Esports Competes in Mankato LAN
USD’s Esports team competed in Local Area Network (LAN), an in-person Esports competition, on Oct. 21 in Mankato, Minnesota. The event was hosted by the Minnesota State University of Mankato and Rockstar Energy.
“USD Esports sent our Rocket League Junior Varsity team and our Super Smash Bros team to compete,” President of Esports Emma Johnson said. “Both teams did not make it to finals, but they were able to grow as a team while also getting competitive experience at an in-person tournament against other universities and colleges.”
The team has other LANs coming up, more specifically the Certificate of Completion (CCL) LAN hosted by Dakota State University. Depending on how the teams do in the upcoming weeks, they will have a chance to play in-person in Madison, South Dakota.
“In-person competition is something that we strive to reach for our teams as it gives them different opportunities to be involved,” Johnson said. “It also allows them to engage with other students and have the ability to compete at a higher level.”
Esports does not have scheduled meeting times for casual players. They do, however, have monthly meetings where players are required to come to. At the meetings, the team announces their upcoming events, as well as team updates and reminders.
“We also partner with the Esports Arena on campus where any USD student who’s interested in playing on any of their consoles or on any of their PCs is welcome to come by,” Johnson said.
The Esports arena is located in the McKusick Technology Center Room 202, right above the speech and hearing clinic. Anyone interested in joining Esports can stop by the arena.
“Everyone is welcome to join and be a part of our events,” Johnson said. “Whether you’re a professional player, a casual player or just someone who is starting out in the world of gaming, we’re the place for you.”
For more information about Esports, you can join their Discord which is found on the USD Involved page. Students can also email [email protected], or even just stop by the arena.
