Real Data, Real Stakes at the 11th Business Analytics Competition

Every spring for the past 11 years, Manhattan University’s O’Malley School of Business has opened its doors to some of the most motivated undergraduate analytics students across the world.  The Business Analytics Competition, known as BAC@MU, has grown from a modest regional gathering into an event that has drawn teams from six countries and 26 U.S. states.  The 2026 edition, held May 18 through 20, welcomed 21 teams and nearly 100 participants for three days of structured competition, professional engagement, and academic exchange. 

The competition is built around a two-phase format designed to reflect the demands of professional analytics work.  In Phase One, teams spend several months at their home institutions analyzing a shared dataset and preparing a research poster summarizing their findings.  Those posters are presented on the first day of the conference before a panel of faculty judges.  Phase Two introduced an element of uncertainty: that morning, teams received an entirely new dataset and research questions and had the remainder of the day to complete their analysis and build a presentation.  Final presentations were delivered on the third day in two rounds before a panel of industry practitioners drawn from organizations including Microsoft, Salesforce, Google, Amazon, Box, and DXC Technology.

This year’s dataset centered on U.S. automobile recall records spanning 2000 to 2025, sourced from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Teams were asked to identify patterns in recall activity, evaluate the severity and nature of vehicle defects, and assess the broader financial implications for firms and markets. The theme was selected to push students toward a wider range of analytical methods.  As Haoran Zhang, Ph.D., faculty member at Manhattan University and co-chair of the organizing committee, explained, “We selected this theme and dataset to challenge students to apply a broad range of analytical skillsets, including statistical analysis and text-based methods.  Students responded with highly thoughtful and innovative analyses, demonstrating strong technical skills and creativity.”

COMPETITION RESULTS/LOOKING AHEAD

St. John’s University claimed first place and the accompanying $5,000 prize.  Manhattan University’s team earned second place and $2,500.  Tecnologico de Monterrey of Mexico took third place and $1,000.  Trinity University, Lehigh University, and Loyola Marymount University were recognized as finalists, and Best Poster honors were awarded to St. John’s University, Rutgers University, and Otterbein University.

Kenneil Laroche, a Manhattan University student competitor, reflected on what the opportunity meant for his team, stating, “Working together helped us understand what it truly feels like to be a data analyst, and we learned so much from how other teams used data to tell clear, persuasive stories.”

Dylan Hahami, a member of the St. John’s University team, described the competition as a concentrated test of everything learned during his undergraduate studies, stating, “This competition provided me with the experience of working under pressure to derive real quantitative industry insights and present them to professionals in the field.  It taught me how to apply an undergraduate degree’s worth of experience within a three-day window against tough competition.”  Hahami will pursue a master’s degree in data science at Vanderbilt University.

Registration for the 12th Annual Business Analytics Competition and Conference will open in the Fall of 2026.  For more information, please visit Manhattan.edu/bac or contact the O’Malley School of Business at mubac@manhattan.edu

***

About Manhattan University

Founded in 1853, Manhattan University is an independent Lasallian Catholic institution located in Riverdale, NY that embraces students of all faiths, cultures, and traditions. The mission of the University is to provide a dynamic student-centered educational experience that prepares graduates for lives of personal development, professional success, civic engagement, and service to their fellow human beings. Manhattan University offers programs that integrate a broad liberal arts education coupled with a concentration in specific disciplines in the arts and sciences with professional preparation in business and engineering, ensuring graduates will excel in their chosen fields. The University consists of the Kakos School of Arts & Sciences, the O’Malley School of Business, and the School of Engineering. For further information, please visit www.manhattan.edu.