Seniors Hailey King and Hailey Struthers entered the 2025 National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC) in Kennesaw, Georgia, as self-proclaimed “underdogs.”

Competing with a “sense of hunger” less than three weeks after disappointing results at a smaller competition, King and Struthers topped more than 70 colleges from across the country to claim the coveted NCSC championship for Illinois State University.

“I just remember hugging Hailey so tight,” King said, recalling when award winners were announced. “I felt my ears start ringing a little, and I couldn’t process anything because it truly was a surreal moment.”

Hosted by Kennesaw State University March 7-10, NCSC is an annual event that draws more than 140 students and challenges teams of two from each competing college to analyze complex business challenges, develop customized solutions, communicate the value of the product or service they are selling, and overcome buyer objections to close a sale within 20-minute role-play scenarios.

“The National Collegiate Sales Competition is the most prestigious and longest-running sales competition in the nation,” said Dr. Duleep Delpechitre, a professor of marketing in the College of Business who coaches Illinois State’s professional sales team, which also won the 2019 NCSC title.

Student performances at NCSC are evaluated and ranked by corporate executives and scholars using an objective, rubric-based scoring system, with top scorers advancing through the competition’s four rounds. King and Struthers were the only team to have both of its individuals qualify for the NCSC semifinals, where King placed second overall.

“This is what life will look like when we go on to pursue a career in sales,” King said. “Every single client interaction is going to look different, because everyone has different needs, perspectives, goals, and challenges, and being able to adapt to those is the No. 1 skill that took the most practice.”

The journey to a national championship for King and Struthers, both marketing-professional sales majors, began last fall when Delpechitre invited them to represent Illinois State at NCSC.

“Dr. D (Delpechitre) pulled us into a meeting and said, ‘I see something in you guys and would love for you to do this. But it’s going to be a lot of work. This what you’ll be doing for the next 2 1/2 months,’” Struthers recalled.

Without any previous sales competition experience, King and Struthers relied on Delpechitre’s expertise. When they returned from winter break, the trio began practicing for more than an hour each day leading up to the competition.

“We did some really, really challenging role-plays,” Struthers said. “Every single role-play was different. (Delpechitre) would always throw a different scenario at us with different objections. We felt like we had seen everything. So, by the time we got to NCSC, even though the role-plays got harder as it went on, there was nothing we hadn’t seen before.”

Delpechitre said King’s and Struthers’ work ethic and their “relentless pursuit of excellence” differentiated them from the competition.

“Beyond preparation, what truly made Hailey and Hailey stand out was their coachability and ability to learn quickly,” Delpechitre said. “They were highly receptive to feedback, actively listening and implementing advice to fine-tune their performance. Their adaptability allowed them to adjust their approach based on constructive criticism, making them stronger competitors with each practice session.”

Less than two weeks before NCSC, King and Struthers put their newly sharpened skills to the test at a smaller sales competition in New Orleans.

“We did not do great in that first competition,” King admitted. “We were like, ‘Wow, if we can’t do well at a small-scale competition, who’s to say we’re even going to make it past the first round at NCSC?’

“But I can’t even tell you the amount of work that went into that turnaround time between that first competition and NCSC—those 2 1/2 weeks,” King continued. “We had a hunger and a drive to prove ourselves wrong, and I think we did just that.”

At NCSC, King and Struthers cruised through the first two rounds and into the semifinals, consisting of just 16 remaining students. King was among the final four competitors to qualify for the championship.

Struthers helped King prepare, waking up at 4:30 a.m. before the final round.

“We were listening to music, and she gave me a pep talk,” said King, who competed at 9:30 a.m. “I don’t think I would have been as calm without her.”

Watching a live stream of King’s championship-round performance from a packed auditorium, Struthers was on the edge of her seat.

“I was writing down every single thing that Hailey was hitting,” Struthers said. “She hit the rubric, and she sounded amazing. She has a way with words. And she built really nice rapport with the buyer at the beginning in a unique way.”

King exited the championship room to a standing ovation.

“What I’m most proud of is that I was able to let my confidence shine through,” King said. “When you’re walking into a room and you have no idea what to expect, and the scenario is tough and the buyer is going to be challenging, letting yourself shine is something that I tried to carry with me through the entire competition.”

In the weeks following NCSC, several companies contacted King and Struthers to congratulate them and gauge their interest in potential postgraduation careers.

“We’ve created a network for life,” King said. “I can see myself benefiting from this experience for decades to come.”

Delpechitre said King’s and Struthers’ NCSC championship was “no accident.”

“Their victory is a testament to their exceptional skill set, hard work, and ability to perform at the highest level,” Delpechitre said. “This win is not just about a title—it’s a reflection of the caliber of talent at Illinois State University’s sales program and the future impact these students will make in the business world.”

Another College of Business victory

In addition to success at NCSC, Illinois State University’s College of Business team won this year’s Selective Insurance Company’s Insurance Agency Management Competition for the second consecutive year. During the five-week, online competition, teams from seven top colleges with insurance programs competed in a business simulation where they functioned as the management team running an insurance agency.