Season Preview: eSports
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - If you haven't heard of the Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) eSports program they currently operate as the Athletics Department's largest program with 60+ rostered student-athletes. Heading into their first week of practice, the Lakers are expecting to offer 12 different programs for the fall season.
The Lakers are coming off a strong spring season which saw them send five programs to the NJCAAe National Playoffs; all of which were nationally ranked heading into competition. The spring season for the Lakers was capped by student-athlete Joseph Yates who claimed the program's first-ever NJCAAe National Championship in Mario Kart 8 DX.
With a large incoming freshman class head coach Michael Van Etten will rely on his returning sophomores to lead the charge and guide his newcomers. Student-athletes Amanda Meyer, Tucker Drouin, and Jackson Johnson are a few of many driving forces behind the scenes of the FLCC eSports program; each playing a vital role in program administration and management. Additionally, returners Sarah Louden, Brayen Noteware, Joey Pompeii, Nicholas Reifsnyder, Destiny Rodriguez-Bellinger, and Carlos Villami Fuentes all fill various managerial roles within the program. These returners play a vital role in the onboarding process for new student-athletes, monitoring lab times and equipment, and other administrative tasks that allow the program to continue to thrive.
Some incoming freshmen to look out for in 2023 includes Sierra West in Overwatch 2, Alex Herington, Jayden Maddox, and Braden Whitcomb in Rainbow Six Siege, and Zahary Monroe and Matthew Walsh in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Additionally, the Lakers will welcome Joseph Finerson, Luke Snyder, Sadie Foro, Asani Miles, and Brittany Ploof in Rocket League and Nick Spinelli, Jakob Bamberger, and Steven Olson in Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Preseason preparations for the FLCC eSports program have already been underway, with several key initiatives on the docket for next season. The current leadership team has met to plan the team's recruitment and organization efforts, along with an onboarding process for the program's next wave of leadership members to account for the wave of spring graduations in 2024.
The 2023-24 academic year represents a pivotal year for the program as it evolves to address the escalating needs of student-athletes. Under the guidance of eSports head coach, Michael Van Etten, the FLCC Athletics REBOOT Program has been crafted to facilitate the incoming wave of student-athletes in their transition to college life. This initiative mirrors a wider ambition within the FLCC athletics department to create a committed response to the growth of the department and demands of student-athletes; ultimately providing comprehensive support that is tailored to them.
This will remain as one of the top goals of the eSports program heading into the fall, with a growing focus on the competitive side of things as well. For the fall, the Lakers have set lofty goals to reach the national playoffs in all programs, and remain competitive with NJCAAe powerhouses USC Sumter and Wake Tech.
Some key matchups on the schedule include a pair of NJCAA Region III opponents in Jefferson and Corning Community College(s) as the Lakers look to put up competitive matches against their Rainbow Six Siege and Valorant teams. Looking ahead, a matchup against Division I Wake Tech will draw the attention of many as the up-and-coming Lakers look to take down the Goliath.
Heading into the new year, the teams' mantra is simple, "Every student has a chance to decide who they want to be, whether coming from high school, bad previous semesters, or good previous semesters. Now is a chance to decide who you want to be and how you want to get there", stated head coach Michael Van Etten.
You can show your support for the FLCC eSports program by following them on Twitch Tv at www.twitch.tv/FLCCeSports where the Lakers will be competing 4-5 times a week throughout the semester. With over 20 National Playoff appearances in the programs' short history, the fall will mark an exciting year with higher expectations than ever.
Visit flccathletics.com for all your scores, stories, highlights, and more. Follow the Lakers on social media @flccathletics on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and @flcclakers on Instagram.