SWOSU Esports Triumphs in Esports Championships

1-771

December 21, 2023

SWOSU Press Release

The Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) Blue Esports team concluded a week-long esports competition from Monday, Dec. 4, to Friday, Dec. 8, at the SWOSU Esports Arena in the Wellness Center on the Weatherford campus.

SWOSU Blue teams celebrated remarkable achievements, as they emerged as National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) champions in Valorant, Super Smash Bros, and Overwatch 2. This earned them an automatic qualification for the NECC national tournaments scheduled for May. Although the SWOSU Blue Rocket League team lost their challenging match that went to game 7 in overtime, the team demonstrated resilience in a hard-fought battle.

“Victory isn’t just about skill. It’s about strategy, teamwork, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Seeing our Overwatch, Valorant, and Super Smash Bros teams win their conference championships is a testament to their dedication and belief in their craft that they work on constantly, said Dr. Hayden Harrington, SWOSU Esports Director. “But this is just the beginning. Champions aren’t crowned by chance, but by the consistent drive to surpass yesterday’s achievements. Each team will savor these wins, learn from it, and gear up to win a National Championship in May.”

The Super Smash Bros match proved to be the most intense, featuring two top five national teams competing for the conference championship. Valorant’s come-from-behind victory showcased the team’s ability to rally and persevere, and the Overwatch match saw a complete domination by the SWOSU Blue team.

Despite Rocket League’s loss in overtime during game 7, the team performed admirably against a strong opponent that had not lost one match all season. SWOSU Rocket League was the sole team capable of securing victories against Kansas State University.

Valorant Team:

Cameron Cochran, Captain, “Sugar Free”

Brian Alvarado, “Clarity”

Aden Stubblefield, “Griff”

Ethan Haikey, “Rekk”

Chase Terry, “Samsara”

Super Smash Bros Ultimate Team:

Tanner McMullin, Co-Captain, “Not_Epic”

Adam Brown, Co-Captain, “Agent A”

Ralph Sartin, “Affergot”

Ethan Henderson, “Edawg”

Timothy Lee, “MrDraco”

Drake Pena, “Big Drako”

Overwatch 2 Team:

Brandon Owens, Captain, “Rizz”

Max Marler, “Pastyy”

Thomas Dyer, “MaxWitherMan”

Hunter Albrightson, “Eden”

Ethan Abrahamson, “Ballter”

Reed Kessler, “Mighty”

Andrew Rogers, “Exo”

Rocket League Team:

Coby de Angelo, Captain, “Coby”

Tyler Kirsch, “SlashrRL”

Elias Rodriguez Gutierrez, “Astro_Boi_07”

Andrew Gordon, “Drue”

“To say I’m proud of the team would be an understatement! These boys worked hard all season and it showed during the championship game with what I feel was one of if not their best performance of the season,” said Overwatch Coach Dakota Dye. “It’s truly an incredible feeling for us to win another conference championship in Overwatch and I’m just again so proud of these guys. We can’t wait to get back in January to start our goal of winning a 3rd conference title in a row and hopefully a National Championship will follow that!”

Esports competitions, such as NECC, provide a crucial platform for students to showcase their talents and compete against other universities. SWOSU has established a program that offers students an opportunity to compete at the highest level.

For more information about SWOSU Esports, visit this page: www.swosu.edu/campus-life/esports.php.

Copyright 2023 Paragon Communications. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.