Loras College’s Sport Management Program made an impressive showing at the Sport Marketing Association (SMA) Case Study Competition in St. Louis earlier this month, sending two teams to compete against 19 teams from across the country. Both teams advanced to the finals, a remarkable achievement given the intense competition. Though the University of Oregon narrowly edged out Loras for first place, a top-three finish in a national competition is a tremendous accomplishment for the students and the program.
Team 1 consisted of Emily Monahan (’25), Zoë Espiridon (’25), Dorothy Deans (’25), and Brock Booth (’26), while Team 2 was made up of Sean Haywood (’25), Cade Messer (’25), Colby Cryer (’27), Rachel Peat (’26), and Gage Becker (’26), who served as their researcher. Both teams demonstrated exemplary teamwork, knowledge, and passion for the sport management field, impressing judges with their creative solutions and well-crafted presentations.
The success of Loras’ sport management program in national case study competitions is nothing new. Since 2010, Loras College has won 12 national championships with SMA, CSRI, and SABR. Students from Loras have consistently outperformed teams from major Division I schools, a testament to the rigorous academic curriculum and hands-on experiences offered by the program.
Anne Marx, professor of sport management at Loras, credits the program’s culture for its continued success. “The Sport Management curriculum is focused on understanding the changing dynamics in the modern sport world as active learners, reflective thinkers, responsible contributors, and ethical decision-makers.”
For the students, the event was not only an academic challenge but also a unique chance to apply their knowledge in real-world situations and connect with industry professionals. “The competition itself is an amazing opportunity to combine all of our knowledge from Loras with our passion for sports and let our creativity shine,” said Emily Monahan (’25). “The case study competition is just one event of the Sport Marketing Association Conference, which is hands down the best networking opportunity for someone who wants to work in sports,” she said.
Brock Booth (‘26) highlighted Loras College’s commitment to providing students with real-world opportunities. “Loras does a fantastic job in SMG of getting you out into the world and in front of employers, industry professionals, etc. There is only so much you can learn from textbooks in Sport Management,” Booth explained. “But Loras understands this, and as such, encourages you to go out and work, and learn in a hands-on environment. This Case Study Competition is just one of the many ways they do that.”
The sport management program at Loras College continues to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to excel in the competitive world of sports. “After graduation, Sport Management graduates continue to engage with the program and encourage students to succeed against larger schools in the case study competitions,” said Marx. “At the 2023 Annual Loras Sport Business Symposium, previous case study team members Andrew McGinnis (’10), Katie Gonzales (’14), and Abi Vito (’22) served as panelists.” With a legacy of success in national case study competitions and a curriculum focused on practical, real-world learning, Loras College is setting the stage for the next generation of leaders in the sport industry.
