The University of Washington Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) unit hosted several regional NROTC units for the annual Northwest Navy Competition on the UW-Seattle campus, April 1-2.

The UW unit welcomed NROTC units from the University of Utah, Oregon State University, and the combined unit from the University of Idaho and Washington State University. Each year, units compete in this military, athletic, and academic event.

An opening dinner Friday night kicked off the weekend's events and offered the opportunity for midshipmen from all schools to socialize together prior to the following day's competitive events.

The competition began early on an overcast and chilly Saturday morning -- typical of Seattle at this time of year -- but ended with bright sunshine, warmer temperatures and the glow of camaraderie.

The four units competed against one another for bragging rights and trophies in a physical readiness test, soccer, a combat fitness test, swimming, basketball, volleyball, 5K run, an academic bowl, tug-of-war, regulation drill, and color guard competition.

The most anticipated event of the day was the regulation drill competition held at the UW Husky Football Stadium. It showcased the precise military movements practiced on early morning and late evening drill fields at universities with NROTC units.

This year's Northwest Navy Competition brought together more than 250 future Navy and Marine Corps leaders. More than 40 student volunteers helped facilitate the competition as scorekeepers, 5K run course guides, and set-up crew.

"The Northwest Navy Competition was a daunting task to take on because of the influence it would have on all the midshipmen of the four universities," said Midshipman 1st Class Dana Canaria, student coordinator for the UW unit. "The weekend was high tempo, but resulted in a lot of positive feedback from the visiting units."

UW Professor of Naval Science and commanding officer of the unit, Navy Capt. Mark Johnson, announced the winners of the day's events after an early evening, catered dinner. The combined team from the University of Idaho and Washington State University emerged victorious, and the unit is set to defend their championship at Northwest Navy 2017, hosted by the Oregon State University NROTC unit in Corvallis, Oregon.

Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans oversees the NROTC program as commander of Naval Service Training Command headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes. NROTC was established to develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, loyalty and Navy core values in order to commission college graduates as naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the naval service and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

NSTC oversees 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy's Citizenship Development program. NSTC includes Recruit Training Command, the Navy's only boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, NROTC at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, Navy Junior ROTC and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.

For more information about NROTC, visit http://www.nrotc.navy.mil.

For more information about NSTC, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc or visit the NSTC Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining.

For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/.