Baruch College Wins First Place at 2026 Rotman International Trading Competition
February 26, 2026
Students from Baruch’s Master of Financial Engineering program have won nine of the last 15 global trading competitions held annually at the University of Toronto.
“The 2026 Rotman International Trading Competition was like no other prior event,” said Dan Stefanica, co-director of Baruch’s Master of Financial Engineering (Baruch MFE) program.
In a thrilling come-from-behind effort, the Baruch MFE team surged ahead to capture first place at the February 19-21 global trading event, marking the closest finish in RITC’s 22-year history.
The victory—which brings home a $5,000 prize—is Baruch MFE’s ninth world championship, including eight in the past 11 years.
More than 35 teams representing universities from North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia traveled to the University of Toronto to compete in fast-paced, real-time market simulations from volatility trading to algorithmic execution, and macroeconomic strategy.
‘Our Students Always Rise to the Occasion’
For this year’s team, RITC was a first-time experience.
Baruch MFE team members Sam DeCoster, Yueqi Rose Lin, Zhi Eliam Lin, Lorenzo Senatori, Shikai Yi, and Tianxiao Andy Wang won two of the competition’s five cases—volatility trading and liquidity risk—and placed in the top five in three additional events.
“I could not be prouder of how the students performed, demonstrating extraordinary focus and discipline under pressure,” said coach Jarrod Pickens, PhD, professor of mathematics in Baruch’s Weissman School of Arts and Sciences which houses the Baruch MFE program.
“We start with a new team every year, and our students always rise to the occasion.”
Stefanica added that more than 60 alumni have won RITC.
For the last few years, the Baruch MFE team has received generous support and sponsorship from Virtu Financial, a leading global financial services firm and a strong employer of Baruch MFE graduates.
A Global Leader in Quantitative Finance
Baruch MFE’s success at RITC reflects the rigor and real-world focus of the program.
Risk.net recently ranked Baruch MFE as the best financial engineering program globally for the third consecutive year. In addition, QuantNet’s 2026 rankings placed it #1 among quantitative finance programs in the U.S.
These top rankings reflect the program’s exceptional career outcomes, close-knit alumni community, and distinguished faculty with deep industry experience. The Baruch MFE program maintains a 96 percent offer acceptance rate and a 100 percent employment rate at graduation, with students securing positions at leading financial institutions worldwide.
Discover how the top-ranked Baruch MFE program prepares the next generation of quantitative finance leaders to compete—and succeed—on a global stage.
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