award

  • Winner – 2011 Minnesota North Star Regional

  • Winner – 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional

  • Winner – 2008 Wisconsin Regional

This Year’s Game

Rapid React is the FIRST Robotics Competition game for the 2022 season. It involves two alliances of three teams each, with each team controlling a robot and performing specific tasks on a field to score points within a two and a half minute time frame. Each alliance works together to score balls in either the high or low hub and then moves to the hangar and attempts to end the game suspended on one of the four bars, earning various points.