Published on March 3, 2022 by Sara Roman  
sport admin

Samford University sport administration students traveled to Indianapolis for the Applied Sport Management Association (ASMA) Conference where ten students competed against teams from across the country in poster presentations, oral presentations and the case study competition.

Teammates Brittney Allen, Drake Anthony, Grayson Jones and Davis Woodliff were selected as the 2022 Dr. Samantha Roberts Undergraduate Case Study Competition winners. This is the second time Samford has clenched the national title. 

As part of the case study competition, students were given a prompt to create a 15-minute pitch presentation for the hosting of a joint men’s and women's NCAA Basketball Final Four in Indianapolis. The competition judges were executives from the Indiana Sports Corporation, the organization that prepares bids for Indianapolis to host these types of events.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to compete in the Case Study Competition and propose a bid for the Inaugural NCAA Joint Final Four to be held in Indianapolis in 2027. ASMA was an incredible opportunity to gain realistic experience,” said Brittney Allen, junior sport administration student. “I thoroughly enjoyed all of the educating speakers and research that was shared.”

During the conference, students attended several academic presentations and engaged with sport management faculty and students from around the country.

Studnets-with-Tom-AllenPatrick March, assistant professor for the Department of Kinesiology, sought to make the trip to Indianapolis a comprehensive experience for students. While the group was in Indiana, students had the opportunity to visit Indiana University where they met with Head Football Coach, Tom Allen who was named the 2020 American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. He talked to the students about how his faith guides the way he leads his program.

 “The experiences I had on this trip are truly invaluable,” said Chloe Ayscue, junior sport administration student. “The information learned, the community create and the professionals I had the opportunity to interact with established so much confidence and excitement for me, and the future that lies ahead.”

Students also toured the Indiana University athletic facilities including Memorial Stadium (Football), Assembly Hall (Basketball), and Cook Hall (Volleyball and Wrestling), attended an Indiana Pacers game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and toured Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

“I am so proud of our students and the way they represented Samford at the Applied Sport Management Association Conference,” said Marsh. “The quality of their work and the professionalism with which they conducted themselves reflects the highest standards of Samford University. Spending an extended period of time with these students has reaffirmed to me that Samford University is a truly special place.”

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.