Ashland University was listed as the sixth best university in the United States for esports according to Value Gamers, a website pertaining to those in the gaming industry.

Value Gamers printed an analysis article on June 30 that ranked the top four-year universities with esports programs in the country. They were evaluated on multiple factors which included: academics, campus, food quality, professors, location, nightlife and value.

“It feels great to be ranked that highly before we even start,” Esports head coach Josh Buchanan said. “The biggest reason we got ranked so high was because of the Ashland University itself. I think it reflects how nice Ashland is.”

Freshman River Wheeler, a Fortnite player on the team, said a lot of players including himself joined the team due to all the similar national attention that the program has gotten.

“I originally was going to be on the basketball team, but I had saw that Ashland’s esports had blown up with national coverage,” Wheeler said. “I’ve always liked playing so I just to decided to try out and then joined the team.”

Being ranked so high by Value Gamers is a bit nerve wracking for everyone, he said.

“It definitely produces some pressure with it being a brand-new program, but it will just come with practice for us,” Wheeler said. “Practice makes perfect.”

The program itself features a state-of-the-art facility located on the first floor of the library that includes 25 high-end gaming PCs and gaming chairs. The facility also features two 65” high-definition televisions for coaching and entertainment.

Buchanan said that the program is being treated similarly to other athletics.

“We’re treating this just like any other athletics on campus,” Buchanan said. “It’s an extra-curricular activity that you do alongside your education here at Ashland. We try to put more emphasis on it than a typical club or intramural sport though.”

Wheeler feels collegiate esports is different than just playing casually.

“College sports is a whole different world even with esports,” he said. “It’s way more competitive and intense than just casual gaming.”

Currently, there are exactly 30 students on the esports team, Buchanan said.

Those on the team will compete in games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, League of Legends, Hearthstone, Rocket League and Fortnite.

There are, however, spots on the team still open for those willing to try out. Open campus tryouts for Fortnite, CS: GO, Overwatch, Hearthstone and League of Legends will be held on Aug. 28 – Aug. 30 from 4:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

“We’re hoping to add anywhere between zero and 10 new students to the team,” he said. “We’re looking forward to trying to recruit new talent when we hold the tryouts.”

The program is offering up to $4,000 in scholarships to students who meet the academic and competitive requirements.

Those hoping to join the team should have passion for the game, Buchanan said.

“The number one thing we look for is a really big passion for the game while also showing that you have a lot of dedication and a good mindset to continue improving,” Buchanan said. “It’s also important that you have good academics and be good students as well.”

All university esports rankings can be found at https://valuegamers.com/analysis/best-colleges-
for-esports-and-gaming. More information about Ashland’s esports program can be found at
https://www.ashland.edu/content/ashland-university-esports.