Community and Competition Lead IWU Esports Teams to Success

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Titan players with Illinois Wesleyan’s Esports Program spent the spring semester scoring big at championships, qualifying for nationals
and connecting with each other in the game room.  

The program includes 43 active players, who compete in video game teams including
Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, Valorant and Overwatch. Standout moments for the
teams from the spring semester included Rocket League winning a conference championship,
Smash Bros traveling to 10 events and qualifying for the top 3 in each, Valorant qualifying
for the Great Lakes Esport Conference (GLEC) fall championship, and Overwatch winning
the spring GLEC and qualifying for nationals as well as winning their National Esports
Collegiate Conference and placing second in nationals.  

Director of Esports Cora Kennedy said collegiate gaming is another pathway for students
to engage with each other and find a purpose on campus.

“It gives students a goal to work for, unifies them as a team and creates a community
unlike any other that students can latch on to,” said Kennedy. “It grows students
as people, players and professionals through soft skills such as teamwork, communication,
leadership and problem solving that has become a core part of every type of experience
in esports.”

Psychology major Kyan Geiser ‘28, who plays on the Valorant team, said he played esports
in high school and discovered the IWU esports program while applying to colleges.
The chance to be involved in collegiate esports, paired with financial aid, helped
secure Geiser’s choice to become a Titan. 

Quickly, the esports team became a “home away from home” as Geiser adjusted to life
in college. 

“Having that built-in support system from the esports program made a huge difference
in my success in and out of the classroom at IWU,” said Geiser. “No matter how good
or bad my day was, the fact that I was able to end the day doing something positive
that I love surrounded by people that I love always grounded me.”

Geiser said one common misconception about the world of Esports is that just anyone
could play and win a competition, when in reality it requires significant teamwork,
strategy and communication skills. But he stressed that collegiate esports “is a super
welcoming community.”

“No matter your skill level, we would love to have anyone interested be involved in
some shape or form. We even have academy teams that are made to help people learn
and get better at the game, while still giving them a chance to compete. Everyone
should feel welcome, even if it is just to come say hi,” said Geiser.

Kennedy encouraged anyone who is interested in esports to contact her at ckenned2@iwu.edu. 

Over the summer, Kennedy said technology in the IWU Esports Arena will be refreshed,
summer camps will open to local youth and directors and coaches will attend conferences
to maintain their competitive edge . 

“We have hit our stride as a program and I intend to keep it rolling,” she said.