Today, the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) is proud to announce that it will be working with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to oversee and manage the conference’s newly-formed esports sponsorship.
While the GLIAC has had a number of its members sponsoring and competing in esports previously, today’s announcement signifies a significant step for the league - the sponsorship and support of esports at the conference level.
The GLIAC’s esports sponsorship will begin during the upcoming 2026-27 academic year.
The goal of this working partnership between the GLIAC and the NECC is to ensure that every student-athlete that competes in the league has an outstanding experience.
The NECC will also help manage the conference’s championship effort each spring.
“We are excited to partner with the NECC as we continue to grow esports within the GLIAC,” said Commissioner Kris Dunbar.
“This partnership is an important step in providing our student-athletes with a high-quality competitive experience while giving our institutions the structure and support to strengthen their programs. We are especially excited to have the NECC oversee our championship experience and look forward to building on the momentum of esports across the conference.”
"We’re extremely excited to be working with the GLIAC to help support their esports sponsorship” said Jacob VanRyn, Commissioner and CEO of the NECC.
“Personally, the opportunity to work with another NCAA Division II athletic conference is especially meaningful to me, having spent more than a decade working in Division II athletics. The GLIAC is one of the premier conferences in Division II, with an outstanding membership and a strong tradition of athletic excellence. Getting to know Commissioner Dunbar and Assistant Commissioner Josh Pickler has been a wonderful experience, and our entire team is incredibly excited about the opportunity to work alongside them and support the GLIAC.”
ABOUT THE GLIAC
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), founded in 1972, has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women for more than 50 years. The conference’s members have won 60 NCAA National Championships during its illustrious history.
The conference’s membership includes: Davenport University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Tech University, Northern Michigan University, Purdue Northwest University, Roosevelt University, Saginaw Valley State University, Wayne State University, and University of Wisconsin Parkside.
The GLIAC is a proud member of NCAA Division II. For more information about the conference and its members, the GLIAC website can be found at https://gliac.org/
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.
With more than 500 colleges and universities currently competing, the NECC strives to be a positive home for the collegiate gaming community.
For more information about the NECC, their schools, games, and community, visit their website at https://necc.gg/
