Washington State University Global Campus’ official esports team achieved victory in the Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF) conference championships April 5 and 6, earning them a spot in EGF’s national championship tournament.
The team defeated both University of Southern California and University of Texas Arlington, winning three out of five games in the grand finals matchup. The teams competed in the vehicle-based soccer video game Rocket League.
Their victory earned Global Campus the American Conference Championship and the number two overall seed in the EGF national championship beginning April 10. The tournament can be viewed live on EGF’s official Twitch page.
“The team has worked so hard to get to this point, and I’m very proud of them,” said James Hoplin, the team’s coach and Global Campus’ esports coordinator. “All of our team members have displayed great dedication, skill, and team spirit, and they really deserve this recognition.”
If the team earns a spot in the tournament’s “final four,” they will compete at the in-person finals in Atlanta April 27 and 28.
“Our team has had an outstanding season,” Hoplin said. “They have a lot of heart and I know that they have what it takes to go all the way in this tournament.”
Our team has had an outstanding season. They have a lot of heart and I know that they have what it takes to go all the way in this tournament.
James Hoplin, coach and esports coordinator
WSU Global Campus
During the team’s second regular season, they maintained a record of 11 wins out of 16 matches played.
The WSU Global Campus Esports Team, founded in 2022, is the first esports team in the state of Washington created to represent a fully online university campus. Students on the team receive $2,500 scholarships for their participation.
Esports, also known as competitive video gaming, allows students to compete remotely in a wide variety of online video games and gaming platforms. The activity has become increasingly popular in collegiate circles, with many major universities offering valuable scholarships for students to be a part of their competitive esports teams.
“This team has done an outstanding job representing Global Campus, and I know they’ll continue to do so as we continue into the national tournament,” said Hoplin. “Go Cougs!”
