A team of University of Nevada, Reno College of Business students earned third place nationally in the American Marketing Association Collegiate Case Competition, closing out months of work on a real‑world marketing challenge sponsored by Major League Baseball. 

The team was selected from more than 130 universities nationwide to advance to the final round in Chicago, where they presented their integrated marketing strategy before a panel of industry judges. 

For senior marketing major Paige Lombardi, the national placement marked the conclusion to an intense and rewarding experience. 

“Placing third nationally means a lot to the team and me,” Lombardi said. “The journey there was filled with challenges, and I know we were all amazed and grateful when we finally landed in Chicago, in disbelief that we made it. It was a lot of hard work, but I couldn’t be prouder of my fellow teammates and what we accomplished.” 

Senior marketing major Lejla Thompson echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the sense of accomplishment that came with competing on a national stage. 

“It’s very rewarding being able to come back feeling so accomplished,” Thompson said. “Overall, I am incredibly proud of the work my teammates and I put forth and how far we were able to get in the competition.” 

According to Lombardi, the team’s emphasis on diversity, both in its campaign strategy and within the team itself, resonated strongly with judges. 

“Celeste and Ella really touched on not only our focus on diversity in our presentation but also our diversity within our team,” Lombardi said. “That helped the judges understand our campaign theme, ‘Moments Lived Better,’ and how each of us has had different experiences and connections to baseball.” 

While the team’s core strategy remained consistent throughout the competition, Thompson said refining details became the focus heading into the final presentation. 

“Our presentation maintained a lot of consistency from beginning to end,” Thompson said. “When we looked at the grading rubric, the team already had a strong score. It was really about tweaking a few things to create the final product.” 

Competing against large, well‑funded programs from across the country also gave Thompson a broader perspective on collegiate marketing organizations.   

“Many of the other schools were competing across multiple competitions with large‑scale teams of twenty or more,” Thompson said. “It was really spectacular that our small group of five was able to place in the top three.” 

The competition is part of an experiential marketing course taught by Igor Makienko, associate professor of marketing, who emphasized that the team’s success was supported by collaboration beyond the classroom. 

Makienko credited Teddy Stocking, a business librarian at the University’s Knowledge Center, with helping students strengthen the research foundation of their marketing plan by guiding them through industry and Gen Z–focused databases relevant to the case. He also recognized Sandun Perera, professor of marketing, who helped facilitate the team’s primary consumer research by encouraging student participation in an online survey. 

The third‑place finish marks another national recognition for the College of Business and highlights the value of hands‑on, research‑driven learning in preparing students for careers in marketing and business.