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The 2026 MECC Regionals brought together more than 300 students representing 24 universities across three continents, four countries, and seven locations—all over one Excel-filled weekend. Hosted by seven partner universities and organizations, the event delivered an in-person Excel Esports experience to students around the world.
Participants tackled four 30-minute challenges—Speed, Data, Ninja, and Visual—testing technical ability, logical thinking, Excel proficiency, speed, and creativity under pressure. In total, students completed more than 600 hours of Excel casework, highlighting the growing depth and excitement of Excel Esports.
The Regionals served as qualifiers for two major competitions: the MECC Team Championship and the Online Regional Winners’ Battle for individual Varsity-level competitors. More than just a stepping stone, the Regionals were a celebration of student achievement, innovation, and the competitive potential of spreadsheets.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The opening event of the Excel-filled weekend kicked off at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Eric Kelley, Professor of Finance and MECC Faculty Fellow, hosted the event for the third consecutive year, continuing his remarkable commitment to bringing engaging Excel education to students.
The event welcomed more than 50 students from six universities. In addition to the competition, participants gained valuable insights during a panel discussion featuring industry leaders, who explored topics such as credit scoring, lending decisions, and financial literacy for students and early-career professionals.
Featured speakers included:
- Rukiya Kelly, Global Head of Corporate Impact at FICO
- Billy Carroll, President & CEO of SmartBank and Member of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Board of Directors
- Thomas Cook, CFP®, EA, Financial Planner and Founder of Retire to Tellico
- Tiffany Gardner, SVP at First Horizon Bank
ADVANCEMENTS:
University of Technology Sydney
Just hours later, the competition continued on the other side of the world at the University of Technology Sydney. Organized by an MECC Faculty Fellow and lecturer Leonardo Fernandez, this marked the second year of the event, bringing together nearly 30 students from three universities.
Alongside the standard Excel Esports challenges, the event featured two guest speakers:
- Julia L. (PwC Australia), who shared a “day in the life” of a professional financial modeller
- Matthew Beard, 2nd place at the MECC Individual Championship 2025, who presented strategies for competing at the highest level in Excel Esports
Matthew, last year’s Sydney Regional winner, came full circle—returning to share his knowledge with the next generation of competitors.
ADVANCEMENTS:
Expanding to Africa: First-Time Hosts
Next, the MECC Regionals expanded to Africa with two first-time host locations—South Africa and Madagascar. These events were especially meaningful, as they took place in the home countries of the 2025 MECC champions.
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria event brought together nearly 30 students. Participants had the opportunity to hear valuable insights from MECC Individual Champion Pieter Pienaar, as well as Microsoft MVP and Excel Esports South Africa founder Renier Wessels.
Excel Esports Madagascar
In Madagascar, nearly 30 students from four universities competed in a highly competitive environment. Competing alongside the reigning Team Champions added both challenge and prestige to the event.
The program also featured sessions from:
- Christian Mbolantenaina, last year’s MECC Team Champion and Madagascar Local Champion
- Ny Tsiory Rakohontanary, lead of Excel Esports Madagascar and Chartered Financial Modeler
Following the African events, the competition moved to the United States, with two simultaneous events in Florida and Connecticut.
University of Central Florida
For the second year, the University of Central Florida hosted the Regionals, led by Interim Program Director Sara Willox. This became the largest event of the weekend, bringing together more than 100 students from five universities.
Sacred Heart University
A new addition to the MECC Regionals, Sacred Heart University hosted its first event under the leadership of Professor Michael Gorman. Nearly 50 students from three universities participated, including a returning team from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, last year’s regional host.
Northern Arizona University
The final event of the weekend took place in Flagstaff, Arizona, hosted by Northern Arizona University. Organized by Christina Drake and Paul Wagner, the event combined competition with valuable learning opportunities.
Participants attended sessions led by:
- Oz du Soleil, Microsoft MVP and long-time MECC supporter
- David Brown, Microsoft MVP and founder of MECC
- Equity Methods
- Finley Dutton-Reid, former MECC participant
A Growing Global Community
Overall, the weekend offered students the chance to showcase their Excel skills at the Varsity level, explore competition in Junior Varsity, connect with like-minded peers, network with potential employers, and learn from industry experts.
MECC is more than just a competition—it is a global community where students can develop their skills and gain a competitive edge for their future careers.
What’s Next?
The journey continues with the Online Regional Winners’ Battle on April 25, streamed live on the official MECC YouTube channel. Viewers will see which region produced the strongest competitor—and who will earn a place in the MECC European Open Finals in May in Amsterdam.
In the meantime, participants can test their skills through training challenges and prepare for the next online event: the Weekend Battle, taking place April 24–26.