Students from UCF's Recreation and Wellness Center's renowned Sport Clubs Programs won a team title and an individual national runner-up Posted Monday, April 26, 2021 @ 4:52 PM Scott Mauro ’94 and ’19 | Guilherme Hiray Leal ’22 (Orlando, FL) – In a year where competition has looked a lot different Esports club at UCF continues to shine nationwide. The Esports Club at UCF won its second National Title in less than a year after winning the team Rocket League tournament at first-ever NIRSA Esports Championships. The Knights competed against the best of the best from 45 universities. Another Esports Club member finished as the national runner-up in the individual or 1v1 tournament. The Knights played in the Rocket League tournament, a game where competitors play soccer using animated cars. The game features aerial and on-the-ground tricks so players can get a shot on goal. NIRSA Esports championships featured Unified, competitive, and recreational divisions. Unified Sports is inclusive and pairs Special Olympic athletes with intellectual disabilities with teammates without intellectual disorders. Students also competed as a team in three versus three (3v3) matchups or individually in the 1v1 division. UCF is a member institution in NIRSA that hosts several tournaments throughout the year as part of its Championship Series. The event was NIRSA’s first national competition virtually. Amid one of the most challenging years for students, UCF Assistant Director of Intramural Sports, Shane Land says Esports has brought Knights together. “Over the last 14 months, esports has been a great way for students to stay engaged in a time when we were not able to offer traditional programs due to COVID-19,” Land said. Esports at UCF, won several competitions in 2020, including a National Championship in another game called Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Known as the “UCF Black Team,” Sean Feeney (2021), Alexander Phipps (2024), and Ricardo Barrios (2024) defeated Stony Brook University in the final game of the 3v3 division tournament. Phipps also participated in the 1v1 division and came up just short in the championship match. More than 100 students participated in the tournament, including five UCF Intramural Sports Champions Michael Bradley (2021) in the competitive 1v1 division. Samuel Bejarano (2023), Daniel Wofford (2023), Benjamin Miller (2022), and Caleb Wealton (2023) competed as a team in the competitive 3v3 division. For more information on RWC programs like Intramural Sports and Sport Clubs, please contact Marketing and Communication Manager Scott Mauro at 407-823-2408 or email him at scott.mauro@ucf.edu. Back