Midway University students recently traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to compete in the 2026 National Collegiate Innovation Championship, a national event that brought together student innovators from across the country. Held February 16–17 in partnership with Baylor University’s New Venture Competition, the inaugural championship placed students in fast-paced, arena-style competitions focused on entrepreneurship, analytics, and digital marketing.
Midway students and professors departed campus on February 15 and spent two days presenting ventures, analyzing data, and competing in real-time simulations against peers from universities nationwide.
Student Entrepreneurial Ideas Take Center Stage
Under the leadership of Dr. Jeb Gorham, Professor of Sport Management, Midway University students competed at the National Collegiate Innovation Championships. Five Midway students ranked among the top 50 competitors nationwide: Fabian Garcia placed 25th, Belle Dotson placed 29th, Noah Turner placed 40th, Harry Van Why placed 41st, and Evie Clare placed 47th. Their strong showing highlights the growing impact of Midway’s entrepreneurship program and the hands-on learning opportunities available to students.
Three teams represented Midway in the venture pitch competition with concepts developed in Midway University’s BUS 427 Entrepreneurship course taught by Dr. Jeb Gorham, Professor of Sport Management, and Ms. Amy Sheikh, Instructor of Business Administration.
Harry Van Why (Sports Management major, 2027) and Noah Turner (Business Administration & Management major, 2027) presented their venture concept focused on innovative wrestling headgear designed to improve safety, comfort, and performance for athletes.
Senior Evie Clare (Equine Business & Sales and Business Administration major, 2026) pitched CochleoFit, a custom helmet insert designed for individuals with cochlear implants. The product creates a cushioned, recessed space within sports helmets, allowing athletes to wear hearing devices comfortably while maintaining safety and performance. The concept addresses a widespread accessibility challenge and aims to provide a customizable, affordable solution across multiple helmet-based sporting activities. Clare’s concept earned her a top-50 finish, placing 47th overall in the national competition.
A four-member team— Isabelle Dotson, Fabian Garcia, Louisa Garcia, and Steven Mahirwe—presented ProCut, an innovative performance soccer sock designed to reduce calf strain, muscle fatigue, and overheating. Inspired by the common practice of players cutting holes in traditional socks to relieve pressure, the team developed a purpose-built solution featuring breathable mesh calf cutouts, compression support, moisture-wicking materials, and sole grips for enhanced comfort and performance. Their concept placed strongly in the competition, with Fabian Garcia (Sports Management Major and Coaching and Leadership, and Sports Marketing minor, 2026) finishing 25th and Belle Dotson (Sports Marketing major and Bourbon Studies minor, 2027) finishing 29th overall.
Together, the teams demonstrated Midway University students’ ability to translate classroom learning into innovative, real-world business ideas while competing successfully against students from universities across the country.
Analytics and Digital Marketing Competitions
In the Sport Analytics competition, Dr. Yash Padhye, Instructor of Sport Management, led students Daniel Maia (Coaching & Sport Leadership and Business Administration double major, 2026) Steven Mahirwe (Sports Management major and Psychology minor, 2026) through a timed, data-driven challenge that required both qualitative and quantitative analysis of sport-related information. During the competition, students receive a case that includes information about performance metrics, statistics, and operational information from the sports industry. Participants must quickly interpret the data, identify patterns or key issues, and determine what the information means in a broader sport management context.
Both Midway students performed strongly in the national competition. Daniel Maia advanced to the Presentation Round and finished among the Top 12 competitors in that stage of the event. He ultimately placed 18th overall in the Sport Analytics competition. Steven Mahirwe also delivered a strong performance, finishing 44th overall.
On the digital marketing side, Dr. Amber Chatelain, Associate Professor of Marketing, accompanied Marketing Communications students Chloe Dowler (Marketing Communications and Equine Business & Sales, 2027) and Machaiah Poynter (Sports Management and Marketing Communications, 2027) as they competed in the Simulation Showdown powered by Novela. The competition required participants to manage campaign budgets, launch digital initiatives, and respond to changing market conditions in real time. Competing against prominent universities across the nation, Machaiah placed 2nd and Chloe in the marketing competition. Machaiah additionally placed in the top 50 out of 100+ nationwide competitors. The pair also participated in a live elevator pitch and additional marketing challenges during the event.
Entrepreneurship Club Drives Opportunity
Midway’s participation in the championship was coordinated in part through the university’s newly formed Entrepreneurship Club, which focuses on building entrepreneurial skills and connecting students with experiential opportunities such as competitions, venture development, and pitch events.
Real-World Experience with Lasting Impact
The national competition provided students with the opportunity to test their ideas, receive feedback from judges, and observe strategies from peers across the country.
“Events like this push students to think faster, communicate their entrepreneurial and marketing ideas clearly and concisely, while adapting to real-world conditions in real time,” said Dr. Chatelain.
Participation in the National Collegiate Innovation Championship reflects Midway University’s commitment to experiential education. Through faculty mentorship, applied coursework, and national competitions, students gain opportunities to transform classroom concepts into practical, career-building experiences.
Students interested in future competitions or entrepreneurial opportunities are encouraged to connect with the Midway University Entrepreneurship Club.
Top photo: L to R: Daniel Maia, Machaiah Poynter, Chloe Dowler, and Steven Mahirwe.