UConn Business Students Triumph in American University Case Challenge with Unmatched Work Ethic

The Husky Case Competition Club recently took home the top prize at the 32nd Kogod Case Competition at American University. This marks the second year in a row that UConn has claimed victory. This year’s team was new, made up of five second-year business students who had never participated in a case competition before.

“Our ideas were quite unique, which surprised the judges,” said Sophia Viar, the club president and a finance major. “They seemed really intrigued by the complexity of our proposal.”

The team didn’t just go in cold. They dedicated months to preparation, practicing up to five hours a day. They met regularly in the School of Business Board Room, drilling their presentation and anticipating every question the judges might ask. Viar shared, “We kept asking each other questions until we felt completely ready.”

The team included Maria Cayward (analytics and information management), David Lu (finance), Kabir Ramnani (finance), and Daniel Barberi (finance and economics). Interestingly, none of them knew each other well at the start of this journey.

The competition revolved around helping Xylem Inc., a Fortune 500 company that focuses on water technology and operates in over 150 countries. The Husky team suggested using Novable software to connect Xylem with startups that met their needs. They also recommended looking into Oxyle, a company with a groundbreaking filter capable of eliminating PFAS contaminants.

One of the judges, who worked for Xylem, was impressed, saying, “You hit the nail on the head. You guys are amazing!” The UConn team not only beat four teams from American University but also outperformed teams from the University of Pennsylvania and Boston University. They even received the award for Best Q&A at the competition on February 15 in Washington, DC.

The success stemmed from their hard work. Viar explained, “We began brainstorming in November, and it wasn’t smooth sailing. We changed our direction several times before honing in on our final idea.” Ramnani added that even when they had to work during the holiday break, everyone showed a strong commitment to their goal. “We all wanted to do our best,” he said. “One important lesson I learned was to keep my ideas concise. It’s better to express a few strong points than to ramble.”

Viar sees this experience as beneficial for her future career in management consulting. She plans to highlight this achievement in her job interviews. Ramnani agreed, noting that the competition truly showcased everyone’s problem-solving skills. “Before this, I knew little about the water industry,” he reflected. “I had to adapt quickly. I also discovered the importance of moving on from ideas that aren’t working instead of holding onto them emotionally.”

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