Published on March 1, 2026 by Catherine Smith  

Students at Digital Marketing CompetitionSamford University Brock School of Business students earned national recognition for their strong performances at the National Collegiate Digital Marketing Championship in Nashville. 

Competing against more than 120 students from across the country on Feb. 16-17, the Brock School of Business team, led by Courtney Peters, assistant professor of marketing, and comprised of Truman Muska, Bethany Cole, Julia Tripp, Dylan Cavaliere and Matt Wyatt, finished fourth overall. Individually, Muska placed fifth and Cole finished sixth overall. Wyatt also earned a spot among the competition's top 50 performers. 

Several students received additional honors across specialty events. Muska captured first place in the Pillar Power Competition, outperforming approximately 300 competitors participating across the National Collegiate Digital Marketing Championship, National Collegiate Sports Analytics Championship and National Collegiate Innovation Championship. He also placed third overall in the Simulation Showdown competition. 

Cole earned a perfect score and finished among the Top 14 competitors in the Man vs. Machine Competition. Cavaliere and Wyatt were recognized among the Top 18 finishers in the Speed Sell Challenge across all three national championships. 

The group’s success reflects Samford’s commitment to student success and experiential learning. Ranked #3 for career preparation and #7 for student learning opportunities by The Wall Street Journal (2026), Samford equips students with real-world experience through internships, industry engagement and national competitions. These hands-on opportunities complement classroom learning and help students develop skills and confidence to launch successful careers. 

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, 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 enrolls 6,324 students from 44 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. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.