MSBA-SA Program Wins Over Student Athletes
Author: Bryan Fields
Ideal for Student Athletes Pursuing a Career in Sports
Xavier Watts – ND Football, MSBA-SA ’24
Student athletes are choosing the one-year Master of Science in Business Analytics-Sports Analytics (MSBA-SA) program because it lets them make a career of their passion, and meets their special needs. Students learn the business side of sports and how to use data to help teams and companies make better decisions. The program culminates in capstone projects where student teams work with company sponsors from a variety of industries to deliver solutions to real-world challenges the companies face.
Ramon Henderson – ND Football, MSBA-SA ’24
The program is specifically tailored to appeal to student athletes. First, it gives them valuable skills and experience that allows them to make sports their career. Second, coursework is spread over an extra semester, from summer through spring, lessening athletes’ class load in the fall and spring to accommodate their training and game schedules. This consideration has earned praise from former student athletes, with several incoming students saying word from teammates convinced them to join the program.
Student Testimonials: Athletes on the MSBA-SA Program
“Conversations with past students intrigued me,” said ND football player Xavier Watts, who earned his visual communications design degree with a computer science minor at ND. “I want to be around tech so this works for me in different paths. I have experience with coding as well so I’m not at a disadvantage.”
Another ND football player, Ramon Henderson, sociology major with a business administration minor at ND, agreed. “This program will help me where I want to go, into consulting. Being an analyst would be great. I have some analytics experience and heard good things about the program.”
Quinlan Murphy – ND Football, MSBA-SA ’24
Quinlan Murphy, ND football player who earned his undergraduate degree in finance at ND, agreed that word of mouth and the program’s flexibility won him over. “Prior teammates recommended the program. I always knew I wanted to continue my education but getting an MBA conflicted with my football schedule. I thought the skills I learned in business analytics would apply to a future in finance. It also gave me another year at ND.”
Casey Kmet – ND Baseball, MSBA-SA ’24
Casey Kmet, ND baseball player, earned his undergraduate degree from ND in management consulting and said he heard from teammates that the things he enjoyed in that program would also apply in the MSBA program. That included continuing to learn from the program’s academic director and assistant teaching professor Brandon Erlacher.
“I liked the group work,” he said. “I liked being with like-minded people and the collaboration. Students from the first year the program was offered said they loved it. Plus, I had Brandon as an undergraduate and I liked him so much I wanted to be in this program.”
Like the others, he also knew the program would help him reach his goals by keeping up with business trends. “I want to get into football as a career and people have said football is getting more into analytics, so the industry is moving in that direction.”
Learn more about how the MSBA-SA program equips student athletes for a career that lets them live their passion.
