MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University head Esports coach Spencer Louwagie has announced there are roster spots still available for the inaugural SMSU Esports team that will compete during the 2020-21 academic year.
 
Louwagie stated that students with questions or anyone interested in joining the team contact him by Sept. 4 at spencer.louwagie@smsu.edu or 507-537-6424.
 
"When I walk into Esports room, I see the excitement, passion, and talent and it makes me realize what this program is all about," Louwagie said. "These students have skills that they want to showcase to everyone and I am thrilled to be a part of it."
 
The SMSU Esports team will compete in various games and will be a part of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE).
 
"I'm excited to be involved in SMSU Esports because it will give me an opportunity to continue to compete and improve in multiple games all at a high level," said SMSU Esports team member, Jackson Vierstraete. "Esports is a fast-growing industry worldwide, and that is especially true at the college level as well. I'm looking forward to improving myself both as a competitor and a person."
 
Jalin Holmes, a member of the SMSU Esports team added, "Esports have been a big thing for me growing up and I'm excited to show my talent."
 
Listed below are games and descriptions the SMSU Esports team will compete in:
 
Smite – Smite is a 5v5 Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) with a twist on the typical MOBA design with 3rd person perspective instead of the usual top down perspective. Players push down three lanes to destroy the enemy's fountain which is protected by towers. Players control a god, goddess, or mythological figure. Players take place in team-based combat using their abilities against other player-controlled units.
 
Rocket League– Rocket League is a 3v3 vehicular soccer video game in which people control rocket powered cars to move the soccer ball across the field and score goals.
 
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate- Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is a 1v1 fighting game. Players select one of over 80 playable characters each with their fighting abilities and styles
 
Valorant– Valorant is a 5v5 first person tactical shooter in which players select an agent each with their own abilities. Players take turns on attack or defense planting or defusing a spike while the other team attempts to prevent them to do complete their task.
 
League of Legends- League of Legends is a 5v5 Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) in which players control one of 150 champions. Each champion has its own unique set of abilities which they use to push down three lanes to destroy the enemy's nexus which is protected by towers. Players take place in team-based combat using their abilities against other player-controlled champions.
 
CSGO- Counter Strike Global Offensive (CSGO) is a 5v5 multiplayer first-person shooter which pits two teams against each other the terrorists and the counter terrorists. The terrorist (T) side tries to plant a bomb on one of two sites while the counter terrorists (CT) side tries to prevent the bomb from being planted or defuse the bomb before time runs out.
 
Fortnite- Fornite is a player vs player battle royal up to 100 players. In squads of four players attempt to outlast the other teams by building and using the random weapons found throughout the map.
 
Hearthstone- Hearthstone is a turn-based card game between two players. Each player constructs a 30-card deck with a selected hero and a unique ability. Players use these cards to attempt to destroy the enemy hero.
 
Madden- Madden is a football simulation game in which players control an American football team and plays a football game vs another player. Players control the playbook and a player on the team in which the player can change at will.
 
FIFA - FIFA is soccer simulation game in which players control a soccer team and plays a soccer game vs another person. Competitors control players on the soccer team and the coaching role.
 
Apex Legends- Apex Legends is a first-person shooter battle royal. Players compete with a three-person squad against up to twenty other three person squads to be the last squad alive.