K-State Sales Team places first in 2021 Collegiate World Cup of Sales
Friday, Nov. 19, 2021
Members of Kansas State University's 2021 Collegiate World Cup of Sales championship team, from left: Hunter Hartner, Colton Williams, Lydia Johnson, Jacqueline Anzalone, Cameron Pavelschak and Kellie Jackson, team coach. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Sales Team is the 2021 Collegiate World Cup of Sales university champion, winning the International Collegiate Sales Competition. The competition was hosted virtually by Florida State University, Nov. 9-13.
Members of the championship-winning team include Hunter Hartner, sophomore in professional strategic selling and marketing, Belleville; Colton Williams, junior in professional strategic selling, Osage City; Cameron Pavelschak, junior in professional strategic selling, Mascoutah, Illinois; Lydia Johnson, junior in professional strategic selling and Spanish, Prior Lake, Minnesota; and Jacqueline Anzalone, senior in marketing and supply chain management, Kansas City, Missouri.
The Collegiate World Cup of Sales is the ultimate measure of a university sales program's focus on overall business revenue-generating skills, including strategic decision making, relationship development, sales management problem solving, and presentation and speech skills. Eighty universities competed in various events as part of competition, including a sales management simulation, role-play, sales management case competition and speed selling event.
The sales management simulation was conducted during spring 2021 as a qualifying event for the sales management case competition, which took place at the International Collegiate Sales Competition. The sales management simulation mirrored the decision-making process of a sales manager. The K-State Sales Team placed third in its flight, qualifying as one of the 32 university teams competing in the sales management case competition. During the onsite sales management case competition, Anzalone and Pavelschak represented the K-State Sales Team, advancing to the final round of six teams and placing fifth.
The role-play competition had 160 student competitors competing in the event. This four-round, tournament-style role-play scenario is similar to a real complex selling situation where needs are developed in early meetings leading to a solution presentation and final purchase decision. Johnson and Williams represented the K-State Sales Team in this event, with Johnson placing first and Williams placing second out of 160 student competitors.
The speed selling competition had 145 student competitors. This competition consisted of speed interviewing to demonstrate professional and presentation skills in an elevator pitch format. Anzalone, Hartner and Pavelschak represented the K-State Sales Team in the event. Anzalone placed first out of 145 student competitors.
The competition also included a Set Sale on Your Career event where students could earn points and prizes by participating in the career fair. All five members of the K-State Sales Team competed in this event, attending virtual sessions with up to 32 sponsor employers. Pavelschak tied for first place out of more than 250-plus student competitors in participation, attending 31 virtual sponsor sessions.
"This team and these five students went in with a goal, put in the work at practices and came out on top," said Kellie Jackson, managing director of K-State's National Strategic Selling Institute and sales team coach. "To have representation in the finals for the role-play competition, speed selling competition, and the sales management case competition is a huge accomplishment."
The K-State Sales Team is part of the College of Business Administration's National Strategic Selling Institute, which has been named one of the top sales programs in the country for 10 straight years by the Sales Education Foundation. The team consists of students who are enrolled in the major or certificate in professional strategic selling. In fall 2018, Kansas State University became just the 19th university in the U.S. to offer a major in professional strategic selling. Students can also earn a certificate in professional strategic selling, which is open to all majors at the university. The professional strategic selling program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales and the innovative curriculum and sales labs allow students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
