UW-Whitewater Sales Team takes Individual 1st at 2025 International Collegiate Sales Competition

Written by: Gracie Weston 

The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater (UWW) has once again proven its strength on the global stage, delivering an outstanding performance at the 2025 International Collegiate Sales Competition (ICSC)—one of the most prestigious collegiate sales competitions in the world.

ICSC brings together more than 80 top universities from the United States, Canada, and Europe, featuring 160 competitors in the Sales Role-Play event and over 350 students across the Perfect Pitch and Sales Management Case competitions. UW-Whitewater continued its tradition of excellence with a top-tier showing across all events.

Representing UW-Whitewater were four students from the Institute for Sales Excellence:

• Michael Van Offeren (Junior, Finance BBA) – Sales Competition
• Lauryn Seidel (Junior, Management BBA) – Sales Competition
• Alana Lewis (Senior, Marketing BBA) – Perfect Pitch + Sales Management Case
• Abby Zimmerman (Junior, Marketing BBA) – Perfect Pitch + Sales Management Case

The team delivered exceptional results, with Michael Van Offeren earning 1st place overall in the Sales Role-Play competition, placing him at the very top among global competitors. Lauryn Seidel also advanced to the semi-finals, securing a position among the highest-performing students in the world.

With strong performances by Alana Lewis and Abby Zimmerman in both the Perfect Pitch and Sales Management Case events, the UW-Whitewater team collectively earned placement in the Top 5 in the 2025 Collegiate World Cup of Sales University Ranking—a remarkable achievement that reinforces UWW’s reputation as a premier institution for sales education.

The team was led and coached by Dr. Pavan Chennamaneni, Director of the Institute for Sales Excellence at UWW, with Dr. Jimmy Peltier, Sales Team Coordinator, serving in an assistant coaching role.

With our first-place individual finish at the Great Northwoods Sales Warm-Up in October, the UWW Warhawks have now captured first place in both of the nation’s top collegiate sales competitions — a perfect 2 for 2!

Dr. Chennamaneni emphasized the impact of Dr. Peltier’s decades of coaching experience: “Jimmy knows precisely what it takes to compete at the highest level. His instincts for developing talent and his ability to fine-tune performance gave our team a meaningful advantage. We are deeply grateful for the expertise he brings to our program.”

Chennamaneni also recognized the contributions of Dan Herlache, who retired last semester but played a foundational role in the development of UW-Whitewater’s sales program: “Dan built a tradition of success at ICSC, and I had the privilege of learning from him during our past travels to the competition. Continuing that legacy this year feels incredibly rewarding.”

As Director of the Institute for Sales Excellence, Dr. Chennamaneni noted his pride in the students’ performance: “Their professionalism, preparation, and grit continue to elevate UW-Whitewater’s national reputation in sales education. This team has represented the Warhawk community with distinction.”

The coaching team expressed deep appreciation for Dean Paul Ambrose, whose strong support for experiential learning continues to elevate the College of Business and Economics and its students on a national and global scale.

More about the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater CoBE:

Wisconsin’s largest business college, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, is home to the  1 ranked online Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program in the State, of single schools. The College of Business and Economics offers a rich breadth of co-curricular

activities to enhance student development and learning outcomes. CoBE is in the top 1% of the world’s business schools, earning both AACSB and AACSB Accounting Accreditation (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). For more information on the College of Business and Economics, visit uww.edu/cobe or email cobe@uww.edu.

More about the Institute for Sales Excellence at UWW:

The Institute for Sales Excellence, housed within the College of Business and Economics, continues to build UW-Whitewater’s reputation for developing top sales talent through rigorous training, mentorship, and competitive experiences.

The Institute for Sales Excellence supports both the American Marketing Association (AMA) and Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) sales teams in attending regional and national competitions sponsored by their organizations.

Previous competitions have been held in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Chicago, Eau Claire, Michigan, Milwaukee, and other locations.

Above: From left to right, Pavan Chennamaneni, Abby Zimmerman, Michael Van Offeren, Alana Lewis, and Lauryn Seidel proudly represent UW-Whitewater on the international stage at the 2025 International Collegiate Sales Competition.