Since its inception in 2018, Randolph-Macon College’s eSports program has grown enormously, and it now boasts a new space—the eSports Arena—where participants train and compete.

Strategy, Speed, Skill
eSports is a form of computer-based competition across a variety of video games that showcase gaming strategy, speed, and skillful execution. RMC’s eSports Arena, located on the mezzanine of Brock Commons, opened on August 26, 2019. RMC eSports athletes use the Arena to train and compete in the six games that Randolph-Macon currently fields in intercollegiate competition: League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Rocket League, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and Fortnite.

Generous Donors
Construction of the Arena was made possible by the generosity of the late Macon Brock ’64 and his wife, Joan, through the Brock Venture Fund. Velocity Micro donated the eight custom gaming computers that eSports athletes use to train and compete. This year, Velocity Micro will donate an additional eight custom gaming computers. eSports participants also use Corsair peripherals (mice and keyboards) and Arctis Pro headsets.

Worldwide Popularity
RMC is a member of The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and proudly competes with a 35-member team of students from a variety of academic disciplines and backgrounds. eSports athletes enjoy nationwide competitions and great community support thanks to a program that is fast-paced, challenging and exciting for both players and spectators.

eSports Leadership
During the eSports Training Camp, which took place August 23 – 31, 2019, eSports athletes participated in a rigorous schedule of events. The training camp consisted of practice time for each eSport; selection of competition team compositions; leadership training and certification by the BB&T Leadership Institute; sessions about wellness and academic success; team meetings to discuss goals and strategy; and team-building activities.

Six students serve as captains for their respective eSports: Richard Banach ’20 (League of Legends); Sydney Hall ’22 (Overwatch); Will Coley ’22 (Hearthstone); Jared Maunz ’20 (Rocket League); Jacob Hess ’22 (CS:GO); and Mark Link ’20 (Fortnite). James McGhee, assistant dean of Student Affairs, explains that eSports at RMC began as a League of Legends club.

“It grew into the eSports program thanks to interest from prospective students, current students, alumni, and college offices,” says McGhee, who was recently voted by The National Association of Collegiate eSports to its Board of Directors. “In the first year of the program, in fall 2018, we competed in four eSports,” he says. “Thanks to the generosity of the Brock Venture Fund and Velocity Micro, we were able to build the eSports Arena and outfit it with top-notch equipment. We will compete in six sports in 2019, and we’ll soon be hiring an eSports director.”

Teamwork + Camaraderie
Aharon Davidson ’20 (accounting major) says, “The thing I enjoy the most about eSports is meeting new people. eSports gives me the chance to be competitive and be part of a team.”

Teammate Sydney Hall ’22 (computer science major) enjoys the sense of community that comes with eSports. “Nothing is better than winning a game surrounded by your teammates. It has been wonderful to see the program grow over the past year, and I look forward to seeing it continue to succeed.”

Matthew Archer ’23 (business major), who has long enjoyed sports, says his interest in eSports evolved over the past few years.

“I think the Arena is awesome,” he says. “I really enjoy being able to spend time in it. It is a step up from anything I had ever played on before, which has helped my gaming skills.”

Live Streaming + Social Media
RMC streams competitive play on its Twitch channel. Twitch is a live streaming video platform allowing for anyone across the globe to tune in and watch eSports competitions. The RMC Twitch channel allows viewers to watch any current streaming match and access all previously recorded matches. Visit the online schedule of streaming matches, and be sure to follow the team’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.