The Heartland Board of Trustees voted to approve the
addition of a competitive online video gaming team during their
meeting on January 21.
Heartland will compete as a member of the National Association of
Collegiate Esports (NACE), a nonprofit organization comprised of
over 170 institutions. The Hawks Esports varsity team will consist
of 12 students who will play “League of Legends” in competition with
other NACE collegiate programs.
“Esports competitors are technology-savvy, adept at problem solving,
and must understand how both creativity and teamwork lead to
success,” said Skylar Guimond, Director of Student Engagement.
“We’re excited add this cocurricular program as an option for
students in our district looking to play esports at a competitive
level.”
One of the most rapid-growing collegiate team activities, esports is
offered by more than 600 colleges and universities throughout the
U.S. and Canada.
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“The Heartland Esports program will offer varsity-level
competition with the same standards of accessibility, diversity and inclusion
that are core to our College mission,” said Sarah Diel-Hunt, Vice President of
Enrollment and Student Services. “Having Heartland represented in the growing
world of online video gaming is another way we are building community on campus
and throughout our district.”
Heartland will hire a dedicated, part-time coach for the Hawks Esports program
during the Spring 2020 semester to begin recruiting esport athletes to compete
in the Fall 2020-21 academic year.
[Steve Fast
Director, Public Information
Heartland Community College] |