Elon Comm students utilize SURE projects to explore shifting sports landscape

Amid ongoing debates over revenue sharing, legal battles and conference realignment in college athletics, Meghan Logue ’26 spent her summer analyzing the financial consequences of those changes, delving into UNC Charlotte’s athletics program. Her project, “The Financial Impact of Group of 5 Conference Realignment: A Case Study of the Charlotte 49ers,” was featured at the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) poster presentation on July 24 in Snow Family Grand Atrium.

“As a Charlotte native, I’ve witnessed UNC Charlotte’s transformation from a commuter school to a rising force in NCAA athletics,” Logue said. “What surprised me was the significant drop in net revenue, which administrators noted isn’t alarming due to the anticipated long-term benefits of greater media exposure and competitive growth.”

Alex Traugutt, assistant professor of sport management, praised his mentee’s research for combining quantitative analysis and interviews with industry professionals to provide “empirical evidence and practical insight into how realignment affects revenues, expenses and strategic decision-making.” He added that Logue independently coordinated all of her interviews, “demonstrating strong ownership of the project from start to finish.”

Logue, who began her research with Traugutt in spring 2024, plans to expand her work this fall to include the impact of the House v. NCAA case. She said she hopes to present her findings at the 2026 Applied Sport Management Association Conference in Philadelphia.

“Dr. Traugutt has been a phenomenal mentor who encouraged me to explore my genuine interests,” Logue said. “His guidance helped me pivot from a broader topic to a more focused case study that reflects both my passion for collegiate athletics and the future of the industry.”

Logue’s research was one of 56 student projects showcased at this year’s SURE poster presentation, which ranged from sports analytics to global social issues. The annual research symposium provides students with an opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on research, typically during the summer before their junior or senior years.

Among the other presenters was Zeke Petrou ’26, who developed a basketball analytics tool to help coaches make evidence-based lineup decisions. His project, “Evaluating Lineup Efficiency in Men’s Basketball: A Data-Driven Simulation,” explored how player combinations impact team success.

“I have always been very interested in the intersection between analytics and basketball coaching,” said Petrou, a sport management major and Communications Fellow. “Traditional analytics often focus on individual performance, and how players affect each other’s performance is frequently overlooked.”

“My project is more unconventional in that I don’t have any findings,” he added. “Instead, I built a tool designed to support evidence-based lineup decisions and deepen understanding of player interactions and their impact on team success.”

Petrou, an analytics manager for Elon’s men’s basketball team, credited Traugutt and Khirey Walker, assistant professor of sport management, for helping refine his model.

Walker noted that he’s seen tremendous growth from Petrou, whom he taught as part of Elon’s inaugural Sport Experience cohort in Charlotte in fall 2023.

“Zeke always wants to do more, learn more, and just fully immerse himself in this research experience,” Walker said. “As his co-faculty adviser, he is everything you would want in a young researcher.”

Other SURE presentations related to the School of Communications showcased a range of topics:

• Emerson Baker ’27, a redshirt junior on the Elon football team, analyzed athletes’ awareness of the House v. NCAA settlement in “Understanding the Impact: FCS Football Players’ Perspective on the House v. NCAA Settlement.” Walker served as Baker’s research mentor.

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  Samira Khalil ’28, an Elon women’s basketball player, examined how national media outlets cover the WNBA in “The Attention Shift: A Comparative Media Analysis on Coverage of the Women’s National Basketball Association.” With Walker serving as her mentor, Khalil analyzed about 90 national media articles, conducting a thematic study on how publications depict the women’s professional basketball league.

• Lucy McAfee ’26, a double major in exercise science and sport management, investigated how effectively college athletes are being prepared for life after graduation in her project, “Career Readiness in College Athletics: Insights from Student-Athletes and Support Staff.” Professors of Exercise Science Eric Hall and Caroline Ketcham mentored McAfee’s research.
• Merrie Byers ’26, a cinema and television arts major, examined race and reconciliation through her forthcoming documentary, “Building a Bridge: A Documentary About the Friendship of Two Reverends United by Faith.” Nicole Triche, associate professor of cinema and television arts, mentored Byers’ documentary project. Byers’ efforts were highlighted in a recent university release, titled “‘I want to bring hope’: Merrie Byers ‘26 explores friendship through difference in SURE documentary.”
• Evan Smith ’26, a double major in history and cinema and television arts, examined the socioeconomic and political impact of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry in “From Oil to OPEC: Social Injustices, Labor, and Vital Resources in Saudi Arabia.” Waseem Kasim, assistant professor of history, served as Smith’s research mentor.

Together, these projects reflect the curiosity and commitment of School of Communications students to addressing complex questions – whether in sport, media or global politics.