Debuts at H u

The popularity of esports has reached Huntington University

STORY BY DENALI KERN ’23

With the recent rise in popularity of competitive esports, Huntington University saw a good portion of HU students take an interest in a possible club on our own campus, and, as of fall 2021, we created just that: our very own Super Smash Bros. and Overwatch teams!

“We know that our students care a lot about gaming, and we wanted to show them in a real way that we think this is a worthy pursuit,” said HU Esports Staff Sponsor Adam Skiles.

Schools in our area already had established esports clubs, schools such as Anderson, Bethel, Grace, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Saint Francis, Trine and Valparaiso. It was time that Huntington University also took a step into the world of competitive gaming.

To take that step, the University readied a space on campus that was dedicated to the HU Esports club so that students could simply show up and start playing.

“We purchased brand new Alienware gaming PCs with fast 240 Hz monitors that can refresh 4x faster than most traditional computer monitors,” Skiles explained. “We also provided the students with gaming keyboards and mice.”

They are currently working with two TVs and one Nintendo Switch. For Overwatch, they have around ten PC setups for the players to use. The club is still looking for some expansion in the equipment department.

Although they are just getting started as a club, the experience so far has been a positive one.

“The experience and opportunity of being a part of HU’s first competitive Smash Bros. team has been amazing,” said John Thomas. “It’s not just one moment for me that’s been incredible. It’s playing one of my favorite games of all time with my teammates. It’s the adrenaline rush every time we take a stock in a match. It’s the hilarious banter between the team and our coach.”

This fall, the Super Smash Bros. team advanced to the playoffs in the Great Lakes Esports Conference. The club is looking to compete in Rocket League and Valorant for this upcoming spring semester.

“I am stoked to see what’s to come and so honored to be a part of laying the foundation for Huntington University’s esports,” said Thomas.

Spectators can find livestreams or recorded games on Twitch.com by searching “Huntington University” and then the corresponding game of Super Smash Bros. or Overwatch. Other recorded game plays are on the HU Esports YouTube channel.