No one will call UNC Greensboro’s Esports community a bunch of “newbs” after this incredible year. Just a few months in, its current teams began blowing past high scores and records in matches against longstanding collegiate players.

Because at UNCG, it’s all about the love of the game.

The 2024-25 academic year became “Year Zero” for fielding varsity-like esports teams at the competitive collegiate levels, and UNCG eclipsed every expectation set before them.

“Each of us possesses a different set of skills that enable us to work so successfully as a team,” says Grace Zobkiw, a high-ranking player in Overwatch 2. “From the smallest tips and tricks to full on gameplay review, each team member has something to offer the others that improves our team performance. We have made so much progress in this way from the beginning of the year to now.”

There are currently two premier esports teams at the University for separate game titles: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Overwatch 2. Made up of 15 students in total, they compete every week across 2-3 collegiate leagues, proving that we are a top esports program in the collegiate landscape.

Esports Team Achievements 

In Year Zero, the Esports team bagged a lot of high scores and wins: 

• UNCG won Spring 2025’s Playfly Grand Championship (a $2,000 prize).
• UNCG beat more than 500 schools to secure the NECC Nationals’ collegiate league and the NACE championships for Super Smash Bros.
• The Overwatch 2 squad placed in the Top 18 out of more than 300 schools nationally in the NACE playoffs.
• The “Smash” team won the “Cavalier Clash” collegiate tournament in Virginia (a $1,300 prize pools).

Furthermore, the team currently has the top-ranked Smash player in North Carolina. Jordan Marelli is in the Top Three on the team and among the Top 150 players in North America. On the Overwatch side, Zobkiw started in the Platinum rank (Top 50%) and is now in High Master Tier (Top 2%).

“The most rewarding part of being on a team at UNCG has been the many social connections I’ve had the opportunity to make,” says Zobkiw. “I have made so many new friends this year because of my time on the esports team.”

They Play to Win, But All in Good Fun 

It may be Year Zero, but the groundwork had already been laid for a successful esports community at UNCG. The Esports club first took shape in 2012 as a League of Legends group. With the opening of the new Esports Arena in 2022, the momentum around the gaming community has held through each year.

As of Spring 2025, the club has around 1,600 members; 120 of them compete across 11 teams. Both teams attended tournaments in New York, Miami, Sandusky, Chicago, and other locations. Moreover, UNCG competes through three of the five big organizations: NACE, NACC, and Playfly.

Zobkiw says, “To any incoming students interested in esports I will say this: It can seem a bit intimidating at first to take a step into the arena, but once you do you will find the friendliest environment on campus. It offers so much, from new friendships to competitive opportunities, and I owe so much of my positive experiences at UNCG to the people there.”

What comes next after Year Zero? Dozens of students are asking about how to get involved. With all that excitement, UNCG Esports has proven they’re ready for the next stage.

And other teams better watch out! UNCG loves a challenge.

Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications; with contributions by Zach Ephlin, UNCG Esports
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications; and Zach Ephlin, UNCG Esports

HUNTSVILLE | UAH Director of Athletics Dr. Cade Smith has announced the promotion of Jordan Warren to head coach of the UAH men’s lacrosse program after being the top assistant for the Chargers over the past four seasons.
 
“I am proud to announce Jordan Warren as the leader of the UAH men’s lacrosse program,” Dr. Smith said. “Jordan is a person of incredible character and work ethic, which has helped mold the UAH men’s lacrosse culture over the past four years. I am excited to see him take the reins of the program and I believe he will continue to make a positive impact for UAH men’s lacrosse and the department as a whole.”
 
Warren has helped the Chargers achieve 29 wins in his time on the UAH bench, including back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2022 and 2023. In 2025, he mentored seven All-Peach Belt Conference honorees for the Chargers.
 
“Thank you to UAH President Dr. Chuck Karr and Dr. Smith for this opportunity to lead the UAH men’s lacrosse program,” Warren said. “I am honored to be named the fourth head coach in team history and I’m very excited for the future of our program. I plan to build on our past success and have a standard of culture that will help us accomplish our goals.”
 
Before Huntsville, Warren grew up in the Cumberland Valley of south-central Pennsylvania.
 
Upon graduation from high school Warren decided to forgo his college offers, choosing to enlist in the United States Marine Corps from 2008-2013. During his five-year enlistment Warren played for the Marine Corps lacrosse team and had the opportunity to play against Ryukyu University of Okinawa, Japan, in 2010.
 
During his enlistment Warren spent three years overseas serving tours to Afghanistan and the Pacific on the USS Bonhomme Richard. While stationed in Camp Pendleton California, Warren coached with the Carlsbad youth lacrosse program.
 
After earning his honorable discharge, Warren left the Marine Corps, enrolling and playing lacrosse at NCAA Division III Houghton College in western New York.
 
Additionally, Warren holds a degree from UAH with a Bachelor of Arts.

AUGUSTA, GA — The Peach Belt Conference has released the 2024-25 women’s tennis Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College.  The team is a part of the PBC’s larger initiative to celebrate the academic achievements of PBC student-athletes.

To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team’s events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.

Barnes & Noble College currently operates more than 1,400 campus bookstores and their school-branded e-commerce sites, serving more than 6 million college students and faculty nationwide. As a strategic partner, Barnes & Noble College is a retail and learning company. The company is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

 

AUGUSTA, GA — The Peach Belt Conference has released the 2024-25 men’s tennis Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College.  The team is a part of the PBC’s larger initiative to celebrate the academic achievements of PBC student-athletes.

To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team’s events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.

Barnes & Noble College currently operates more than 1,400 campus bookstores and their school-branded e-commerce sites, serving more than 6 million college students and faculty nationwide. As a strategic partner, Barnes & Noble College is a retail and learning company. The company is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

 

Paul Capoccia made a name for himself in the worldwide community of Esports and created a video game set for release in the fall.

The 31-year-old from Dunmore says he achieved this by saying yes to opportunities.

Esports — short for electronic sports — involves multiple players and connect people all over the world. Capoccia dove into competitive videos games roughly ten years ago.

“The passion in Esports is really what drove me to it,” Capoccia said.

He connected with people in the industry and landed an opportunity commentating games on an international platform.

He says he remembers thinking: “I love this thing, I love doing it, and, oh my god, there’s actually millions of people out there that also love doing it too.”

The Dunmore native founded the Esports program at Marywood University and also coached collegiate players at Lackawanna College.

After learning a thing or two about Esports team management, he created a video game that immerses players in the behind-the-scenes of managing an Esports team.

Esports Team Manager

Submitted Photo

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The Brain Trust

Capoccia’s company The Brain Trust developed the Esports Team Manager game, set to release in fall 2025.

He describes it as a game within a game, in which players can manage players, finances and more.

“You’ll be playing the role of an owner, GM [or] coach of a fictitious esports team,” he explained. “You might be bringing them to scrimmages, getting scouting reports, trading players, changing the price of the hot dog at the stadium. You do all those sorts of things for this team that you’re managing in the game.”

Capoccia brought in a co-founder from the U.K., hired a few part-time employees and has partners around the globe.

Actual competing teams from North America and the Nordic countries will be featured in the game, he said.

“So it’s largely an international company, even though we’re just in a small office space in my apartment in Dunmore,” he said.

In the future, the company may develop other games and a second version of this one.

“Our goal is just really to be a grassroots effort that grows into something real big,” he said. “And, you know, really build this into a studio that can sustain itself and stay in the area.”

Saying ‘yes’

Capoccia has degrees in english and communications, but says one coding class he took as a student at Marywood helped him gain the skills to be a coder later on.

“The course was built around a book called ‘Introduction to Game Development,’” he recalled. “It’s like riding a bike. I really didn’t forget those foundational best practices.”

After learning more about coding on his own, Capoccia joined the TechCelerator program, created by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, which he described as a massive help.

The ten-week program administered by TecBRIDGE helps entrepreneurs in the early stages of developing a technology-based business.

“Techcelerator, in so many ways, was an opportunity to go, ‘I have this idea, should I quit my job and upheave my entire life to pursue it?’” he said. “For me and for a lot of us… the answer was yes.”

He said yes to the coding class, commentating and coaching Esports, the Techcelerator program and his business idea.

“Saying yes to things opened a lot of doors for me,” he said.

The game can now be wish listed on Steam, which is a way to keep track of the game’s release, and will be available to download for PC this fall.

EMPORIA, Kan. (WIBW) – Esports is thriving at Emporia State University (ESU), where competitive gaming meets community, scholarship, and student success.

With a growing roster of student-athletes and increased scholarship opportunities, ESU’s esports program is quickly becoming a regional standout, both on the screen and in student support.

According to a press release from ESU, currently, 30 to 45 students from a wide range of majors participate in Emporia State’s esports program, which was recently recognized as a Best College Esports Team by College Transitions.

These students compete in several titles, including Super Smash Bros., Valorant, Overwatch, and the highly successful ESU Chess team. Over the past few years, the program has seen significant growth in both participation and student engagement.

“Esports at ESU is more than just gaming—it’s about building a community where every student can belong,” said Leticia Rust, director of ESU’s Cybersecurity Research and Outreach Center, CyROC. “Whether they’re seasoned competitors or new to the scene, students find teamwork, leadership, and a sense of purpose here.”

Emporia State currently offers esports scholarships to about 30 students, with awards of up to $2,000 per year. These scholarships are stackable, meaning recipients can combine them with other academic or financial aid awards.

“Our scholarships are designed to help students pursue their passion while supporting their education,” added Rust. “They reward dedication, skill, and team spirit.”

In recent tournaments, ESU teams have not only performed well but also built lasting friendships and rivalries with other universities.

“As part of Hornet esports, I have met like-minded teammates with the same competitive drive who push me every day to grow and be the best person and player I can be, said Rylan Sears, an Emporia State freshman computer science major from Ottawa. “I’ve gained knowledge and experience in the esports realm, but also learned leadership skills that will help me after graduation and into future positions.”

The program plans to expand opportunities for both in-person and online tournaments in the coming academic year, along with team tryouts this fall —a new chapter for recruiting and growing the Hornet esports community.

Esports is poised for even more momentum in Kansas. The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) is currently reviewing proposals to sanction high school esports statewide — a move that could send more passionate players to programs like ESU’s in the years ahead.

“Esports is the next frontier for student engagement,” said Rust. “As Kansas high schools bring in structured esports programs, we expect a new wave of talented players to look to Emporia State to continue their growth, on and off the screen.”

Emporia State University is hosting a new Esports + STEM Camp this summer, June 16–20, for youth ages 13–18. Campers will dive into robotics, programming, and competitive gaming inside ESU’s state-of-the-art esports arena.

Registration is just $75 and includes lunch, a T-shirt, and access to high-end gaming setups. Scholarships are available, and the deadline to register is June 9.

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