Varsity esports—competitive and organized video gaming—has arrived at UTA. The program kicked off this fall with a team of 15 players and newly appointed coach Drew Boehm, who heads up the esports division of Campus Recreation. The team practices at the new Esports Stadium in Arlington.
“We want our UTA team to be well-rounded students, just like what you see in traditional sports programs,” Boehm says. “We want them to learn from mistakes and the team to become a well-oiled machine. There’s a lot to do and I’m excited about that.”
The UTA team competed in Overwatch, League of Legends, and Rocket League—all team-based multiplayer video games—in its inaugural season.
Esports is not new to UTA, where a student organization was founded in 2011. The club enjoyed immense success, winning the 2017 Heroes of the Dorm National Championship, one of the nation’s biggest tournaments, along with over half a million dollars in scholarships.
“The esports student organization here on campus has built an excellent foundation to help UTA continue the path of success nationally within this emerging sport,” says Lisa Nagy, vice president for student affairs. “We are thrilled about the opportunities for our students to shine as leaders in this sport.”
