TAMIU Esports Teams Take Divisional Victories in Overwatch, Valorant
GG, gamers!
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Esports team recently won the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Starleague East 4 Division for Overwatch, a multiplayer, first-person hero-based shooter game.
On Overwatch, the five-person team was named Varsity Plus Champions after defeating Rochester Institute of Technology in a close 3 – 2 finish.
Team members included Rogelio Mendoza, Jay Patricio Murillo, Javier Sanchez, Diego Sifuentes and Ruben Vallejo.
TAMIU Esports was also recognized for winning Varsity Plus Champions in the NACE Starleague East 3 Division for Valorant, a 5v5 hero-based tactical shooter game after beating Keiser University Flagship 2 – 0.
Team members included Ruben Atilano, Jorge Cervantes, Angel De Hoyos, Isaac Muñiz and Christian Saldivar.
Organized through TAMIU's Recreational Sports, Esports allows students to participate in additional recreational activities. Teams currently compete for various collegiate titles under popular gaming titles like Call of Duty, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros., and more.
Spearheaded by University Esports specialist Eric A. Rodríguez, the team victories are due to the collaborative efforts and hard work of team members who often practice five days out of the week.
"These victories bring importance to TAMIU Esports because it continues to place TAMIU on the map in the collegiate world of Esports. These championships allow current and future students to recognize our accomplishments and potentially be a part of Esports if they are interested in trying out," said Rodríguez.
For Sifuentes, a senior Business administration major, the victory resulted from the synergy crafted as players, students and friends.
"Winning this title meant something meaningful because of what it took to get there. I would say it shows our passion as a student and as a player because we are able to maintain our studies while practicing at a high level of play. The title was just the cherry on top of our performance," said Sifuentes.
Sanchez, a sophomore Criminal Justice major, credits the camaraderie he felt in being part of a team that balanced their commitments in and out of the classroom.
"Personally, I was happy that I was able to maintain a great academic standing and balance school, work, and Esports. The most important factor was becoming more than teammates. We all became close friends during the Esports season. Being friends allowed us to enjoy the season, it felt fun and not forced. Since we were friends, we were able to practice a good amount without being overwhelmed," said Sanchez.
Mendoza, a first-year psychology major and Esports player, was immensely grateful for the opportunity to take part in this championship-winning team.
"I think our biggest winning condition is how close and quickly we became friends. Some teams don't even take time to know their Esports peers, but we adapted to each other pretty quickly… we were able to play, not just to practice, but to have fun too," said Mendoza.
As part of the University’s upcoming Welcome Week activities, the Esports team will host, “Campus Clash: Esports Edition” a five-day interactive activity, happening Monday, Aug. 26 - Friday, Aug. 30 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Student Center Rotunda. The event is open to currently enrolled students.
Previously, the University's Esports teams have made significant strides within collegiate gaming, including finishing fourth in the nation during the Call of Duty: Vanguard Starleague National tournament.
The University's Esports team is active on Twitch. View past streams by visiting https://www.twitch.tv/tamiuesports. Learn more about Esports at TAMIU by visiting https://go.tamiu.edu/esports.
Registration for Fall 2024 at TAMIU is now underway. The first day of classes for the Fall semester is Monday, Aug. 26, 2024.
View the registration schedule at https://www.tamiu.edu/registrar/registration
To transfer to TAMIU, contact the Office of Recruitment and School Relations at enroll@tamiu.edu, phone 956.326.2270, or click on https://www.tamiu.edu/prospect/transfer.shtml
See the dedicated Registration Hub at https://go.tamiu.edu/registration.
Explore Fall at TAMIU on the dedicated 2024 Fall TAMIU Preview website at https://go.tamiu.edu/fallpreview
More of the University’s story is available on its social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and online at tamiu.edu.
In It to Win It
Members of the TAMIU Esports Overwatch team recently won the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Starleague East 4 Division championship. Pictured, from left to right, is Rogelio “Ron030” Mendoza, Ruben “NotAlternic” Vallejo, Diego “Sora” Sifuentes, Jay Patricio “Drchaac” Murillo and Javier “n9ne” Sanchez.
