BLINN TO LAUNCH NEW ESPORTS TEAMS THIS FALL

  

Blinn College is diving into the world of esports with the launch of two teams this Fall.

The Blinn Board of Trustees authorized the launch of the program at its meeting Thursday.  Blinn will now look to hire a head coach and assistant coach to lead the teams.

Lane King, Director of Student Leadership and Activities on the Blinn-Bryan Campus, says esports – live video game competitions, are tailor-made for colleges, appealing to students who have grown up with gaming systems, controllers, and personal computers.

Max Hibbs, Dean of Engineering, Computer Technology, and Innovation, says Blinn has “long been recognized as a leader in creating forward-thinking opportunities for its students”.  He says these esports teams will provide students a new way to engage in higher education, and that he is looking forward to the College’s “forthcoming academic programs that can prepare students for careers in game development and other high-growth industries”.

The teams would compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), and would compete against both two-year colleges and four-year universities.  With more than 211 high school esports teams to recruit from in this field, Blinn anticipates fielding two 30-participant teams in the Fall.