UA Students Take First Place at 2025 Pennsylvania Sport Business Conference

A team of students from the University of Akron’s College of Business took home first-place honors at the 2025 Pennsylvania Sport Business Conference, hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Competing against universities across the region, UA was represented by two teams who showcased their diverse perspectives, innovative ideas and actionable solutions to a panel of industry professionals.

College of Business students Lucas Andrasak, Ryne Armentrout, Sean Graham, Aaron Johnson, Ethan Roush, Nathan Schafer, Mya Schrecengost and Olivia Stetz participated in the competition.

The competition challenged students to develop a comprehensive market expansion strategy for the Buffalo Bandits, a professional lacrosse team based in Buffalo, New York. After presenting their initial strategy on Thursday, UA students Ryne Armentrout, Sean Graham, Ethan Roush and Olivia Stetz advanced to the final round and ultimately earned the top spot with their final presentation on Friday.

“It was truly an honor to hear the professional advice and feedback from the respected judges of the Buffalo Bandits and to network with so many amazing students from other universities,” said Graham. “I am so grateful for the experience and excited to see what’s next for Akron!”

Throughout the multi-day event, students had the opportunity to showcase their skills and gain valuable insights from industry leaders in the sport business industry. The feedback and support from professionals and peers alike made the event both competitive and inspiring.

Thanks to faculty advisor Dr. Seungbum Lee, professor of management, whose support throughout the process helped prepare them for the challenge.

“A huge thank you to everyone who worked behind the scenes to set up such a wonderful event, and congratulations to all other teams who presented their research,” said Graham. “The time, energy and dedication poured into this project from every team was prevalent, and that hard work should not go unnoticed.”

Story by CoB Marketing.

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.