ETSU’s Rocket League team advances to the NACE Grand Finals in Orlando, marking a major milestone for the university’s growing esports program.
Members of the Rocket League team in East Tennessee State University’s varsity esports program are heading to the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Grand Finals, which will be held April 23-26 at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida.
ETSU esports earns first Grand Finals berth
ETSU will be among the 48 best varsity esports teams from across North America represented in this double-elimination tournament. This is the first appearance in the Grand Finals for ETSU’s team since it was established in 2019.
ETSU’s Rocket League team qualified for the Grand Finals by finishing among the top eight teams in the NACE Super Conference in the fall and advancing through two rounds of playoffs, beating the University of Texas at Dallas and Wichita State University.
International talent boosts ETSU roster
The three Rocket League team members are Nick Edwards, a sophomore history major from Nashville, and two first-year students from France – Leo Boulon, a psychology major from Toulouse, and Mael Villain, a mathematics major from Lille.
Rocket League was not one of the initial games in ETSU’s esports program, but was added in 2022. The team started with a strong base of in-state students and has grown from there, according to Head Coach Jeffrey Shell, who is excited to see how this young team continues to grow and improve over the next few years.
“We still have some Tennessee pride on our team with Nick, and the two international students, Leo and Mael, have really done a lot to level up the competitiveness of the roster in our Rocket League program,” Shell said.
Program growth fuels national success
To prepare for the NACE Grand Finals, Boulon, Edwards and Villain have been staying in top form by participating in other competitions in addition to their regular practice time.
“It’s been a very long season for the team, and I’m really excited to see how it plays,” Shell said.
“This is a significant milestone for our players and for the entire ETSU community, which has supported the growth of esports,” said Dr. Karen King, ETSU vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer, who was instrumental in establishing the esports program at the university. “Their dedication, resilience and teamwork have stood out all season, and earning a spot in the Grand Finals speaks volumes about their commitment and talent. We’re incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished and excited to watch them represent ETSU on the national stage.”
How to watch ETSU compete on the national stage
Esports fans may watch the ETSU Rocket League team in action, along with the entire competition, via Twitch.
In addition to Rocket League, ETSU esports teams compete in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, VALORANT, iRacing and Overwatch 2. ETSU also offers an esports minor and a graduate certificate in esports management.
Learn more about ETSU esports at etsu.edu/esports.
