By Jennifer Wibisono
University Canada West proudly took home second place at the 37th annual national MBA Games, which it also had the honour of hosting from January 3 to 5 in Vancouver. The event brought together more than 300 MBA students from 14 universities across Canada, showcasing exceptional talent, teamwork and leadership.
The MBA Games, launched in 1988 by Queen’s University, is Canada’s largest MBA competition, blending academic case challenges, athletic games and spirited team-building exercises.
This year’s theme, “Digital Equity: Closing the Chasm,” placed a spotlight on the next generation of leaders and their innovative approaches to the digital divide. Competing students showcased their emerging talent and fresh solutions to develop practical solutions for open, secure and free digital business systems.
As part of the MBA Games, competing schools raised $29,320 in funds for Canada Learning Code, a national non-profit dedicated to equipping individuals who have historically been and continue to be marginalized and underrepresented in tech with confident tech skills.
Entering the competition as reigning champions, UCW demonstrated excellence by delivering standout performances in the academic, athletic and spirit events.
“We’re incredibly proud to have hosted this prestigious competition and to have our students shine on such a significant stage,” said Enzo Ozawa, Program Lead, MBA Competitions. “This event showcased the transformative power of collaboration and competition. Our students’ passion reflects their dedication, leadership and vision for the future.”
The UCW team included:
- Abbas Adah – Athletic
- Ananya Sandra – Academic, Spirit
- Anh Pham – Academic, Spirit
- Ankita Shah – Athletic
- Bernard Boakye-Yiadom – Academic
- Brad Sherwin – Coach, Athletic
- Chathuri Hashani – Athletic, Spirit
- Francisco Javier Álvarez García – Athletic
- Harindran Mohana Kumar – Athletic
- Kaif Ali Khan – Athletic
- Ngoc Trang Nguyen – Academic
- Noshaba Zaki – Academic, Spirit
- Olaoluwa Opaola – Academic
- Oliur Rahman – Academic
- Orietta Carbajal – Athletic
- Premashankar Thananjay – Academic, Spirit
- Ritu Maandey – Academic
- Rixin Jurmi – Athletic
- Rodrigo Nicolás Moraga Grandon – Athletic
- Sergio Barreda – Co-Captain, Athletic, Spirit
- Shantu Parmar – Coach, Academic
- Sharjeel Yunus – Academic
- Suzanne Dane – Coach, Academic
- Tanyia Tanyia – Academic
- Teniola Shonubi – Athletic
- Wanasinghe Mudiyanselage Kaavya Poojani Bandaratilleke – Athletic
McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business finished first overall and will host the competition in 2026.
UCW’s journey to the 2025 MBA Games was nothing short of historic. In 2024, the University became the first institution to simultaneously hold both the national and BC MBA Games trophies at the same time. UCW also hosted the BC MBA Games in October.
“It was amazing to win the 2024 MBA Games, and what followed was intense preparations to host more than 320 top MBA candidates from top MBA schools across Canada. The weekend was filled with participants showing their passion, ranging from intellectual prowess to teamwork and leadership on the courts,” said Urvish Subodh, MBA Competitions Program Head.
The MBA Games remain a vital platform for empowering tomorrow’s business leaders, inspiring them to tackle the challenges of today while shaping the future of a connected and equitable world.
The participating schools in this year’s MBA Games were:
- Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University
- Faculté des sciences de l’administration, Université Laval
- Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta
- McGill Desautels, McGill University
- Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary
- Goodman School of Business, Brock University
- DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University
- Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
- Asper Business School, University of Manitoba
- Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
- HEC Montréal, HEC Montréal
- Bob Gaglardi School of Business, Thompson Rivers University
- University Canada West
- Vancouver Island University
Selection for the 2025 BC MBA Games and 2026 national MBA Games will start soon, so stay tuned for updates.
UCW would like to thank Brad Sherwin, Shantu Parmar, Suzzane Dane and Cheryl Thomas for stepping in for the year to mentor the team. Urvish Subodh will resume the position of Head Coach to lead the UCW MBA Games Team at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island in October 2025 and DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in January 2026.
