Hudson Valley Athletics Announces Addition of Esports for Fall 2020
CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, 518-629-7898 or 518-416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Monday, June 15, 2020
Esports Interest Form | Apply to Hudson Valley!
Hudson Valley Community College Director of Athletics, Justin Hoyt, has announced the addition of Esports within the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports (NJCAAE), beginning in the Fall semester of 2020.
To date, more than 60 institutions have already joined or expressed their intent to join Esports for the Fall 2020 semester. The NJCAAE was founded in 2019 and is the only national esports association exclusively for two-year colleges. According to the NJCAAE, the anticipated offerings for the fall semester will feature SuperSmash Brothers Ultimate (Switch), Rocket League (PC), Overwatch (PC) and Madden NFL (PS4), with additional gaming titles expected to be announced at a later date.
"Adding Esports to our roster of intercollegiate athletics is truly exciting news," said President Roger A. Ramsammy. "This is the fastest-growing sport on the planet and it reflects the interests of so many of our students. I look forward to NJCAAE Esports being a highly competitive and enjoyable extracurricular activity for our students."
Hudson Valley Community College recognized that the gaming industry is growing at an unprecedented rate, and the addition of Esports as a competitive sport will help fill a need for the general student population. "During this unprecedented time in athletics, we are adjusting to our students' needs to offer programming in a virtual setting. Being able to add a sport that is inclusive and diverse aligns with the mission of the College and we are excited to get started this fall," stated Hoyt. The department plans to go out to search immediately for an Esports head coach, which will be posted on the Human Resources' Employment Opportunities page.
Interested students should complete the Vikings Esports Interest Form and are encouraged to apply for Hudson Valley Community College admission.
Hudson Valley now sponsors 20 intercollegiate athletic programs (10 men's and 10 women's).
NJCAAE Anticipated Game Offerings:
Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem. Described as "soccer with rocket-powered cars," the goal is to score as many goals as possible over the course of the match.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fighting game in which the objective is to knock the opponent off the stage and eliminate all of their stocks.
Overwatch is a team-based, first-person shooter, where players choose from a roster of heroes to assemble a team.
Madden NFL is a football simulation using the teams from the National Football League (NFL).