At an awards ceremony held on Sun., Jan. 18, at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, Jazz at Lincoln Center Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis announced the winning ensembles of the organization’s 2026 National Collegiate Jazz Championship. The two-day invitational competition, held throughout Frederick P. Rose Hall, the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, located at Broadway and 60th Street in New York City, celebrated the excellence and achievements of the next generation of jazz musicians.

During the ceremony, Marsalis presented the following awards: Temple University from Philadelphia, PA earned first place and received a $10,000 award; Michigan State University from East Lansing, MI took second place and received $7,500; and Huston-Tillotson University from Austin, TX placed third and received $5,000. All monetary awards were presented to the institutions to support and further strengthen their respective jazz education programs.

In addition to the top placing bands, outstanding section and individual awards were presented by Todd Stoll, Jazz at Lincoln Center Vice President of Education; and Maegan Kelly, Jazz at Lincoln Center Senior Director, Student & Family Programs.

“Thank you for joining us, again, for the National Collegiate Jazz Championship. I’m proud of all of you, and it’s a pleasure to be here to congratulate all of you tonight,” said Marsalis. “In this competition, it doesn’t matter where you place. What matters are the experiences and the friendships made. We hope you have enjoyed being in The House of Swing. Your feeling and participation make it better. That’s why we built it.”

The winning ensembles were selected from ten of the nation’s most highly regarded university and college jazz programs that competed in the 2026 National Collegiate Jazz Championship.

The awardees were selected by a panel of judges comprised of distinguished jazz musicians and educators: Chris Crenshaw, Jeff Hamilton, Bruce Harris, Sherman Irby, Chris Lewis, Wynton Marsalis, Elliot Mason, Kenny Rampton, Helen Sung, Alexa Tarantino, and Francisco Torres.

2026 National Collegiate Jazz Championship Awards:

1st Place
Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)

2nd Place
Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)

3rd Place
Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, TX)

Section Awards

HONORABLE MENTION RHYTHM SECTION:
University of South Carolina
Huston-Tillotson University

OUTSTANDING RHYTHM SECTION:
North Carolina Central University
Temple University
Michigan State University

HONORABLE MENTION SAXOPHONE SECTION:
Huston-Tillotson University
The Ohio State University

HONORABLE MENTION TROMBONE SECTION:
University of Texas at Austin

OUTSTANDING TROMBONE SECTION:
University of South Carolina
Michigan State University
Huston-Tillotson University

HONORABLE MENTION TRUMPET SECTION:
University of Texas at Austin

OUTSTANDING TRUMPET SECTION:
Temple University
Michigan State University

HONORABLE MENTION PIANO:
Brandon Harper (Northwestern University)
Joseph Hernandez (University of Texas at Austin)
Jordan Steinbrook (The Ohio State University)

OUTSTANDING PIANO:
Anthony Aldissi (Temple University)
Joshua Lister (Huston-Tillotson University)
Kevin Eisenberg (Michigan State University)
Sal Martinez (University of Central Florida)

OUTSTANDING GUITAR:
Derong Li (Michigan State University)

HONORABLE MENTION BASS:
Brenden Nie (Eastman School of Music)

OUTSTANDING BASS:
Jonathan Hilliard (Michigan State University)
Butler Knowles (North Carolina Central University)
Jordan Clark (Huston-Tillotson University)

HONORABLE MENTION DRUMS:
Reyna Machado (Eastman School of Music)
Julien Brandon (The Ohio State University)

OUTSTANDING DRUMS:
Jalen Jackson (North Carolina Central University)
Mekhi Boone (Temple University)
Matías Soto (University of Texas at Austin)

HONORABLE MENTION CLARINET:
Ryan Johnson (University of South Carolina)

HONORABLE MENTION CLARINET:
Paloma Cobbs-Silva (Michigan State University)

OUTSTANDING CLARINET:
Sam Chung (Temple University)
Zach Spondike (Temple University)
Eli Wyatt (University of Texas at Austin)

HONORABLE MENTION SOPRANO SAXOPHONE:
Eric Paige (Eastman School of Music)

HONORABLE MENTION ALTO SAXOPHONE:
Ricardo Forges (North Carolina Central University)
Ezra Tutt (North Carolina Central University)
Andrew Huddleston (University of Central Florida)

OUTSTANDING ALTO SAXOPHONE:
Daniel Bonnet (University of Central Florida)
Rei Kaneko (Temple University)
Sanai Hayman-Jallow (Huston-Tillotson University)
Matthew Chavez (University of Texas at Austin)
Mason Reinhardt (Michigan State University)
Thomas Noble (Michigan State University)

HONORABLE MENTION TENOR SAXOPHONE:
Xavier Linton (Huston-Tillotson University)
Dash Haubrich (University of Texas at Austin)
Colin Kim (Northwestern University)
Ian Oliver (Eastman School of Music)

OUTSTANDING TENOR SAXOPHONE:
Kiara Rouse (Temple University)
Makale Edwards (Huston-Tillotson University)
Eli Wyatt (University of Texas at Austin)

HONORABLE MENTION BARITONE SAXOPHONE:
Alvin Paige (Michigan State University)

OUTSTANDING WOODWIND DOUBLER:
Ethan Weisman (Northwestern University)

HONORABLE MENTION TROMBONE:
Jordan Jacques (Huston-Tillotson University)
Charles Scanlon (Michigan State University)
Ethan Bautz (University of South Carolina)

OUTSTANDING TROMBONE:
Joshua Garcia (Huston-Tillotson University)
Miles Cole (Michigan State University)
Aidan Clarke (Michigan State University)
Dan Atkinson (Eastman School of Music)
Lexi Hamner (Michigan State University)

HONORABLE MENTION TRUMPET:
Felix Schneider (Eastman School of Music)
Brett Cole (University of Texas at Austin)
Surafael Tamre (Michigan State University)

OUTSTANDING TRUMPET:
Levi Rozek (Temple University)
Jesse Deems (Temple University)
Arianna Shepherd (University of Texas at Austin)
Eli Rachlin (Michigan State University)

HONORABLE MENTION VOCALS:
Amanda Ross (Michigan State University)

OUTSTANDING VOCALS:
Jacquee Paul (Temple University)

HONORABLE MENTION BIG BAND ARRANGEMENT:
Jibreel McDonald (North Carolina Central University) for “Star
Eyes”
Alex Kastner (University of Central Florida) for “Love
Progression”
Camilo Baracaldo (Eastman School of Music) for “You’d Be So
Nice to Come Home To”

HONORABLE MENTION COMBO ARRANGEMENT:
Brandon Harper (Northwestern University)
Brendan Nie (Eastman School of Music)
Richard LaRouech (Temple University)

OUTSTANDING COMBO ARRANGEMENT:
Sal Martinez (University of Central Florida)

HARRY CARNEY GOOD CITIZEN OF JAZZ AWARD:
Zach Spondike (Temple University)

EARL HINES OUTSTANDING MUSICIAN AWARD:
Graham Kozak (Temple University)
Joshua Garcia (Huston-Tillotson University)

HONORABLE MENTION COMBO PERFORMANCE:
Eastman School of Music

OUTSTANDING COMBO PERFORMANCE:
Temple University

More information can be found on jazz.org/ncjc.

Participants in the 2026 National Collegiate Jazz Championship
hail from the following colleges and universities:

Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)

Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, TX)

Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)

North Carolina Central University (Durham, NC)

Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)

The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)

Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)

University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)

University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC)

University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

Launched in 2020, the National Collegiate Jazz Championship provides participating ensembles with quality literature and a forum for celebrating excellence and achievement. The higher education program builds upon Jazz at Lincoln Center’s educational methodology and philosophy, extending the organization’s mission into the realm of professional development for the next generation of leading jazz artists.

Championship events included a combo competition in The Appel Room and an initial round of competition performances in Rose Theater. The final concert included a second round of big band competition performances by the three top-placing bands, a small group set performed by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, followed by an awards ceremony and announcement of the band taking top honors. The ensembles also participated in rehearsals and educational activities throughout Frederick P. Rose Hall over the course of the event.

Jazz at Lincoln Center serves the largest jazz education program network in the world, and its initiatives are based on the organization’s 38-year history of education in jazz performance and appreciation. Goals of each program are for students to gain insight into American vernacular music and jazz, learn the communal history of jazz in a sociopolitical context, receive guidance on how to better communicate personal objectives, and gain awareness of the mission of jazz musicians today building on the aspirations laid by earlier generations.

Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its 2025-26 season partners: Bloomberg Philanthropies, United Airlines,
and Hive & Colony.

A very special thanks to Jody and John Arnhold for their extraordinary support of Jazz at Lincoln Center
and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

We proudly recognize leadership support from Dalio Philanthropies; Joseph DiMenna; Ford Foundation;
Angela and Robert Kissane; Mellody Hobson and George Lucas; Michele and Mark Mandel; and the Zou Family Fund.

Major support is provided by the Abrams Foundation; Charina Endowment Fund; Howard Gilman Foundation, Inc.;
Manitou Fund; the Ambrose Monell Foundation; the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Lisa and David Schiff; Seedlings Foundation; and an Anonymous donor.

Generous support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts
with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Press Inquiries:
Zooey T. Jones
Senior Director, Public Relations & External Communications
Jazz at Lincoln Center
[email protected]
212-258-9821