UCO Students Win $25,000 at 22nd Annual Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup
June 3, 2026
University of Central Oklahoma students earned top honors at the 22nd annual Entrepreneur’s Cup Business Plan Competition, presented by Love’s Travel Stops, securing a first-place finish in the 90-second pitch and second place overall, with a combined total of $25,000 in awards.
The statewide, collegiate entrepreneurial competition, managed by Oklahoma-based Innovation to Enterprise (i2E), simulates the real-world process of researching a market, writing a business plan and presenting it to potential investors.
Jaylen Rider, a computer science major with a minor in management information systems from Tulsa, Oklahoma, earned top honors in the 90-second pitch competition, receiving a $2,000 cash prize.
Central’s team ASA, which consisted of Rider and Alex Nguyen, a management information systems major from Edmond, Oklahoma, took second place in the high-growth undergraduate division, earning a $20,000 prize. An additional $3,000 was awarded to their faculty advisor.
ASA is an AI-powered platform that provides K-12 educators with real-time, practical guidance on handling classroom challenges, helping teachers make confident, informed decisions in the moment.
To help refine their business, Nguyen connected with UCO’s TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) TEACH program to gather feedback from educators and better understand real classroom needs. Both Rider and Nguyen are participants in UCO’s TRIO SSS program. Rider is also a TRIO McNair Scholar, which provides guidance and mentorship to underrepresented students in preparation for graduate school.
“Jaylen and Alex didn’t just show up to i2E; they took over. Their win is a direct reflection of the newly rejuvenated AI-based Professional Sales program at UCO. We’ve fundamentally re-engineered our curriculum to integrate high-level AI tools and data-driven strategies, and this victory proves that UCO is the future of sales education,” said Mark Steele, adjunct instructor of management at UCO and the team’s faculty advisor.
“We aren't just teaching our students how to pitch; we’re training them to dominate a tech-forward market. Jaylen and Alex’s execution shows that when you pair raw entrepreneurial grit with the most advanced AI sales training in higher ed, you become unstoppable. This isn’t just a win for our team—it’s a signal to the industry that the new standard for sales excellence starts at Central."
The federal TRIO programs include a variety of programs targeted to motivate and support students from low-income/disadvantaged backgrounds, veterans and students with disabilities in their pursuit of a college degree.
Throughout its 22-year history, more than 3,150 students have participated, showcasing 995 innovative ideas and receiving $2.96 million in awards. Since 2005, UCO has competed in 18 consecutive tournaments.
For more information about the Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup, visit www.i2e.org/loves-cup.
For more information about Central’s entrepreneurship and sales programs, visit www.uco.edu/cob.
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Cutline: University of Central Oklahoma students earned top honors at the 22nd annual Entrepreneur’s Cup Business Plan Competition, presented by Love’s Travel Stops, earning a first-place finish in the 90-second pitch and second place overall, with a combined total of $25,000 in awards. Pictured, left to right, Jenny Love Meyer, chief culture officer for Love’s Travel Stops; Jaylen Rider, a computer science major with a minor in management information systems from Tulsa, Oklahoma; Alex Nguyen, a management information systems major from Edmond, Oklahoma; and, Mark Steele, adjunct instructor of management at UCO and the team’s faculty advisor.
