Featured J!Buzz

Sam Buttrey has passed the ultimate test with flying colors and become the first-ever Jeopardy! Professors Tournament champion!

“This has been the greatest time, and to come out ahead of all these other great players is something I’ll remember forever,” Sam said.

Sam, an associate professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, took home the title and $100,000 grand prize on Friday after facing off against Ed Hashima and Alisa Hove for two days in the finals. Ed, a professor at American River College, placed second and earned $50,000, while Alisa, a professor at Warren Wilson College, came in third, earning $25,000.

“The group was uniformly so smart, charming, and warm, and there’s been a real feeling of camaraderie from the very beginning,” Sam said.

Winning the Professors Tournament grants Sam a spot in the upcoming Tournament of Champions. The contestant field for the elite tournament is already shaping up to be incredibly competitive with recent super-streakers Matt Amodio, Jonathan Fisher, and current 13-game champion Amy Schneider all returning to the Jeopardy! stage.

“I know there are some strong players, but I want to go up against them,” Sam said. “I would like to play against Matt Amodio, he’s a strong player and I’d like to see how I can do.”