MEWC
FMWC
TAC
EEO
introduction:
Ryan Yuen already had a solid foundation in Excel before he ever heard of the Microsoft Excel Collegiate Challenge. An actuarial science degree and a data analyst internship had given him more than most students start with. He knew the fundamentals, understood data manipulation, and could navigate a spreadsheet with confidence.
What he had never considered was competing in one.
A single conversation with a friend who was deep into Excel Esports changed all of that. And what followed was a journey that took Ryan from spending too much time with his mouse on map questions he had never seen before, to finishing ninth in the MECC 2025 Championships Individual Final in Las Vegas on his first ever trip to America.
a friend, an idea, and a different way to see excel
Ryan’s introduction to MECC was straightforward. A friend was already heavily involved in Excel Esports mentioned it. But what made Ryan actually sign up was something more personal than a recommendation.
“I was really interested in the idea of turning Microsoft Excel, which I would only use for university and work, into an Esports. I was excited by the idea of being able to use my skills to compete in a high paced environment.”
For someone who had spent years using Excel as a professional tool, the idea of competing with it was genuinely exciting. Not just as a challenge but as a completely different way of engaging with something he already knew and used every day.
strong foundations, hidden gaps
Before MECC, Ryan’s Excel background was stronger than most. Actuarial science had built his analytical thinking. A data analyst internship had given him real world spreadsheet experience. He understood the foundations well.
But foundations and competition are two very different things.
“At that point I would say I was not familiar with making the most out of Excel in terms of using the advanced shortcuts and functions that I would use today.”
MECC has a way of revealing exactly where those gaps are, and doing it quickly. For Ryan, the first competition made that very clear.
a chaotic first competition and the learning that followed
Ryan’s first MECC competition was, by his own description, very chaotic.
“I remember being very lost on some of the questions. I did not have as much knowledge in things like shortcuts or functions so I’d spend a lot of time with my mouse trying to navigate the spreadsheet.”
Then came being very lost on some questions. Grid based problems requiring you to find the shortest path between two points based on specific values. For someone encountering them for the first time mid competition with a clock running, it was certainly a new experience.
“A lot of questions like that I had no idea what to do whatsoever.”
But that is precisely what makes MECC different from any other learning environment. The confusion is not a reason to stop. It is the beginning of the improvement.
The – means the student competed in both levels and scored above the Varsity median, so their Junior Varsity result is not shown.
preparation and what keep him sharp
Ryan’s preparation routine reflects someone who takes competition seriously and knows exactly what works for him.
“I do a lot of the past cases. I use the Excel Esports Online platform to download the cases and simulate what they would look like in a real competition.”
But what sets his approach apart is his enthusiasm for community made cases, the player built challenges that push Excel further than the official ones sometimes do.
“I feel like compared to the official ones they push the limits of Excel one stage further and I’m always surprised and impressed by all the crazy things that people make.”
It is the mindset of someone who is not just practicing for the next competition but genuinely fascinated by what Excel can do when pushed to it’s limits.
las vegas and a ninth place finish nobody saw coming
Of everything Ryan has experience through MECC, one moment towers above the rest. The 2025 MECC Championships in Las Vegas. His first time in America. A competition he entered with very little expectation.
“I was really surprised when I did well in the qualifying round and ended up ninth in the finals.”
Ninth place in the MECC Individual Championships Finals. On his first visit to the country. In his first year competing at that level. The results was remarkable but it was not what stayed with him the most.
“The thing that stuck with me the most is the experience of being on stage in front of a massive crowd and the atmosphere was really amazing as well.”
That moment, standing on a Las Vegas stage in front of a live crowd competing in Excel Esports, is exactly what Ryan had imagined when he first heard about MECC. And experiencing it made him want more.
what mecc changed and what comes next
Before MECC, Ryan saw Excel as a tool for data manipulation and financial modeling. A useful and familiar tool but a limited one. Competing in MECC completely rewired that perception.
“Since competing in it and learning about what you can do with Excel, I feel like you can model almost anything and a big part of the fun is trying to figure out how to model this really big problem within a spreadsheet with a few functions.”
When asked what MECC gives students that they cannot find anywhere else, Ryan’s answer get to the hear of why the competition is unlike anything else available to students today.
“The biggest thing I’ve gained from MECC is the motivation to keep improving myself. MECC is a really unique combination of needing useful skills that you would need in a real job and having an environment that’s so competitive and gamified. Both of those things have kept me motivated to keep learning new things.”
His message to any other student sitting on the fence is as direct and honest as the rest of his story.
“There’s genuinely nothing you can lose from just signing up. You do not have to be an Excel expert at all to join. I was not an expert at all when I first entered and I feel like you can really see yourself improve really quickly by just doing cases and engaging with the community of a bunch of Excel nerds that just love the process of using Excel and trying to make the most out of it.”
Ryan came to MECC with a solid Excel foundation and an open mind. He left his first Las Vegas Championships in ninth place. Now competing in both MECC and MEWC competitions, his journey is proof that Excel Esports offers limitless opportunities for students to build their skills and succeed.
With the MECC Championships in Las Vegas in December, the next stage is already within reach.
Watch the Full Interview
Hear more about Ryan Yuen’s story and the full journey he’s had with MECC so far!