The Sports Analytics Club had a highly engaging and productive Fall 2025 semester, holding weekly meetings and welcoming a diverse group of new members ranging from first-year undergraduates to graduate students. The club embraced a wide mix of activities to build community and foster interest in sports analytics, ensuring that each meeting offered something new. Some gatherings focused on relaxation and connection—whether through playing casual sports, competing in Jeopardy-style trivia, sharing spirited Hot Takes, or watching postseason baseball together.

Beyond social events, the club continued to prioritize skill development, offering hands-on workshops that walked members through the full sports analytics workflow. These sessions introduced students to essential steps such as data gathering, cleaning and wrangling data, constructing summary statistics, and creating effective visualizations. Members also participated in a mini data challenge, where they attempted to build predictive models on an unfamiliar sports dataset; this was an opportunity that allowed them to apply newly learned analytical techniques in a competitive and collaborative setting.

The semester also featured two guest speakers who brought valuable real-world perspectives. The first was the Statistics Department’s own Dr. Jason Osborne, who presented his research on the effects of different baseball ballparks, giving an inside look at how environmental factors can influence game outcomes. Later in the semester, the club welcomed Mr. Jackson Hayzlett, a former analyst for NC State Men’s Basketball. Hayzlett shared insights into his path into the sports analytics field, as well as stories from his time working with the team, including his experiences during the 2024 ACC and NCAA tournament run.

Members also enjoyed an off-campus club outing to a Carolina Hurricanes NHL game — a highlight of the semester that gave new and returning members alike the chance to bond outside the classroom. All of the fall’s activities culminated in the club’s Project Presentation Day, where members showcased original sports analytics research projects developed using skills built throughout the semester. These presentations reflected both the growth of individual members and the collaborative spirit at the heart of the organization.

Students interested in joining the Sports Analytics Club or attending future meetings are encouraged to contact sportsanalytics@ncsu.edu to be added to the club’s email list for updates and information.