July 15, 2021–AUGUSTA, GA – The Peach Belt Conference and commissioner David Brunk are pleased to announce that Missouri Western State University will join the league as an associate member in esports and participate in the upcoming fall 2021 Overwatch season. Missouri Western will become the eighth associate member for esports.
“We are excited to welcome Missouri Western as an associate member,” said PBC commissioner David Brunk. “I am especially thankful to president Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy and athletic director Josh Looney for their leadership and recognition of what the Peach Belt Conference has to offer as a home for their Overwatch team.”
Missouri Western began their esports program in 2020 with 30 students playing four titles: League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite and Rocket League. The program offers scholarships to athletes, managers and coaches with multiple on-campus gaming clubs contributing to the formation of the varsity program.
“Missouri Western is very excited to be bringing our Griffon Esports varsity program to the PBC,” MWSU director of esports and head coach Christian Konczal said. “This is a big step forward into greater competitions and we are ready to show off the hard work, dedication and growth of our student athletes!”
MWSU has two dedicated Esports facilities on campus; one dedicated to the varsity teams for competition and the other open to all students. The program is focused on student-oriented leadership and dedicated to growing the gaming community. The 2021 Overwatch season will be the first varsity competition season for that title.
The Peach Belt Conference was the first NCAA conference in any division to begin Esports as a league championship, starting with League of Legends in 2018. The league added Overwatch as its second championship title in the fall of 2020 and conducted the first tournament virtually last fall. The 2021 Overwatch season will begin in early September, leading to the league’s first live, in-person championship in October. More information on that event will be released in the coming weeks.
More information on Missouri Western’s Esports program can be found at missouriwestern.edu/esports.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.