Bears on brooms soar to third-place national finish at Quidditch World Cup

How about something light for a Friday?

Postseason appearances and top national finishes are commonplace at Baylor, and that excellence even extends to quidditch, the sport made popular in the Harry Potter book series and films. Out of 118 teams nationwide (plus more that competed internationally), Baylor Quidditch* made the 2013 Quidditch World Cup Final Four.

IQA World Cup VI, held earlier this spring in Kissimmee, Fla., featured 80 collegiate teams that qualified out of regional tournaments — most from the United States, but also including three from Canada, two from Mexico and one from France. The Bears earned a spot at the World Cup after upsetting teams from Texas and Texas A&M to win the Southwest Regional in February. At the World Cup, Baylor bested the University of Ottawa, Boston University and Northern Arizona University before falling to UCLA in the semifinals. Not bad for the Bears’ first-ever appearance in the championships.

Adapted by college students in Vermont from J.K. Rowling’s best-selling book series, the sport has exploded to more than 1,000 teams around the world governed by the International Quidditch Association (IQA), including clubs at universities such as USC, Texas, LSU and Harvard. Some have described the sport as a combination of dodge ball, rugby, track and lacrosse. The IQA World Cup has grown into an international event, attracting international players and onlookers, both fanatical and curious.