Four Florida Polytechnic University esports teams recently donned their digital armor, stepping onto the national stage and battling top programs from institutions such as Purdue University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Michigan.
The University’s League of Legends JV team made it all the way to the final rounds of the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) national championships, finishing third in its division behind only the University of Wisconsin and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
In addition to the third-place League of Legends finish, Florida Poly was represented at the competition by a second League of Legends team and two Overwatch teams.
“It has felt really good to see the fruits of our labor pay off and our skills grow. Our team play now can dwarf others,” said Cameron Williams ’26, who led the varsity Overwatch team to the national competition. “We’re hoping the success we’ve had inspires others to come join in.”
The strong national performance comes only three months after Florida Poly opened a new esports arena in February, giving players the technology, space and support they need to perform at the highest level. The arena inspired a burst of enthusiasm among esports players, said Noah Vanscoyoc ’26, the team’s president.
“I think the arena was a big push for a lot of the students to be like, ‘Hey, they did this for us, so let’s do this for them,’ and they just started competing and doing amazing,” said Vanscoyoc, who earned his bachelor’s degree in business analytics in May.
Players said the upgraded space made an immediate difference.
“That room did so much for us,” Williams said. “Before, I would play on my computer and it would run poorly and make my play very inconsistent, but once I was able to go there, it became so much better because my mechanics improved and I could support my team more effectively.”
Jannice Rivera, a rising senior majoring in computer science, will lead Florida Poly Esports for the 2026-2027 academic year. She said the program’s momentum is extending beyond the new arena.
“I’m really proud to see the growth in our players’ skill sets, as well as in the program as a whole,” she said. “We had nearly 90 students attend tryouts – a record – and I’m excited to build new teams and expand practice opportunities to bring more players in.”
Williams, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business analytics with a concentration in quantitative economics and econometrics on May 9, said although leaving is bittersweet and he may not continue competing at a high level, he’s ready to jump back into action if Florida Poly ever needs his help.
“Some of my friends say they still need me, and I feel like I’m Batman, just waiting for a signal to come play,” he said.
Contact:
Lydia Guzmán
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
