Matt Crow/Wichita State Admissions
Esports is a rapidly growing industry, with global market revenue surpassing $4 billion USD and continuing to climb,, according to Statista. Collegiate esports shares this growth and Wichita State University offers plenty of opportunities for students interested in gaming. Joe Mazzara, Director of Esports at WSU, provides some insight in this Q&A on how students can get involved with the program.
What would you say is the best way for interested incoming students to get involved in Wichita State Esports?
Joe - The best way for interested students to reach out and learn more is by visiting the WSU Esport Linktree. This page includes links to our player application, staff application and public Discord server. From there our program staff can reach out to prospective students and continue the conversation.
How can interested students follow and learn more about Wichita State Esports?
Joe - We’re “esportswsu” on Discord, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch and Facebook. A full list of links can be found in our Linktree.
Can you explain the differences between the Shocker Gaming Club and the Varsity Esports Team?
Joe - One great thing about Wichita State is the fact that we have so many options for gamers to get involved. The gaming club has regular meetings and provides an inclusive place for students of all interest levels to get connected with other gamers. The varsity esports program operates more similarly to an athletics program in that we have a strong focus on high-level intercollegiate competition, applied learning and community engagement.
What does a typical match or tournament look like for a member of the team? What is the time commitment for students?
Joe - During the semester, teams compete in weekly regular season matches that take place online. These matches are usually played on campus from our esports facility in the Corbin Education Center. Depending on performance, teams may qualify for playoffs and earn travel opportunities to national championship events.
Occasionally, there are in-person tournaments that last anywhere from one to three days and are held in and around Kansas. On average, most students who actively compete spend around 9–12 hours per week on official practices and matches.
(Editor's Note: Wichita State Esports currently has five varsity teams: Call of Duty, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and Valorant.)
What are some of the larger tournaments Wichita State has/plans to compete in?
Joe - Currently most of our teams compete in seasons hosted by the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) - the National Association of Collegiate Esports. This past academic year some of our teams qualified for/competed in events like the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup, NACE National Championship, CVAL National Championship and the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
Does Wichita State Esports have any big goals or aspirations for the future of the program?
Joe - One of our big goals for this upcoming year is to become more involved in supporting Wichita USD 259 and their K–12 esports initiatives. Additionally we’re planning to begin hosting collegiate esports invitationals, providing competitive events for all the other varsity and club programs from the region.
Is there anything else interested incoming students should know about the program?
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