The UCF Professional Selling team came in third place at the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC) recently held at Kennesaw State University. A record 61 schools comprising 102 competitors participated.

Inaugurated in 1999, the NCSC hosts the top collegiate sales students and faculty from the most elite university sales programs in North America. It is the largest and oldest sales role-play competition in existence. This year, competitors had to sell the product NetSuite CRM.

UCF team members include competitors Josh Calcanis and George Cardona, and team alternates Sasha Effron, Ricardo Hernandez, Daryl Morrow, Nichole Soros, and Kendall Wulff. The team practiced role-playing at least three days a week and have been preparing for the competition since last November.

They also had guest coaches from the sales industry participate so they could provide feedback. Guest coaches included Jeb Blount, SalesGravy.com; Jason Bristol, Millennium Labs; Billy the Kidd, Wyndham; Chris Ganoudis, Cox Media Group; Dan Conway, Sunguard;Mike Hsu, Northwestern Mutual, Jason Descharme, ADP; and Bill Peppler of Kavaliro. Additionally, Cyndi Gundy, UCF marketing instructor assisted.

For their winning efforts, the team received a plaque. Additionally, Calcanis won $500, a Tom James custom suit and an iPad for placing fourth overall for students. Cardona received an additional plaque for his placement in the semi-finals.

The team was coached by marketing instructor and sales consultant Nicole Moberg. “I have never been more proud to be a coach/professor than I was for this team of incredibly dedicated students. The team was Suite Knights based off of UCF and the product sold at the competition,” she said. “We met up to five days a week. Every student played such a critical role and equally attributed to the success.”

In addition to the competition, nearly 40 companies send representatives to participate in a job fair. Students that compete in the event are also competing for job offers from top recruiters from across the nation. The NCSC has become an annual hot spot for Fortune 500 recruiters who want to hire the top sales students in the nation.

The UCF Professional Selling Program is one of approximately 40 programs in the country that gives its students real life experience into the world of selling. Just 30 students are accepted each year. For more information on the program, visit the Professional Selling website.