THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls Colonel Esports will be offering 10 scholarships of $1,000 per academic year to individuals who have competed on teams for the program. For the 2022-2023 academic year, Colonel Esports is offering scholarships to its Call of Duty team, the first team that ever represented Nicholls in competition, and to its Valorant team, its highest nationally ranked team.
Colonel Esports is not the only program in Louisiana to offer esports scholarships, but it is the only program to offer this many scholarships in Louisiana. In the future, Colonel Esports plans to expand its scholarship program to all players on teams that compete in the varsity league against other universities. The standard for Colonel Esports has always been to function the same as athletics and to hold its e-athletes to the same caliber.
“It’s becoming more apparent that universities benefit from having an esports program on campus. This draws potential students who might not traditionally be interested in college, or are on the fence about which university to attend,” Coordinator of Colonel Esports Elizabeth Layton said. “In addition to increasing enrollment, our program teaches players soft skills such as leadership, time-management, strategy, negotiation and respect for competitors, all of which are not necessarily taught in the classroom, but are increasingly valuable as they enter their careers.”
Esports, which involves competitive multiplayer online gaming, first found a home on college campuses in 2017 and has since spread across the country. Established in the spring of 2021, Colonel Esports has quickly become one of the most popular and successful clubs on the Nicholls campus.
Colonel Esports is an organization dedicated to competitive gaming and the gaming community. It not only encourages participation from those that like to compete but also those that would like to learn about the way an esports team runs. The team has hosted guest speakers and panels to debunk gaming myths and discuss the benefits of video games. The program also conducts academic research about how gaming can be applied to wellness and educational and social theories.
During the latest season, Colonel Esports’ Call of Duty team ranked 24 in the nation, and its Valorant team ranked 16 in the nation. In addition to its Valorant and Call of Duty teams, Colonel Esports offers Rocket League, Overwatch, League of Legends, and as of fall 2022, Super Smash Bros.
Currently, Colonel Esports has a prominent university presence with 52 students involved in its competitive side and over 400 active students in the community discord. It is an inclusive program that strives to represent the university in all of its endeavors and to be the best esports program in the country. The organization is always looking for players and students who want to learn leadership skills and assist with coaching new teams as Colonel Esports expands its horizons.
For more information on Colonel Esports, please visit https://www.nicholls.edu/club-sports/esports/.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, September 5, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Jerad David, Director of Communications, 985.448.4303 or jerad.david@nicholls.edu
