Courtesy of WDAM
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - It’s “game on” as two University of Southern Mississippi esports teams head to nationals this month.
In May, the Southern Miss Esports League of Legends and Valorant teams won their respective conference championships - NECC Southeast Emergents Division and NECC Southeast Navigators Division. The wins earned the teams the chance to compete in the NECC National Championships this month.
Last year, Southern Miss Esports won their first national title in the game Rainbow Six Seige.
Students on both squads this year said they are extremely proud of their accomplishments but realize the job isn’t finished.
“Before, it seemed like just a dream to go this far in gaming for my school,” said Myiesha Roberson, a graduating senior majoring in digital journalism and a member of the Valorant team. “So to have this opportunity with my team makes me want to win and go as far as we can.”
On the League of Legends team, Lindsey T. Earl IV, a freshman computer science major from Mobile, AL, attributes the successful season to his team’s chemistry and positive attitude.
“Definitely, the chemistry and general vibe of the team,” Earl said. “We always joke with one another, even when we’re in a losing situation, never letting a loss bring down our morale. We just dust ourselves off and go back in with a clear head.”
Unfortunately, the Valorant team fell to a team from the University of Montana on day one of the national competition.
However, the League of Legends team will have their chance to take home national titles from June 13 to 15. Their matches can be viewed at the Southern Miss Esports Twitch channel here: https://www.twitch.tv/southernmissesports/videos.
Fans can also follow Southern Miss Esports updates online at https://www.usm.edu/esports/ as well as Twitter, Discord, and more.
Visit Southern Miss Esports at: https://www.usm.edu/esports/index.php.
ABOUT THE NECC
The NECC has sponsored both regular season competition and championships across a wide variety of popular titles since 2020. With more than 300 colleges and universities currently competing, the NECC strives to be a positive home for the collegiate gaming community.
The NECC fosters innovative competition experiences, provides quality broadcasting services, and works to support an inclusive community within collegiate esports. The NECC was started as a way 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.
