Esports FAQ

Still have questions? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions about OWU Esports.

What is Esports?

Competitive, organized gaming. Students compete in national leagues, against other colleges, for scholarships and cash prizes. These competitions are streamed and regularly watched by tens of thousands of students on websites likes Twitch.

Is Esports affiliated with NCAA?

The NCAA does not currently provide esports competitions, however, it will still be a "varsity" team. This means that the team will occasionally travel and scholarships are available.

What is NACE and ECAC?

The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) sponsors regular-season collegiate competitions competitions, certifies eligibility, and provides program support to 260+ member schools in the U.S. and Canada for specifically all of OWU's core titles. ECAC(East Coast Athletic Conference) sponsors competition for many of our student driven additional titles play, such as Madden, NBA 2k, Fortnite, Mario Kart, etc...

What games do you play at OWU?

Our program at OWU is "driven by student interest." We do though have certain "Core" titles. These are games that we will almost always be fielding a team in. These are League of Legends, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2, Valorant, and Rocket League.

Are you going to play anything else? You don't play the game I like.

We will field teams in any games that enough students on campus are willing to play, as long as they commit to the time required of being in the Varsity program. Current games we offer from this method are: Mario Kart, Marvel Rivals, Fortnite, NBA 2k, Street Fighter, and Madden.

Will I be able to balance school and esports?

If a student is passionate about playing or competing in video games it is nearly impossible to keep them from doing so. An esports program provides them a regulated structure to pursue their interests and forces them to maintain their GPA. Esports programs also provide an opportunity for students to grow, socialize, compete, and develop a variety of skills that will benefit them throughout their life (communication, empathy, teamwork, leadership, etc.)

Can I play other sports if I join the esports team?

Absolutely. Esports supports students with varied interests and encourages participation in other sports and co-curricular activities at OWU.