First MVC Esports Championship to be hosted by Illinois State University
The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) announced today that its first-ever conference esports championship event will take place on Saturday, April 20. Three conference champions will be crowned at the event, which will be hosted by Illinois State University.
The MVC will be crowning a conference champion in each of the three titles it is sponsoring in its inaugural season of competition - Overwatch 2, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros.
“The Missouri Valley Conference is looking forward to hosting an esports championship this spring,” said Russell Susuki, Director of Marketing/Corporate Fulfillment at the MVC. “As the excitement and landscape of collegiate esports continues to grow, The Valley is thrilled to provide this new opportunity to our schools and students and we look forward to hosting this championship at Illinois State University.”
The format for the championship will be a single-elimination tournament based on how each of the teams did throughout the course of the regular season. Each team’s regular season record led to their tournament seed in the MVC’s esports championship.
“Illinois State University is excited to be able to support the strategic mission of growing esports in the MVC and we are proud to have been selected to host the first-ever conference championship,” said David Kirk, Director of Redbird (Illinois State University) Esports.
Teams (with the exception of Super Smash Bros.) will be allowed to compete remotely during the first year of the championship event as the conference works to support and promote participation among its members.
Super Smash Bros. is requiring in-person competition as the winning team will receive an automatic qualifier spot to the upcoming CECC Championship. That event is scheduled to take place in early May in Arlington, Texas.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Bradley University Esports is a student-led initiative that continues to grow, build community, and support and develop great talent. Making connections with other universities and community members has been present from the beginning and we are proud to compete with our conference teams and represent our university at the inaugural MVC finals.”
- Julie Howe, Bradley Esports Advisor
“Illinois State University is excited to be able to support the strategic mission of growing esports in the Missouri Valley Conference. Connecting our students to the existing rivalries and traditions the MVC has created over the years has exposed the world of collegiate esports to an entirely new audience here at ISU. We’re excited to continue to provide students opportunities to grow competitively and academically alongside our MVC partner programs.
- David Kirk, Director of Redbird (Illinois State University) Esports
“The Missouri Valley Conference is looking forward to hosting an esports championship this spring. As the excitement and landscape of collegiate esports continues to grow, The Valley is thrilled to provide this new opportunity to our schools and students. The NECC has been a great partner to get this league-wide initiative off the ground and we look forward to hosting this championship at Illinois State University.”
- Russell Susuki, Director of Marketing/Corporate Fulfillment, MVC
“We’re extremely proud to be working with the Missouri Valley Conference on this initiative. It truly has been an honor for our organization to be selected to work with such prestigious universities and the committed leaders in the collegiate esports space at each of the MVC member institutions. We’re fired up for the upcoming conference championship”
- Jacob VanRyn, CEO / Commissioner, NECC
“The opportunity to be a part of something new and do so with our MVC partners has been tremendous. That, coupled with the chance to enhance relationships with students who are so deeply passionate about esports, is even better. Missouri State is excited to be a part of this journey and what the future holds for esports, the MVC, and especially our students.”
- Terry Weber, Director, Plaster Student Union, Missouri State University
The Missouri Valley Conference - the nation’s second-oldest NCAA Division I conference - continues to be a leader in college athletics and is one of the nation’s most progressive conferences, celebrating its 117th season in 2023-24. The Valley brand remains very strong, both regionally and nationally, and the great athletic tradition of the Conference remains a compelling force in recruiting student-athletes and in marketing all the MVC programs.
ABOUT THE NECC
The NECC fosters innovative competition experiences, provides quality broadcasting services, and works to support an inclusive community within collegiate esports. The NECC was started to provide the collegiate gaming community with the respect it warranted and deserved. The conference prides itself on responding to the needs of its schools, directors, coaches, and most importantly - its players.
