Led by Assistant Professor of Sports Management Alex Traugat and Kylie Walker, five Elon University students headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, for a three-day conference.
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Assistant Professor Kylie Walker felt proud and vindicated as five undergraduate students attended the 2024 Applied Sports Management Association Conference last week in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The annual conference, held Feb. 14-16, brought top undergraduate students interested in sports management to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus, and Elon students won first and second place in the conference's undergraduate research competition. obtained.
Lena Gunn ’25, a double major in strategic communications and media analysis, received the top award for her research project titled “Promotion and Themes: An Empirical Analysis of Attendance in the National Women’s Soccer League.” Gunn will work closely with research leader Walker to assess the impact of themes and promotions on attendance and develop marketing and fan engagement strategies that have the potential to increase the league's growth and sustainability. Proposed.
Media analysis major Anthony Bamford ’25 won second place for his study titled “At What Cost?: An Analysis of NCAA Reclassification between Division II and Division I.” This project considered whether a transition from Division II to Division I would be valuable and positive for the university from an organizational perspective.
“It was great to see our students passionately and professionally discuss their research ideas with faculty from other institutions,” Walker said. “This conference was a huge step forward in really demonstrating the quality of Elon University students, and we are very excited to see participation in undergraduate research continue to grow within our program.”
In addition to Walker, Gunn, and Bamford, the Elon contingent in Knoxville includes assistant professor Alex Traugat and students Teddy Morgan '25, Sarah Dawkins '25, and Cersei McMahon '25. was. All five students participated in the first Sports Experience Cohort and spent the fall of 2023 in the University's Sports Management Immersive Semester at Charlotte. A total of 12 students lived in the South End, enrolled in Elon faculty-led courses, and completed internships with organizations such as ACC, NASCAR, Fox Sports, and Make-A-Wish® Central and Western North Carolina.
“Participating in ASMA was a great experience,” says Gan, who worked closely with her mentor Traugat on the project. “Presenting my research to experts, touring the athletic facilities at the University of Tennessee, and networking has been extremely beneficial to my academic career. I would like to thank Elon and Professors for giving me this opportunity. I am very grateful to them.”
Bamford echoed Gunn's sentiments, acknowledging the benefits of getting feedback on research from experts. The process “allowed me to look at my projects in different ways that I hadn't considered before,” he said.
This was the first academic presentation for Dawkins, Morgan, and McMahon. However, Dawkins has done extensive research in the past.
Morgan was grateful for the opportunity to gain other people's perspectives on her research and to think critically about what other students are studying and researching. He said that “Attending a conference was not as intimidating as I expected and it was nice to have a comfortable first experience at a conference like this to prepare for potential opportunities in the future,” he said. Told.
Dawkins continued, “I received valuable feedback on my research projects and made many new connections. I now have confidence in my projects and believe that Elon's Undergraduate Research Program has shaped my career.” Thank you very much for your help.”
While on campus in Tennessee, Elon's group attended a Lady Volunteer basketball game against the University of South Carolina, toured the university's athletic facilities (as told by Brandon Lane, Senior Manager of Digital Operations, Vol Network) Thanks), and visited the downtown area of Tennessee City. And can a road trip be complete without visiting Bu-cee's? So we stopped at a mega gas station and convenience store.
“Attending the ASMA conference was a truly rewarding experience,” Traugat said. “Watching our students interact with industry professionals and absorb new ideas shows that they are committed to learning and growing. Their hard work is a testament to their dedication. and exemplify the value of experiential learning embodied in the Elon experience. I look forward to continuing to support and guide them in their academic and professional endeavors.”
