ESQUIRE NETWORK REVEALS THE 16 TEAMS FOR "TEAM NINJA WARRIOR: COLLEGE MADNESS" SERIES PREMIERING NOVEMBER 22

5-Episode Event Brings Famous College Rivalries To The Warped Wall As Schools Around The Country Go Head-To-Head For The Ultimate Ninja Bragging Rights

Los Angeles, CA - September 15, 2016 - Already missing "American Ninja Warrior" now that Season 8 is over? Now you don't have to! Esquire Network revealed today that the five-part special event "Team Ninja Warrior: College Madness" will premiere on Tuesday, November 22nd at 8:00pm ET/PT.

Sixteen teams, pulled from some of the most historical and deep-seeded collegiate rivalries, will run the dual course which includes even more challenging obstacles this season and a whole new strategy of racing. Both sets of teams will be comprised of three people - two men and one woman - who will battle it out on this amped-up version of the world's most intense obstacle course. In each episode, four of the college teams will race against each other, with each individual win giving the team more points. At the end of the show, the two teams left standing will face-off in a relay race with additional obstacles - and the winner between the two will move on to the finals.

Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila of "American Ninja Warrior" will host alongside sensation Kacy Catanzaro, who will be the sideline reporter.

The following rival colleges and universities and athletes will be going head-to-head for this tournament:

· UCLA vs USC

· Florida vs. Georgia

· TCU vs. Houston

· Michigan vs The Ohio State University

· Wisconsin vs Maryland

· Stanford vs Colorado

· Oklahoma vs Texas A&M

· UCONN vs MIT

University of Florida

Melissa Hill Training: Sponsored rock climbing competitor Degree: Bachelor's in Natural Resource Conservation and Political Science - entering graduate program studying Interdisciplinary Ecology

Dane Brooks Training: Head coach of the UF Rock Climbing Club Degree: BS in Psychology, Minor in Disabilities in Society - entering graduate school for Marriage and Family Counseling

Garrison Kalvin Training: President of the University of Florida Rock Climbing Club and climbed at the 2016 USA Climbing Collegiate National Championship in San Diego. Degree: Majoring in Mechanical Engineering

University of Georgia

Doug Legg Training: NCAA Cheerleader and rugby player Degree: Marketing/ International Business & Organizational Leadership

Victoria Case Training: Competitive Club Cheerleader Degree: Fashion Merchandising

Bradley Schleicher Training: 4-year varsity wrestling letterman in high school Degree: Health Promotion (Pre-Med)

Texas Christian University

Nolan Smith Training: Member of the TCU Ultimate Frisbee Club team Degree: Film, Television & Digital Media (planning career as a movie stuntman)

Alexander Parris Training: Rock climber and previously competitive gymnast for 11 years Degree: Computer Science, Minor in Painting??

Emma Beserra Training: National championship cheerleading team who works as a personal trainer Degree: Sports Psychology & Nutrition

University of Houston

Mathis Owhadi Training: 6 years of training for "American Ninja Warrior" Degree: Planning to study Kinesiology

Haley Houston Training: NCAA pole vaulter, cheerleader for 12 years and trains in Muay Thai Degree: Planning to study Kinesiology

Zach Tamayo Training: Member of University of Houston's club climbing team "UH Wall Crawlers," works at Ninja Gym Iron Sports and is planning to commission in to the US Air Force?Degree: Mechanical Engineering Technology & Kinesiology.

Texas A&M

Kaiti Haymaker Training: High school track star Degree: Mechanical Engineering

Will Smithee Training: Trains at Sam Sann's Iron Sports; coaches soccer Degree: Biomedical Science (Pre-Med)

Collin Hummel Training: Former competitive swimmer and diver Degree: Animal Science

UCONN

Luke Adams Training: World Freerunning & Parkour Federation (WFPF) sponsored athlete Degree: Business & Marketing, Minoring in Psychology

Perry Madison Training: High school athlete who broke his school's pole vaulting record his senior year, Parkour instructor at USA Ninja Challenge Degree: Acting

Jade Sharkany Training: Powerlifter, rock climber; in HS: pole vaulter, varsity volleyball, track & field (pole vault, shot put, discus, sprints), and field hockey Degree: Communications

MIT

Amelia Becker Training: Avid rock climber and Ultimate Frisbee competitor Degree: Electrical Engineering

Tomas Cabrera Training: Serious rock climber who competes in monthly Obstacle Course Racing competitions Degree: Physics and Astronomy

Charlie Andrews Training: US National Team for Speed Climbing and Sport Climbing Degree: Math/Computer Science & Data Science

UCLA

Carter Allen Training: Active climber who worked as a blacksmith apprentice the summer before college to increase his arm strength Degree: BioPhysics and Theater

Amanda Adams Training: Dancer and ANW course tester Degree: Dance and Psychology

James Vaughan Training: Highlining, slacklining, outdoor rock climbing and bouldering Degree: Computer Science

USC

Antonio Ayala Training: School's climbing team, USC Marching Band Degree: Mechanical Engineering

Julian Olea Training: Rock climber who competed on the track and field team in high school Degree: Biological Sciences

Noelle Crowley Training: Rock climber who ran cross country and broke the pole vault record in high school Degree: Environmental Studies, Minoring in Spatial Studies

Stanford University

Roshena MacPherson Training: President of the Stanford Rec Climbing Team & Stanford Alpine Club, outdoor bouldering Degree: PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Nam Cuong Training: Member of the Recreational Climbing Team and previous Parkour coach at a Ninja gym Degree: Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering

Will Roderick Training: Regional, National and International speed climbing competitions, co-founder of the Stanford Climbing Club Team Degree: Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering

University of Colorado

Alexandra Regenold Training: Rock climbing, pole dancing and yoga - cross country in high school Degree: English

Bobby Reedy Training: Climber with certification to teach kids how to climb trees with ropes and harnesses Degree: Political Science

Matt Normile Training: Rock climber, hiker, high school athlete (wrestling and cross country) Degree: Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mathematics

University of Michigan

Karl Berkemeier Training: ROTC member/basic combat training, college boxing team, All State high school athlete in cross country and track Degree: Nursing

Joseph Craig Training: ROTC member/basic combat training, half-marathon runner with ANW obstacles in his garage Degree: Aerospace Engineering??

Liv Lang Training: ROTC member/basic combat training; marathon runner Degree: Nursing

The Ohio State University

C.J. Raterman Training: Free running and rock climbing, high school football and track Degree: Criminology, Minoring in Security and Intelligence

Clay Raterman Training: Crossit and calisthenics, high school football, lacrosse and track Degree: Finance, Minoring in Entrepreneurship

Brynn Schlemitz Training: High school and NCAA soccer Degree: Business Finance

University of Wisconsin

Taylor Amann Training: Division 1 NCAA pole vaulter and club gymnastics Degree: Retailing and Consumer Behavior with certificate in Graphic Design

Andrew Philibeck Training: Rock climbing, 2nd in high school State Wrestling Tournament Degree: Business Administration/Marking

Zack Kemmerer Training: Climber and four time Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Champion in high school Degree: PhD in Biochemistry with BA in Chemistry and Philosophy and MS in Chemistry

University of Maryland

Marcos Colon-Pappaterra Training: College cheerleader, Parkour, trains at Ninja Warrior gyms Degree: Mechanical Engineering

Kevin Merrick Training: College cheerleader Degree: Computer Engineering and Mathematics

Delaney Jordan Training: Acrobat and high school cross country/track and field athlete Degree: Materials Science and Engineering

University of Oklahoma

Candace Caldwell Training: Crossfit, member of OU Club Power Lifting team, high school cheerleader, basketball and all district softball player Degree: Language Arts Education

Reese Tomberlin Training: Competitive volleyball and beach volleyball, high school golf, baseball, track and football player Degree: Energy Management

Taylor Neitsch Training: Crossfit, NCAA division 1 baseball, high school football and All District baseball Degree: Petroleum Engineering

"Team Ninja Warrior: College Madness" is a five-part special event that is part of the second season of "Team Ninja Warrior" that was announced in May. The debut episode of "Team Ninja Warrior" set records as the most watched series premiere with A18-49 in Esquire Network history, as fans tuned in to see their favorite top contenders join forces to take on the mother of all obstacle courses as a team. Throughout the season, the series continued to captivate audiences, peaking at the finale which ranked as the 2nd most-watched original telecast in network history with Total Viewers as team "Party Time" - featuring rock-climbing legend Brian Arnold; Jake Murray, a young protégé of Brian's who trains extensively with his group; and stay-at-home-mom Jennifer Tavernier who became a break-out star on "American Ninja Warrior" - took home the trophy and title of the first winners of "Team Ninja Warrior." Currently the season overall ranks as Esquire Network's most watched original series in network history with Total Viewers and most-watched debut season with A18-49.

"Team Ninja Warrior" is executive-produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions' founders Arthur Smith and Kent Weed (Hell's Kitchen, Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, That Awkward Game Show), along with Brian Richardson as executive producer. The series is a spin-off of "American Ninja Warrior" which is based on the "Ninja Warrior" format from Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., and is a co-production between Esquire Network and NBC.

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