Not even a pandemic was able to stop collegiate gamers across the nation to play what they love by Guilherme Hiray Leal Posted Thursday, May 14, 2020 @ 6:43 PM Orlando, FL (May 12, 2020) – Although the world of sports seems quiet recently, the virtual world of esports is very active. The Esports Club at UCF was crowned champion of the U.S. Army Reload Collegiate CS:GO Invitational this past weekend, defeating Robert Morris University-Illinois (RMU) in the final matchup. “The moment we won felt amazing,” said Brian “BlueSky” Wortman, a senior information technology major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and captain of the team. “I was very relieved because we have never beat this team before, so it felt great to prove we are a top team.” “This was our first victory with our roster,” said Caleb “Chilled_Dan” Greek, who graduated from UCF earlier this month with a degree in account from the College of Business. “We have come close a few times, but this was the first time we really came together and took the tournament.” Due to quarantine restrictions, all players competed from their homes instead of the original plan of an in-person tournament at the Esports Stadium Arlington (ESA) in Texas. The transition was possible with the partnership between the U.S. Army, North American Collegiate Counter-Strike, and ESA. “At the onset of this current crisis, recruiting events and activities were canceled across the nation, impacting how we communicate about Army career opportunities,” said Lt. Col. Sam Jungman, Commander, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Dallas. “Our Recruiters are actively focusing on the virtual space to continue connecting with individuals who are interested in serving.” The 28-team online tournament began on April 27 and all teams competed for a $5,000 prize pool, with the first place team receiving $3,000. The matches were a “best of 1” series, with the exception of the final being “best of 3.” The Knights won all of their matches. RMU is nationally a top three Counter-Strike esports team, and so is the University of Central Florida. However, RMU offers scholarships and have esports-dedicated facilities, making the win even more special, said Wortman. “Esports allows us opportunities that traditional sports don’t allow during such a confusing time,” said Greek. “It’s allowed bonding within the game, and all of us love competing.” Even though the connection between esports and UCF is relatively new, the early recognition can be very helpful. “I’m excited to see the progress of the program within UCF, and I know the teams will continue to flourish,” said Greek. “Esports is here to stay at UCF.” UCF Sport Clubs are part of University of Central Florida’s Recreation and Wellness Center, funded and supported by the Student Government (SGA). UCF’s Sport Clubs have won nearly 40 team and individual titles since 2003. Club teams are recreational, instructional, and competitive. Back