Business students to get hands-on experience, professional development through K-State Sales Team

Front row, from left: Blake Burleson, Zoey Stec, Suzy Matulis, Kiera Rader, Hailey Rozell, Halle Hartner, Sara Smith and Dawn Deeter. Middle row: Ed Nowlin, Gavin Hottovy, Ethan Bray, Ashley Ward, Brendan Follis, Elizabeth Enos, Abby Rawson and Addi Fogarty. Back row: Kellie Jackson, Dylan Cooper, Drew McGinn, Sam Swickard, Noah Ricks, Blake Warner, Bryce Disberger, Cuyler Kietzmann and Mike Krush. | Download this photo.

By Ruthie Gergeni

College of Business Administration

Twenty-one Kansas State University students will have the opportunity to enhance their professional skills and compete in national competitions as new members of the K-State Sales Team.

The team is part of K-State's National Strategic Selling Institute, or NSSI, which strives to provide sales students with opportunities to broaden their professional development skills outside the classroom and prepare for a career in any sales organization.

This year, NSSI hosted team tryouts that were sponsored by Shamrock Trading Corporation. Throughout the event, students participated in up to four rounds, competing against each other for student merit awards and ultimately interviewing for a spot on the K-State Sales Team.

"This year marks an exciting new chapter for our program with a record-breaking 21 students on the sales team — the largest in our history," said Dawn Deeter, NSSI director and K-State Sales Team coach. "With our expanded structure, faculty coaches are now leading specialized training for different competitions, allowing students to receive more personalized coaching and development. I'm thrilled to see such a strong group of driven, adaptable and eager students represent K-State, and I look forward to watching them grow and compete on a national stage."

The following students were selected as competitors for the 2025-2026 K-State Sales Team:

Sam Swickard, junior in finance, Bucyrus; Sara Smith, sophomore in management, Clay Center; Blake Warner, freshman in marketing, Lawrence; Dylan Cooper, sophomore in agribusiness, and Suzanna Matulis, freshman in professional strategic selling, both from Lenexa; Addison Fogarty, freshman in marketing, Olathe; Brendan Follis, freshman in marketing, and Gavin Hottovy, sophomore in professional strategic selling, both from Overland Park; Ashley Ward, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Paola; Drew McGinn, junior in professional strategic selling, Sedgwick; Ethan Bray, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Spring Hill; Blake Burleson, junior in professional strategic selling, Wichita; Abby Rawson, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Kansas City, Missouri; Elizabeth Enos, junior in professional strategic selling, Platte City, Missouri; and Noah Ricks, sophomore in finance, Plano, Texas.

The following students were selected as peer coaches for the team:

Zoey Stec, senior in personal financial planning, Atchison; Halle Hartner, senior in professional strategic selling, Belleville; Kiera Rader, junior in professional strategic selling, Overland Park; Cuyler Kietzmann, junior in professional strategic selling, Tonganoxie; Bryce Disberger, senior in finance, Wamego; and Hailey Rozell, senior in professional strategic selling, Round Rock, Texas.

The K-State Sales Team is exclusively sponsored by Ninja Selling, a proud corporate partner and longtime supporter of the National Strategic Selling Institute. The team will begin their travel in the fall and participate in up to five regional and national sales competitions hosted by universities from across the nation throughout the academic year. Follow along via LinkedIn to watch the success of the team over the next year.

For more information on the K-State Sales Team, please contact Karah Hildebrand, at khild@k-state.edu or visit cba.ksu.edu/nssi.

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