We’re thrilled to recap a wonderful season for all our Fall 2025 titles! All three teams qualified for the Esports Collegiate Final Championship LAN Tournament at Miami University in Ohio. Keep reading for details about each team.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
The Super Smash Bros Ultimate team completed its first semester as a varsity title. The team is comprised of NIU students that all participate in the student gaming-club-run event Castle Siege. All five varsity players were ranked on the Castle Siege power rankings prior to the formation of the team, and they lived up to the elite expectations those rankings set for them. In their first year of competition, the SSBU team finished the regular season with a 7-3 record, and finished fourth in the Esports Collegiate LAN finals, only losing to eventual runner-up Miami University.
Rocket League
NIU’s Rocket League team continued to be one of the deepest rosters in the country, with the NIU Black team starting the semester strong by defeating Florida University, who were at the time ranked the number one team in the country. Not to be outdone, NIU Red once again played excellent car ball at the LAN finals, finishing third and proving themselves credible challengers against pro-level players.
Here are a few other updates from our Rocket League teams!
NIU Red:
- Earned the first CRL (Collegiate Rocket League) point for the university.
- Won second place at the Corn Belt LAN tournament.
- Won third at the Esports Collegiate LAN tournament.
- Ranked Top 35 in CRL.
NIU Black:
- Won fifth place at the Corn Belt LAN tournament.
- Placed first in the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Varsity Plus League.
- Place top 48 in CRL.
Overwatch 2
For Overwatch 2, this semester came with high expectations, as they returned many players from a div 6 national championship win in the spring. It was a delicate balance to maintain as the team welcomed new faces to the roster, some of whom were making their first varsity appearances after spending years playing with the Huskie Gaming Club Overwatch roster. OW2 proved that the Club to Varsity pipeline is functioning as intended, with the team making their second consecutive appearance at the Esports Collegiate LAN finals, where they finished in seventh place.
Here are a few other season highlights:
- The team finished fifth (6-4) in the Esports Collegiate regular season.
- They finished 7-3 in the Overwatch Collegiate Homecoming Fall 2025 Open.
- The team placed third in the Corn Belt Crash III at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Valorant and League of Legends
While the Valorant and League of Legends teams did not compete in official Esports Collegiate competition this semester, each squad is preparing for their spring competitions with new insight and fresh ambition, as both teams gained a new coach this semester.
The Valorant team has added Xander Mills, a former pro coach currently attending NIU. Players are excited to begin working with Xander, whose keen insight has already sparked new interest and renewed dedication in many of the veterans on the roster.
The Valorant team has been playing non-Esports Collegiate games to hone their skills. Here are a few updates:
- Played in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) Division 3.
- Finished 3-4 which earned us a spot in playoffs as the seventh seed.
Last but not least, NIU’s League of Legends team welcomed long-time player and all role superstar Logan Covganka to the new role of assistant coach. In this position, Logan will be sharing key information and experience with a roster of new and returning players that is looking forward to qualifying for LAN a second time in a row and making a big impact on the bracket that follows.
Go Huskies!
