The Penn State University League of Legends team fell to Point Park University in a matchup on Saturday. With the loss, the team’s record fell to 2-3 overall. The team will look to bounce back and play better in the coming weeks. Read on for more information about the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams.
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Point Park University
The Point Park Pioneers have made their debut in esports. They recently split a pair of matches against Penn College to open up Rocket League competition. The team’s home turf is a 1,450-square-foot building that was formerly used for yoga. It is outfitted with 16 gaming stations. The Pioneers partnered with Extron and RPC Video to create the environment.
Penn State University
The Penn State University League of Legends team has been in the news this season. The Big Ten recently announced that it is sponsoring the first season of collegiate League of Legends. The league will feature prominent Big Ten schools. The Big Ten is one of the oldest Division I athletic conferences in the country and has produced a number of professional athletes. Penn State was not included in the initial list of schools participating in the league, but it is now on its way.
Point Park University’s League of Legends team has also been in the news. In its most recent match, the Panthers fell to Penn State 0-2. This loss puts the team’s overall record at 2-3. The next game is slated for March 30 against the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Despite the great start of the season, the team has not yet won a major tournament. In the NACE season, SSU Overwatch had three losses, a tie, and a defeat. The team’s players included Noah Hall, Lily Gresham, Jeremy Traben, Zach Smith, Gavin Jones, Zephyr, Trenton Fuller, and Jeremy Traben. The team finished last in the NACE playoffs, but there is still hope for the team.
As the only Division I athletics school in the country to create a varsity League of Legends program, Penn State University is well-positioned to be the next big thing. The program launched in 2017 after a student-run eSports club requested a varsity eSports program. Their team won the NACE Overwatch tournament in its inaugural season. The program has a world-ranked gamer on staff in Jeff Wang.
SUNY Canton
The SUNY Canton Esports teams are nearing the end of their fall semester seasons and are looking ahead to the playoffs. The ‘A’ team recently defeated St. Lawrence University 3-0 and the ‘B’ team defeated Cal State Monterey Bay 2-0. The SUNY Canton Esports program has also competed in other games like Rocket League, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Valorant.
SUNY Canton’s esports center opened in August 2018 and features 25 high-end gaming rigs. It also has ergonomic gaming chairs and a streaming studio. The program also plans to recruit more coaches and develop a system for fostering its students’ competitive skills. The SUNY Canton team is not alone, as 40 colleges in the ECAC host esports teams. There are also more than 5,000 student-athletes competing in NAC Esports.
The growing popularity of esports is leading to a growing interest in related academic courses. Penn State and SUNY Canton have both launched video game design courses. The curriculum includes game design, graphics multimedia, animation, and mobile game development. In 2017, SUNY Canton had fewer than 20 students interested in the program, but this year they had over 400 applicants.
In the two previous seasons, SUNY Canton finished 7-16-2, but last season they swept #8 Plattsburgh State to win their first-ever ranked game. Additionally, the team’s recruiting class was ranked 13th in the nation by Neutral Zone. Additionally, Pietrangelo previously served as Assistant Director of Intramural Sports at SUNY Canton and supervised several athletic leagues for the student body.
SUNY Canton’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams
SUNY Canton’s Esports team has had a strong fall semester. The ‘A’ team won the regular season in the ECAC and is still in the playoffs for League of Legends. In addition to League of Legends, SUNY Canton has teams in Overwatch, Rocket League, and Rainbow Six Siege. They are also competing in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Valorant, and Overwatch. While the ‘B’ team has failed to advance beyond the first round, they have continued to impress the crowd with their skill in the esports game.
SUNY Canton has one of the largest gaming facilities in the New York State University system. The 1,800-square-foot gaming arena features 25 high-end gaming rigs, including the largest Alienware installation in New York state.
The SUNY Canton ‘A’ and ‘B’ team in the Penn State League of Legends playoffs finished second and third in the regular season. The playoffs will continue tonight and Wednesday.
Aside from esports competitions, SUNY Canton is also creating esports-related academic courses. Before creating the varsity League of Legends teams, the school launched a video game design curriculum, which includes game design, graphics multimedia, animation, mobile game development, and software development. In 2017, only 20-30 students applied to the video game design program, but this year, there are 400 applicants.
SUNY Canton’s ‘C’ team
SUNY Canton’s esports program debuted in December 2017, becoming the first college in New York State to participate in varsity esports. It is also the first institution in the state to join the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Administrators were surprised by the response from the campus. They have plans to expand the esports program in the future.
SUNY Canton is home to one of the largest collegiate gaming facilities in the Northeast. Their 1,800 square-foot gaming room features 25 high-end gaming rigs. The school also boasts the largest Alienware installation in New York state.
The growth of school esports programs is translating into a rise in interest in related academic courses. In 2017, the school had only 20-30 students interested in game design; this year, it received more than 400 applicants. The program provides a platform for students to learn about game development and the industry.
