MSOE appealed to junior Zach Weidner for its strong academic programs and the opportunity to join the esports program to compete in two games he is passionate about.

“Being on the esports team is a very enriching experience,” said Weidner. “Having that nontraditional competitive outlet is so refreshing and making the team as a freshman gave me an easy place to find friends that have similar interests to me.”

MSOE’s esports program is offered as a club sport under Raider Athletics with 14 teams across five different video games. Students can compete playing Valorant, Rocket League, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. and League of Legends. The team competes against other universities throughout the state of Wisconsin as well as across North America through the Wisconsin Esports Conference and ECAC. The program was founded at MSOE in 2019 and has won three national championships.

Weidner plays Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (a platform fighting game) and Rocket League (a game of soccer played with rocket-powered cars) for MSOE’s esports team. He believes that in addition to being a fun, competitive outlet, he is also learning other valuable skills.

“Playing Smash Bros. allows me to compete against friends one on one and work on patience, consistency and mental resiliency. Rocket League allows me to compete with friends and work on teamwork and communication skills. Overall, these two games have taught me a lot about myself as a person and helped me to grow and mature.”

When he isn’t competing in tournaments for esports, Weidner is hard at work in the classroom pursuing his computer engineering degree. He hopes to one day work for a large computer manufacturer building computer components. Weidner also likes to spend his time playing other video games, hanging out with his friends and working out.

“I would recommend people join esports if they have that competitive itch, it is something that you will be challenged by and grow from. You will make unforgettable memories and lifelong friends!”

Students who are interested in joining MSOE’s esports team can email esports@msoe.edu or contact Patrick Glogovsky, coordinator of esports.