Torin Matthews and Mackenzie Epperson are champions of The Wonder Race 2025.
Competing under the team name Torin and Mack, the winning duo finished first among a field of 15 teams to claim the title.
The annual event is sponsored by Arkansas Tech University Student Activities Board.
Matthews is a junior geosciences major from Bryant.
“I believe the key to our success was our ability to stick together as a team,” said Matthews. “We completed each challenge together and used both of our skill sets to quickly solve the problems we faced. Being able to move quickly to our next checkpoint also helped our strategy in keeping our minds focused.
“Winning The Wonder Race was never the goal…it was about bonding as a team and pushing ourselves through the process we were faced with,” continued Matthews. “I am grateful that we were able to participate and that we ultimately came in first place amongst all the other spirited contenders. Events like this make our campus experience all the more special and exciting.”
Epperson is a junior biology major with the biomedical option from Russellville.
“I would say the key to our victory was making sure to not forget about all the small details,” said Epperson. “There were a lot of steps and things to grab at each challenge, and if we forgot something it could have been detrimental. I also think that running as fast as we could to each challenge and then catching our breath during the challenge was our key strategy.
“It is very exciting to have won The Wonder Race,” continued Epperson. “There were so many teams, so we really didn’t know what to expect as far as placement. Overall, I am very grateful to (ATU Student Activities Board) for putting on this fun activity. It was so much fun, and we are very grateful to have won.”
Other teams that competed in The Wonder Race 2025 were:
- Dumb and Dumber: Emily Zimmerman and Abby Duvall
- ThelyricKen: Lyric Washington
- Speedy Amigos: Abisai Martinez and Garrett Poole
- Artemis and Apollo: Madison Mertens and Dalton Bishop
- Charley Horse: Mason Moore and Logan Love
- Team Tomodachi: Kai Herring and Logan Hammond
- Beauty and the Beast: Hannah Melton and Allie Stoll
- The FA: Kaitlyn Tucker and Jennifer Saenz
- The “SIC” Student Workers: Oscar Perez and Ruby Rubio
- Purplicious: Molly Grandstaff and Josiah Spicer
- Janet: Joy Skaggs and Annie Juarez
- Ford F250 Double Wide: Shaylin Grace Waldrop and Dominick Deaton
- Cookie and Cream: Essynce Norwood and Hayley Lunsford
- Double Trouble: Rose Gunther and Aubrey Evans
Learn more about ATU Student Activities Board at www.atu.edu/sab.
