SAVE THE DATE
Get Ready for the Wharton High School
Data Science Competition
The Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative, in conjunction with Wharton Global Youth, is excited to host the 2025–2026 Wharton High School Data Science Competition. Using a comprehensive dataset from a professional sports league, teams of high school students will analyze the data and make predictions based on their findings.
This year’s competition theme centers on ice hockey, giving students the opportunity to explore the fast-paced world of the sport through data-driven insights. From player performance metrics to team dynamics and game outcomes, participants will apply analytical techniques to uncover what drives success on the ice.
This free competition offers students the opportunity to develop data science, teamwork, and problem-solving skills through the lens of sports analytics.
Important Dates
Reasons to Compete
Participating in the Wharton High School Data Science Competition is a fantastic way to develop your data analysis and prediction skills through the lens of sports, all while having fun with your friends. The experience and problem-solving skills you develop through this competition are applicable to your every day life outside of sports analytics.
Additionally, teams that perform the best will be recognized on the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative’s website, which could be a great addition to your resume.
How it Works
Who Is Eligible?
This competition is open to high school students worldwide. “High school” is typically secondary-level (no younger than 14, no older than 18 at the start of the competition), pre-university education, as defined by country (e.g., generally 9th – 12th grade in the United States). We suggest participants have completed Algebra 1. There is no cost to participate.
Get Your Team Ready
Each team should have 3-5 students who are currently enrolled at the same high school. Teams are required to have one advisor, who is an employee of the school or school district the team attends. If the high school has various branches, teams must be comprised of students and an advisor from the same branch.
*In order to comply with privacy rules, each team must designate a student team leader who is age 16 years or older.
Register
Registration opens December 1, 2025. Advisors are responsible for registering their team(s). Students are NOT permitted to register for the competition on their own behalf or on behalf of their team. Teams in violation of this rule will be ineligible to compete.
Analyze
Data will be released to participants in early February. Along the way, we will share videos and other educational resources to help you with this part of the competition.
Questions?
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
If you’re a high school student or teacher seeking additional learning opportunities, please visit the Wharton Global Youth Program to discover the wide range of opportunities designed to educate and motivate pre-collegiate students.
Partner with Us: Sponsorship Opportunities
Hosted by the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative (WSABI) and the Wharton Global Youth Program, the High School Data Science Competition challenges students with progressively complex sports data analytics prompts over several months. Each phase demands data-driven reasoning and culminates in a final round where one overall winner is named.
Last year’s competition brought together 490+ teams worldwide from 30+ countries.
Download our sponsorship deck here to explore opportunities for visibility and engagement. To learn more, contact Tania Rorke, Senior Associate Director of Corporate & Donor Engagement at rorket@wharton.upenn.edu.
We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Corporate Members, who help make our events possible. To see the full list of companies, please visit our Corporate Member page.
Stay Connected
Be the first to hear when registration opens for the next competition, and get updates on deadlines, resources, and highlights from past events.