ETSU’s esports program has established itself as a powerhouse in collegiate gaming this past season, showcasing remarkable success across prominent competitions and ending with a fall record of 45-20.
ETSU’s Rocket League Blue roster scored first place in their National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) conference regular season before finishing in the top 16 at playoffs.
The Super Smash Brothers Ultimate team ended in the top 32 of the NACE playoffs after snagging second place in the conference regular season.
Rocket League Blue also competed in the Collegiate Championship Series (CCS), finishing their season in the top 16 for CCS playoffs after winning their conference. ETSU’s Rocket League Gold roster also captured second place in the same conference finals.
The Blue roster boasted third place in their Southeast Esports League group, qualifying for playoffs and finishing second overall. Their team also attended the inaugural Collegiate Invitational at DreamHack Atlanta, where they tied for fifth place.
“I think for all of our rosters this semester, the biggest strength I saw throughout the program was a willingness to put in the hard work outside of the game during Video on Demand (VOD) reviews, team meetings and strategy discussions and go the extra mile to ensure their success,” said Jeffrey Shell, esports head coach.
The esports teams are looking forward to the spring season, especially the NACE playoffs, which will compete in-person for the first time ever.
“The expectations for all our rosters will remain the same as they were for the fall season, take each week a day at a time and not get too caught up with the results, but rather the process of improvement across the semester,” shared Coach Shell.
“That being said, our teams are hungry and want to outperform their fall results. Our spring season kicks off on February 3, and our players have been working hard, even over the winter break, to stay in top form so we can hit the ground running.”
ETSU’s varsity teams compete against other universities in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Rocket League, VALORANT, iRacing and Overwatch 2. ETSU also offers a graduate certificate in esports management and an esports minor.
To learn more about esports at ETSU, visit www.etsu.edu/esports.
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
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