The tournament ran for nearly 10 hours, from 1:00pm to just after 10:00pm, with a variety of teams participating. Of the eight teams who competed for the top three prizes, two of them included a mix of CBU staff and students, two came from local high schools, one was a team made up of CBU Alumni, and three others were a mix of community members, including a team from local business and proud CBU partner, Protocase Inc.
"We're very happy with the turnout we have gotten during the first two esports tournaments," says Garrett Nicholson, Recreation and Sport Coordinator. "We're fortunate to have a partnership with Soulvaria Entertainment, who have allowed us to use their first-class facilities in order to make this happen. The future of esports is promising, and we look forward to building this vision with the many like-minded individuals we have here in our community."
Prizes went to the top three placing teams, the tournament MVP and the runner-up/Caper award. Winners received a $300 PC credit to Soulvaria, CBU apparel and merch, Monster Energy and Alienware products, a CBU Student Affairs backpack and a Yeti mug. These prizes were graciously donated by Soulvaria, the CBU IT department and CBU Student Affairs.
There will be a short break in the action over the Summer with the CBU Rec team ramping things back up at the start of the Fall 2024 semester. This break; however, doesn't mean things aren't in motion for the future. The Recreation team have been actively planning new and exciting ways to make esports at CBU bigger and better. They have been carefully scanning online chatter and listening intently to community feedback as they plan for the future.
"Seeing the tremendous enthusiasm for esports at CBU is wonderful," says John Ryan, Director of Athletics and Recreation. "Our partnership with Soulvaria Entertainment is a great start and we are excited about the future as we continue to expand our esports initiatives."
Despite its relatively small beginnings, esports at CBU is poised to soar in the coming months and years. With 2024 being CBU's 50th anniversary, there is no better time for the CBU Recreation team to explore and expand their offerings.
For more information about CBU esports, please reach out to garrett_nicholson@cbu.ca or juwel_jacob@cbu.ca
