WVU Esports will host the West Virginia Scholastic Esports fall finals Dec. 12 at the Student Recreation Center.
This year’s Local Area Network will feature in-person semifinal and finals matchups in Marvel Rivals, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Rocket League, Apex Legends, Brawlhalla, Rainbow Six Siegen and Overwatch 2.
“It’s great to see the WVSEL enable students in niche fields to get access to scholarships toward higher education for competing just like any other sport,” said Logan Kramer, Martinsburg High School coach and WVSEL head game admin. “It’s awe-inspiring to see students who had no plan for higher education get to pursue their dream occupation with the help of esports.”
Beyond the competition, the event will offer open play zones featuring gaming consoles, PCs, tabletop games and vintage arcade cabinets.
High school attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with representatives from various academic programs and student organizations across the WVU System, including Morgantown, WVU Tech and Potomac State College.
Students interested in pursuing careers or advanced skills in esports or digital entertainment will be able to sign up to attend specialty sessions throughout the day.
Additionally, varsity WVU Esports players will lead advanced coaching seminars for Valorant, College Football and Madden and Rocket League, while content creators will host sessions on building audiences and producing engaging content on platforms like Twitch and TikTok.
“We’re excited and hopeful that the WVSEL allowing us to host the state championships on our campus will help to bring more middle and high schools in the state into the league,” said Josh Steger, WVU Esports director and varsity head coach. “The goal is always to give the players, coaches and spectators the best experience possible and continue to build off that for years to come.
“It’s also a perfect opportunity to give our students here at WVU hands-on experience running an event. With our help here, we can showcase this league to parents and administrators and show them that esports is an investment in the children that should be taken seriously,” Steger added.
The finals in each title will be streamed live on WVU Esports’ Twitch and YouTube channels at twitch.tv/wvuesports1 and youtube.com/@wvuesports.
More than 140 students participated in the most recent WVSEL event, showcasing emerging talent in the growing statewide esports community.
Founded in 2024, the WVSEL was created to expand access to esports competition and help connect students to scholarship opportunities offered by colleges and universities throughout West Virginia and the surrounding areas.
WVU launched its esports program with its varsity competitive team in October 2022, which has quickly grown into one of the nation’s premier programs.
WVU Esports field teams in Call of Duty, EA Sports College Football and Madden, League of Legends, Rocket League and Valorant have won four national championships since the program’s inception.
The University also offers a bachelor's degree in esports business and entertainment and a minor in esports management through the College for Applied Human Sciences, which gives students hands-on learning experiences to prepare for careers in the rapidly growing and evolving esports industry.
For more updates about WVU Esports, follow the program @WVUEsports on X and watch live events from all of the varsity esports teams at twitch.tv/wvuesports1.