The team's performance at the MAAC Championship consisted of winning program of the year for the second year in a row, the third consecutive Rocket League championship win, an Overwatch MAAC championship victory, and the Overwatch team advancing to national competition at the Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup Championships next month.

John Somers, associate director of recreation, explained how phenomenal and meaningful this accomplishment was for the program and for Quinnipiac.

“This is the second year in a row that Quinnipiac has been named MAAC esports program of the year, which shows our continued standard of excellence within the program,” said Somers. “The team has always maintained a high standard of competition, winning MAAC championships year after year, but this award shows that the program as a whole is achieving to a high level consistently.”

Jacob Buckwald ‘27, vice president of the esports team at Quinnipiac, founded his high school’s esports club and wanted to continue his passion for video games at college.

“We have a beautiful lab on the York Hill Campus that certainly played a part in drawing my attention towards the club,” said Buckwald. “Going into college, I was looking forward to meeting like-minded people who share my passion for video games. I joined the Rocket League team in my sophomore year."

Winning the MAAC esports program of the year for the second consecutive year is a huge honor for Buckwald. He remains proud of the hard work, training and teamwork that went into the years of involvement within the club.

Esports has served as an intersection for passionate gamers. The inclusivity and shared love for the game are some of the things that Buckwald is thankful for.

“I have created so many connections over this shared passion,” said Buckwald. “It has led to me meeting some lifelong friends. The esports community is so welcoming, and competitive esports is something that is so underappreciated by many people. I recently attended a professional Rocket League esports tournament in Boston and got to finally meet so many people for the first time face to face. Esports is truly a family, and anyone is welcome to join."

Anthony Matire ‘27 can attest to how close-knit the esports community is. When asked about a moment that stood out during the championship, he shared that it was the connection he made with competitors the night before a match.

Somers explained the continued rise of popularity of esports at Quinnipiac.

“We are looking forward to the continued growth of the team into more leagues and more titles to expand the reach of the entire program," he said.

Looking to the future, Buckwald and his team are aiming for more championship wins next year.

“I am extremely grateful to Quinnipiac for giving us this platform to showcase our talent,” said Buckwald. “We are truly blessed to have a high-quality esports lab that supports all of our needs. I look forward to continuing my involvement in esports next year, and I hope to bring home Quinnipiac’s fourt straight Rocket League title.”