Students or prospective students who are interested in becoming part of the Rattler esports team can contact Head Esports Coach Kaitlin Teniente by email at kteniente@stmarytx.edu. Questions can also be directed to Mackenzie Mocada Assistant Esports Coach by email at mmoncada@mail.stmarytx.edu.
St. Mary’s University Esports Program
Beginning this Fall, St. Mary’s will be the first university in San Antonio to have a varsity-level esports team with its own dedicated gaming arena that will compete against other colleges and universities.
What is esports?
Esports is organized competitive video games, typically for online multiplayer games.
Why is St. Mary’s adding esports?
Competitive esports responds to the needs and interests of today’s student, providing our undergraduate and graduate students a popular engagement opportunity in one of the fastest growing markets. Esports students learn the values of discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship, and work collaboratively to develop problem-solving skills such as critical, analytical and strategic thinking.
Who is eligible to play St. Mary’s esports?
Full time undergraduate and graduate students in good academic standing are eligible to play intramural and varsity-level esports.
What competitions will St. Mary’s join?
St. Mary’s esports determines which varsity esports teams we create on a case-by-case basis each year.
Criteria for Creating an Esports Team
Availability of active tournaments and collegiate esports league to participate in
Percentage of current students interested in a video game
Number of prospective students interested in a video game
The skill levels of individual students
The number of students required to create a complete competitive team
ESRB Rating
Criteria for Determining League Participation
Duration of a college league and the video game competitions offered
Number of participating colleges and universities and the total team count
Match forfeit rates within a league
Entry fees
Total scholarship prize pool offered
Who or what other schools will StMU compete or play in varsity-level competition?
Currently, more than 170 other institutions from NCAA Division I, II and III and junior colleges compete. As of June 2019, over 94% of all varsity esports programs in the U.S. are members of NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports), and compete in various collegiate esports leagues such as Tespa and Collegiate StarLeague.
NACE (Texas Schools)
Concordia University
Schreiner University
Texas Wesleyan University
University of Texas Dallas
University of North Texas
McMurry University
Texas A&M San Antonio
Wayland Baptist University
Tespa Texas South Chapters
Auburn University
Baylor University
Saint Edward's University
Sam Houston State University
Schreiner University
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University
Texas Tech University
University of Houston
University of Houston - Clear Lake
University of Houston - Victoria
University of North Texas
University of Texas - Austin
University of Texas - Dallas
University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley
University of Texas - San Antonio
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - Edinburg
West Texas A&M University
What is our goal for first year program – how many students and how many sports?
To host a roster of about 20-25 students, which is the national average of a first-year collegiate esports program. Potential sports include:
Overwatch
Hearthstone
League of Legends
Rocket League
Rainbow Six Siege
Fortnite
Apex Legends
Counter Strike
Are there any sports that would not be selected because the game would be inconsistent with St. Mary’s Catholic and Marianist identity?
St. Mary’s esports will only compete in E-rated (everyone) and T-rated (teen) esports. M-rated (mature) and A-rated (adult) esports are likely not appropriate to be competed in by our St. Mary’s esports team.
Will St. Mary’s offer scholarships to esports varsity-level players?
Not at this point.
How is a student selected to be a member of the St. Mary’s esports team?
Rosters will be treated no different than traditional varsity Athletics teams. Athletes will be recruited based on merit and talent, with tryouts also being held in both the fall and spring semester. In addition to the varsity esports team, there will be opportunities to participate on the team through intramurals. There will also be pay-to-play options in the gaming lounge for non-varsity athletes to compete.
Where will the St. Mary’s esports practice and compete?
The esports arena is located in the University Center, second floor (currently Conference Room D).
St. Mary’s University Esports Fact Sheet
What is Collegiate esports?
Esports is competitive computer gaming, where individuals and teams compete against each other either online or in person via live events. Collegiate esports programs typically consist of teams that are each dedicated to a single game. Therefore, esports programs are a division of athletics housing several different teams, rather than a single team competing in one sport. The average size of a first year collegiate esports program is 20-25 students. Many collegiate esports programs compete in either NACE or Tespa. While esports is not an NCAA-recognized sport, the thought of adding esports has become a popular talking point at NCAA conventions.
An Established Collegiate Governing Body
In July of 2016, six of the existing varsity esports programs in the United States formed the National Association of Collegiate esports. Since then, the Association has grown to over 150 members, representing 94% of all varsity esports programs. Recently, the Association voted to adopt an Intent to Compete, a 5 year clock for eligibility, and a revised version of its Constitution and Bylaws. Tespa is another popular organization, with 270 chapters across North America. Tespa claims 120,000 members and alumni, and has seen 1,350 schools compete in various Tespa tournaments. St. Mary’s University intends to join both organizations.
Rising Global Popularity
The global viewership for esports is expected to grow to 453.8 million by the end of 2019, a growth of 15%. Esports viewership in the United States is projected to increase to 84 million by 2021, more than every other traditional sport except for the NFL. The global esports market is expected to top $1 billion in revenue by the end of 2019. Esports fans largely fall into the 18-34 demographic. 38 percent of those fans are between the ages of 16-24. Tespa claims 40,000 competitors within their organization.
Benefits for Students
Competitive esports provides an opportunity for prospective students who might not otherwise be as engaged in campus life. Esports students experience all the benefits of competition associated with traditional sports, learning the values of discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship. In addition, students develop problem-solving skills such as critical, analytical, and strategic thinking. Esports students can also derive a sense of achievement from seeing their accomplishments displayed on social media and streaming sites such as Twitch. These students also develop a sense of pride in representing their institution. With the continued growth of the gaming industry and potential esports career paths, many students are looking for a program that can help them pursue jobs in this expanding market. Some institutions have gone as far as to offer courses and certifications specifically for esports.
Enrollment
The average size of a first year esports program is 20-25 students, with many NACE institutions doubling their numbers in the second year. In addition to players, recruitment can also include support positions such as broadcasters (shoutcasters), analysts, and team managers. Some programs augment their coaching staffs by offering scholarships to qualified students to act as coaching assistants for specific games. While many esports recruits enroll in Computer Science and other STEM programs, the broad nature of the esports industry results in esports students pursuing degrees in Business, Broadcasting and Journalism, Graphic Arts, Sports Management, and other related fields.
Exposure
With the increasing public interest in esports, many institutions benefit from increased media attention with the launch of their programs. ESPN regularly covers esports news including developments in collegiate esports. Lastly, esports is a popular topic on social media platforms, with a large following on streaming services such as Twitch.
Costs
The startup costs associated with launching an esports program are substantially less costly than adding most traditional sports. The primary expenditures are computer equipment, furniture, internet upgrades, and hiring of staff. Most institutions repurpose existing spaces for an esports arena, with the possibility of expansion to a dedicated facility as their program increases in size. St. Mary’s University has selected Conference Room D in the University Center as the ideal space to re-purpose into an “esports arena.” Renovations to the room are underway, with a targeted reveal planned for later this spring.
Summary
· Esports is a growing market that is on track to exceed the viewership and popularity of many traditional sports.
· The esports community is largely composed of young people, many of whom are or will shortly be looking for college education opportunities.
· The collegiate esports community has demonstrated unprecedented growth in the last few years.
Information obtained from NACE and Tespa
