[Jeff Waegelin]

The simplest answer is, continued high-level performance. Winning Nationals once will get you lots of recognition, but to really be an "elite" team, you need to do well, year after year. The teams I would consider "elite" are the ones you can always count on to be playing in the finals, and always have a good shot at winning. Most have multiple regional wins, though not always a Championship to their credit.

Let's put it this way: if you had to pick an alliance partner before Kickoff, without any knowledge of the game, or your alliance's robot, who would you pick? Chances are, you'd want to pick a team with a good reputation for success, every year. Past performance doesn't always dictate future results, but there are some teams you just know will be extremely competitive, every season. Those are the teams that, in my mind, are deserving of "elite" status.