Leveling Up: Dickinson State University esports dominates collegiate gaming

Feb. 14—DICKINSON — The Blue Hawks are no strangers to victory on the field or court, but are now making headlines in electronic sports. Dickinson State University's varsity esports team has been making waves in the world of competitive gaming, proving that electronic sports is more than just a pastime. From the battlefields of Fortnight and Rocket League to the high-stakes matches of Valorant, the Blue Hawks have been dominating the scene, cementing their place as a force to be reckoned with.

Beyond the thrill of victory, the program is providing students with the tools they need to turn their love of gaming into successful careers, with two unique esports business degrees on offer. With recent accolades and a growing program, DSU's esports program is putting the spotlight on the exciting world of electronic sports.

In the Spring of 2022, DSU's Valorant team fell short of capturing bronze at the Collegiate Champions League (CCL), finishing fourth.

The Collegiate Champions League (CCL) is a competition for college esports teams across North America, featuring several popular games like Valorant, League of Legends, and Rocket League. The tournament provides a platform for students to showcase their skills and compete against other collegiate esports teams, with the ultimate goal of winning the championship title. The CCL is organized by Mainline, a company focused on building and developing esports communities and infrastructure, and has emerged as one of the premier esports leagues for college students.

By fall of 2022, the Blue Hawks had improved substantially — with the accolades to prove it. From being crowned champions of the CCL, to being in the top 32 in both the North Division of Riot's College Valorant and Collegiate Esports Association (CEA), DSU is building a name for themselves in the esport community.

"Overall I am just really excited about where Dickinson state is headed with esports," Josh Nichols, Esports Coordinator at DSU, said. "Not only is our team performing very well, but we're growing the program exponentially. We are continuing to look for students."

Nichols stated that DSU was the initial public school in North Dakota to adopt esports, and since then, the National Association of Collegiate Esports has grown from a few dozen to over a hundred teams.

In the National Esports Collegiate Conference, the DSU Valorant team remained undefeated before placing second in their regional finals. Eli Egli, their team captain, was designated as an All-American by The National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors.

"Every player showed up today with teamwork, aim and a strong mentality," "Egli said in a previous interview following their regional showing. "It was great to get the win and to defend our title in the spring."

The DSU esports team boasts an impressive lineup, with several talented players who have made significant contributions to the team's success. In addition to team captain Eli Egli, the Blue Hawks have several other skilled players, including Jadyn and Chase Steiner, who bring a wealth of experience and strategy to the table. Wentz Oscar Mosqueda is another standout player, with an innate ability to read the game and make quick decisions that have helped lead the team to victory. Jacob Scully is a familiar face to fans of the Blue Hawks baseball team, but his talent on the esports field is equally impressive. Finally, rounding out the team is Steven Dao, whose unwavering focus and dedication to the game has helped elevate the team to new heights.

Together, these players form a formidable team that is among the very best in the region.

"Right now our big game is Valorant," Nichols said. "Our varsity squad for Valorant is a talented group of people and it is a diverse team. We have a lot of different majors represented... Overall we are just improving as a team. They are growing and getting better skilled , which is also turning into being attractive to more potential recruits and possibly starting a second team. In the upcoming semester."

As the world of esports continues to grow, Dickinson State University's gaming culture is on the rise, and they are embracing all types of gamers. The university's varsity esports team, the Blue Hawks, are gearing up for the coming semesters and plan to compete in a range of popular games, including the ever-popular Fortnite, Rocket League and the highly anticipated Overwatch 2.

Dickinson State University (DSU) is taking a progressive approach to the esports industry. With the rapid expansion of esports in the past few years, DSU is making sure its students are not left behind. It has decided to offer two new business degrees which are specifically designed to cater to the gaming industry.

The first degree being offered is the Bachelor of Business Administration Esports Administration. It provides students with an in-depth understanding of the industry's intricacies, teaching them how to manage the business side of esports. Students will learn about event management, sponsorship, and marketing in the gaming industry.

The second degree, Bachelor of Applied Science Esports and Business, is for those students who are interested in developing a broader skill set. The program provides students with an education in business as well as the necessary technical knowledge and skills required to succeed in esports. The program covers topics like game design, streaming, and content creation, which are the key areas of growth in the gaming industry.

DSU's decision to introduce these two new programs demonstrates the growing influence of esports in the global economy. The university's foresight to provide its students with such programs will undoubtedly provide them with a competitive advantage in a fast-growing industry. These programs will give students the knowledge, skills, and experience required to be successful in esports and contribute to the development of the industry.

"It is really nice for a student to have a marketable degree that is not just an esports focus, because sometimes, like any degree, you never know how you are going to be marketed in the industry, but business degrees are always sought after," Nichols said. "They can really focus and tailor that education specifically to what they want to do in esports. If they want to be a streamer, they can take graphic design and video editing classes. If they want to be an entrepreneur and be the next esports startup, they can take entrepreneur classes and accounting, so it's really tailored to their needs."

To learn more DSU esports competition and degree offerings, Josh Nicols can be contacted by email at joshua.nichols@dickinsonstate.edu

"There are so many opportunities to be involved on campus with gaming," Nichols said. "You don't have to be a rockstar varsity player to be part of DSU esports on campus."