LAS VEGAS, NV — The winners of the 2025 Construction Management Competition were revealed by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) at the ABC Convention 2025 in Las Vegas on February 27. Clemson University, representing the ABC Carolinas chapter, emerged as the overall winner, securing the highest total points across the five competition categories. This year, 34 teams of undergraduate students from colleges and universities nationwide competed.

Clemson University earned a place in the top three for both safety and overall achievement. The University of Central Florida, affiliated with ABC Central Florida’s student chapter, secured second place overall, excelling in estimating, project management, and quality control. Pennsylvania College of Technology, representing the ABC Keystone chapter, came in third place overall and earned recognition in the estimating, project management, and safety categories, as well as being named the 2024 Student Chapter of the Year.

“Our industry desperately needs skilled, experienced young construction professionals who can rise to the challenge and solve problems so that contractors can build with excellence,” said David Pugh, Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors for 2025. Pugh, who is a partner at Bradley in Birmingham, Alabama, continued, “This competition gives future industry leaders that type of valuable, resume-building experience while simultaneously helping them achieve their construction career dreams. I am excited to see how these bright leaders contribute meaningfully to the industry throughout their careers.”

The Challenge

Four-person teams tested their construction project leadership abilities by tackling a real-world construction management project. This year’s challenge focused on the MiraCosta Health and Wellness Hub, located on a 27-acre site at the eastern end of MiraCosta College’s Oceanside Campus in Oceanside, California. The project includes a state-of-the-art 30,000-square-foot gymnasium, a 27,000-square-foot Allied Health Building, and site enhancements such as new concrete, landscaping, and walking paths.

The scope also encompasses the development of a new gym to replace the current building and a new health building to house various health programs and services.

Real-World Problems

Amanda Fry, Project Manager at Hensel Phelps, one of the largest general contractors in the U.S., volunteers as a coordinator for the Construction Management Competition. “We aim to make things as real as possible for the competitors,” Fry explained.

Students, all studying aspects of the construction industry, spend months developing proposals that can span between 100 to 300 pages. These proposals include estimates, scheduling, project management plans, quality control, safety plans, and more. A live presentation is given to a panel of judges for evaluation.

“Students are forced to confront real-world problems,” Fry said. “The curveball in this competition was the last-minute addition of a parking area,” which created zoning issues and required change orders.

The 2025 edition of the competition saw a record 34 teams, making it the largest in ABC history. Judges came from over 13 different companies, including owners, partners, consultants, and others.

Participating Teams

The 34 teams that participated in the 2024 Construction Management Competition were:

• Appalachian State University, ABC Carolinas chapter
• Auburn University, ABC Alabama chapter
• Ball State University, ABC Indiana/Kentucky chapter
• Clemson University, ABC Carolinas chapter
• Colorado State University, ABC Rocky Mountain chapter
• East Carolina University, ABC Carolinas chapter
• Ferris State University, ABC Western Michigan chapter
• Florida Gulf Coast University, ABC Florida Gulf Coast chapter
• Florida International University, ABC Florida East Coast chapter
• Kent State University, ABC Northern Ohio chapter
• Louisiana State University, ABC Pelican chapter
• Michigan State University, ABC Greater Michigan chapter
• Minnesota State University Moorhead, ABC Minnesota/North Dakota chapter
• Minnesota State University, Mankato, ABC Minnesota/North Dakota chapter
• Mississippi State University, ABC Mississippi chapter
• Norfolk State University, ABC Virginia chapter
• North Carolina A&T State University, ABC Carolinas chapter
• Pennsylvania College of Technology, ABC Keystone chapter
• Prairie View A&M University, ABC Greater Houston chapter
• Purdue University, ABC Indiana/Kentucky chapter
• Seminole State College, ABC Central Florida chapter
• Texas State University, ABC Central Texas chapter
• The University of Alabama, ABC Alabama chapter
• The University of Southern Mississippi, ABC Mississippi chapter
• The University of Texas at San Antonio, ABC South Texas chapter
• University of Central Florida, ABC Central Florida chapter
• University of Cincinnati, ABC Ohio Valley chapter
• University of Florida, ABC Florida Gulf Coast chapter
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette, ABC Pelican chapter
• University of North Florida, ABC Florida First Coast chapter
• University of Northern Iowa, ABC Iowa chapter
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, ABC Greater Tennessee chapter
• University of Wisconsin–Platteville, ABC Wisconsin chapter
• University of Wisconsin–Stout, ABC Wisconsin chapter

All participating teams are members of ABC’s National Student Chapter Network, which connects local ABC chapters to colleges with construction management programs to help build the talent pipeline for the construction industry.

Sponsors

The competition’s presenting sponsor, DEWALT®, is dedicated to empowering the next generation of tradespeople. Additional support comes from Autodesk® Construction Cloud, a leader in construction management software, and Gordian, which offers data-driven solutions for the building lifecycle. The Trimmer Construction Education Fund, managed by ABC, also supports the competition, promoting a skilled and diverse workforce for the construction industry.

For more details on the winners, visit abc.org/cmc.

Originally reported by Contractor.