JONESBORO – With its first national title in hand, the Arkansas State University Eports team is looking forward to future team play. The team recently brought home a National Esport Collegiate Conference (NECC) championship, marking the first time the team has competed for a national title.
“Winning a divisional championship in either semester guarantees a spot in the national tournament,” said Fielding Beck, Esports director.
He said the team has improved over the past two semesters.
“In the fall, the Rainbow Six team went 3-4 and lost in the quarterfinals. This spring, the team went 6-1 and won their divisional playoff, clinching a spot in nationals,” said Beck, a Collierville native who graduated this spring with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
Rainbow Six Siege is a “team-based video game with fast-paced tactical battles.”
The A-State Rainbow Six team is made up of six players, including Beebe native Tucker Oxner, a senior information systems and business analytics major; freshman psychology major Vincent Valenti of Brooklyn, N.Y.; sophomore exercise science major Jackson Facello of Memphis; freshman information systems and business analytics major Tra Guthrie of Wynne; junior radiological sciences major Geoffrey Schaefer of Malvern, and Beck.
In Esports, Beck said that each semester is considered a season. Earlier this year, he said the team traveled to Colorado to participate in a local area network (LAN) tournament where players compete on the same physical network. They participated in a tournament called “Siege Showdown.”
“They competed against semi-pro level and other collegiate teams there,” he added.
Any full-time A-State student is eligible to participate in the Esports team.
“All skills are encouraged to attend tryouts, as rank often does not equal skills within a game. Not to mention, once you are on a team, you will participate in practices and work on improving with teammates. We have seen low-rank players play huge roles on some championship games,” Beck continued.
The A-State Esports team has won several other championships, including the 2022 League of Legends, where they won a divisional championship.
Other games the team participates in including: Valorant, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Splatoon, Super Smash Brothers, Counterstrike, and Marvel Rivals.
press release
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