By Rameez Nathoo
At the 2026 FIRST In Texas District Championship, held at NRG Arena in Houston from April 15–18, ITKAN's two FRC teams, Team 9128 ITKAN Robotics and Team 10340 ITKAN Girls, did not just compete. They showed what a community rooted in faith, mentorship, and perseverance can achieve.
Team 9128 entered the championship having already proven themselves as the top program in the state, and they did not disappoint. After finishing qualifications ranked #1 in Texas with an extraordinary 60–7 season record, they were selected as the 1st pick of the Apollo Division's winning alliance, a recognition of their technical excellence and reputation as a trusted partner. The team also went completely undefeated in the autonomous portion of the game for the entire season heading into Worlds, a streak that reflects countless hours of programming and testing behind the scenes.
From there, Team 9128 went undefeated through the playoff bracket, closing out their Apollo Division run with a perfect 2–0–0 record and earning the District Championship Winner award, the highest honor at the state championship. It was a moment years in the making: from rookie season in 2023 to the top of Texas in 2026.
If Team 9128's run was a championship story, Team 10340's was a statement. The ITKAN Girls finished the 2026 season ranked #3 in Texas and #5 in the district with a 52–15 record. At the championship they served as Captain of Alliance 2, led their alliance all the way to the Finals, and earned the prestigious Autonomous Award for excellence in autonomous robot programming. For an all-girls team in only its second year, reaching the Finals as an Alliance Captain is a sign of things to come.
With the 2026 Texas State Championship title secured, Team 9128 carried ITKAN, and the broader Muslim American community, to the highest levels of competitive robotics. The mission behind both teams is simple: to show every young person who has ever wondered whether there's a place for them in science and technology that the answer is yes.