View the National Collegiate Sports Analytics Championship frequently asked questions and answers below. Send other questions to Heather_Grover@Baylor.edu and we’ll add answers here.
The Championship Brackets will appear here prior to the event.
What is the NCSAC February 18-19, 2025 schedule?
| February 18 | Tuesday |
| 7:00 | Student breakfast |
| 7:30 | Student orientation |
| 8:00 | Championship begins |
| 8:30 | Pros & Profs breakfast |
| 9:00 | Welcome & Overview |
| 9:45 | Break |
| 10:00 | Professional Development |
| 11:45 | Lunch |
| Noon | NCSAC Uploads Due |
| 12:45 | Move to suites for Round 1 |
| 1-5 | Championship Heats |
| February 19 | Wednesday |
| 8:00 | Breakfast + Network Challenge |
| 9:00 | Final Four: Graduates |
| 10:00 | Final Four: Undergraduates |
| 11:00 | Network Challenge |
| Noon | Lunch & Awards |
| 1:00 | Adjourn |
Getting ready to go to Nashville (February 18-19, 2025) and where to go
- How should I prepare? Judges, participants and professors should carefully read the Study Guide (when released) to know what to expect.
- Parking? TBD.
- Entrance & registration? Check-in and entrance TBA. Meals and business sessions will be in the Lexus Lounge. See below.
- What to wear? Professional dress (read: suits) for students. Daily business or professional attire for judges & professors.
- How many are competing? We expect 20 schools and over 80 students competing. Deadline is January 31, 2025 to register. A registration link is located here.
- Should we follow on LinkedIn so we can see the latest announcements? Yes, click here to follow the NCSAC page.
- Can other faculty or graduate students from participating schools come to observe? Yes, but please register ($50) as we need to account for space, food, and who’s in the building. Deadline is January 31, 2025.
- Where are the heats for each round? In the suites at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN. Rounds 2 and 3 are scheduled for the top of the hour.
The Competition
- Can we use the internet, ChatGPT or other AI to complete analyses in the championship? No. Please have everything you need loaded on your laptop. Do not connect to the internet during the championship from 7:30-Noon Tuesday until you’re ready to upload your presentation.
- Can we use online chat or text on phones when we do the data analysis? No. You may listen to music if your phone is in your pocket/purse.
- Why? Judges will ask if you worked independently and how you ran your analyses. With integrity at the forefront of the NCSAC you want to be able to demonstrate your personal analytical skills.
- How will we get the dataset and NCSAC PowerPoint to use for presentations? Each student will receive a USB stick with the data and the NCSAC PPT template at 7:30 am, February 18. You will bring the USB stick with your presentation to use during the heats in the championship.
- Can professors or others watch the presentations? No, only the students and judges assigned to the heats.
- Do students work together? No. This is like the Olympics where each person competes as an individual in the event. Judges will ask questions to determine if the student worked independently as part of the integrity component of the competition. Judges are then able to evaluate who can analyze and present well.
- Can a student graduating in December still compete in both competitions? Yes, as long as the student is not employed before the championship.
- How do teams win? Among teams with at least 3 students, the average scores of each student’s last heat are used to determine the team winners.
- Can professors watch the presentations in each heat? No, but the Final 4 includes everyone.
- Will students, professors and judges have color-coded name tags so we know who’s who? Yes, that’s the plan. Feel free to bring your own school colors lanyard if you’d like. We’ll have plain ones available.
- Is there free WiFi? Yes, with no need to login at the AAC.
- Do students bring their own laptops to do the analysis? Yes. You may bring an extra screen if feasible. There will be places to plug-in but be sure to fully charge in advance in case you want to sit away from available plugs.
- Where will students analyze the data? A large work room with tables and outlets will be available.
- Where will the Final Four Presentation be held? In the Lexus Lounge.
- Can students use other materials/notes while analyzing the data? Yes, as long as the student prepares and completes the analysis independently. That includes no texting, messaging or other interaction with others from 7:30 am until Noon on the day of the competition.
- What is the presentation format? Students will be placed in heats of 4 in a suite. Each will present for five minutes to the judges in the suite one after another while the others wait in the hallway.
- How will the Final Four be judged? All four students in each division will present in turn. All judges will evaluate the Final Four and the average scores will determine the winners.
