What you can expect from this year's North American Collins Championship (NACC)
In August, I shared eight reasons to get psyched for the North American Collins Championship (NACC). In September, Cecilia Le told you what she loved about the Marquette Hotel and staying in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Today, I'm following up with some updates on the NACC prize pool, entrants list, and the fun after-hours activities we have planned. In short, if you didn't have enough reasons already, here are a few more to get you hyped for November!
The prize pool
At the end of August, we launched the CoCo's very first fundraiser. To my astonishment, our Platinum Fundraiser secured over $13,000 in donations, with nearly all contributions coming in the first week. Many of the contributions came from players who are unable to make it to Minneapolis, but donated to the NACC anyway.
Even more than the money, what blew us away were the kind notes of support we received from the community. Here are several of them:
"Keep doing good things."
"CoCo is the best!"
"I just donated, and I look forward to watching the streams and more WESPA rating of CoCo tournaments!"
"I will support the event with a donation as I have always supported CoCo and their goals."
"Your mission resonates well with my passion and past work."
"Great for this laudable idea and development, I will add my value."
"Try setting up a monthly recurring donation pledge amount. I will be your first at $10 per month, into perpetuity."
The push from that last player's suggestion prompted us to set up a recurring monthly donation option in the CoCo Store. Thanks to these players and the support of more than a dozen donors, we're now able to confirm the following prize pool for the 2026 NACC...
DIVISION 1
1st place: $6,000
2nd place: $3,000
3rd place: $1,000
4th place: $500
5th place: $250
Class prize 1: $500
Class prize 2: $150
Other prizes: $30
DIVISION 2
1st place: $1,200
2nd place: $600
3rd place: $300
4th place: $150
Class prize 1: $300
Other prizes: $30
AFTERWORD
1st place: $100
2nd place: $75
3rd place: $50
Class prize: $50
The entrants list
We're happy to offer two divisions at this year's NACC so that players of all levels can choose the level of competition they crave. Division 1 has 28 entrants so far, with 14 entrants in Division 2. It's a great field, featuring newcomers and national champions alike.
If you've been thinking about the NACC and haven't taken the leap yet, sign up today. Registration closes on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The spelling bee
The Scrabble tournament isn't the only competition that will happen at the NACC. If you think you're a terrific speller, you won't want to miss the CoCo's first spelling bee. Hosted by Eric Fox, this event will take place in the evening on Friday, Nov. 6. It will be a fun challenge for anyone looking to flex their word brains.
The spelling bee winner will take home a $100 prize. Anyone in Minneapolis is welcome to compete in the spelling bee. We're offering this event for free, so come one and come all! You can register for the spelling bee now to give us a rough idea of how many competitors to expect. Eric will also accept walk-up registrations the day of the spelling bee.
A rock climbing excursion!
If you're looking for a way to reach new heights and you're thinking beyond your Scrabble rating, look no further than our rock climbing outing. As a rock climber myself, I've been truly delighted to see more and more Scrabblers discover the joy of rock climbing. There is a bouldering gym near the Marquette Hotel, and we aim to welcome any interested players to join us for an indoor climbing excursion.
Whether you already know what it means to campus and dyno or have never climbed before, bouldering is a fun and easy way to get started. If you'd like to join the climbing cohort for an outing, contact us and express your interest.
Scrabble, spelling, climbing, CoCo cocoa - there will be something for everyone at this year's NACC. If you've already registered, we promise to make this event incredible. If you're on the fence, hop off now and sign up. We can't wait to see you there.