The Ashland University eSports team welcomed its new coach this past– Philip Fiscus. 

After a five-year collegiate career with Shawnee State Sports, Fiscus made his decision to join the Ashland Eagles. 

Before Shawnee State, he began competitive eSports at 15 years old and competed in various tournaments on Gfinity for Rocket League and Call of Duty. Fiscus became the first in-person signing for Shawnee eSports, joining the Rocket League team. In his first year, the Rocket League team competed in the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE) Starleauge. 

“What drew me to Ashland was they were needing an eSports coach and I thought that was a good fit for me to get started, Ashland is one of the founders of eSports and I want to build it up as it should be,” Fiscus said. 

 Fiscus spoke about his vision for the program’s future and how his love for video games started.  

“I expect to learn everything about my roster, down to their play styles, personalities, and team chemistry,” Fiscus said.  “I am always looking to my coaches and captains to help me learn things about some of our offered games that I don’t know too much about.” 

“How it all started is when I first picked up and started playing Call of Duty Black Ops 2 which has been my favorite Call of Duty, then I started playing Rocket League and that is how I got to Shawnee,” Fiscus said.

Beyond eSports, Fiscus played traditional sports before college which he believes gives him a unique perspective to bridge the gap between traditional athletics and the emerging eSports world. 

 It is not hard to see a stark contrast between traditional athletics and eSports, but the competitive nature and desire to improve and win remain. Fiscus’ mindset suggests a collaborative approach that matches the history of the beloved sport at Ashland University. 

“I played basketball and baseball in high school, and I think eSports is a lot like those sports, having teammates you work together with to accomplish a main goal, and it is like a family and that is how it should be here,” Fiscus said. 

Fiscus enters AU with a driven devotion to achieving and defining greatness.  

In its seventh year as a part of Eagle Nation, Ashland eSports continues to pave a new path and keep the university at the forefront of the growing eSports world.