Lakers Aim High in NJCAAe Fall Postseason

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - The Finger Lakes Community College eSports program is gearing up for an exciting fall 2023 postseason following the NJCAAe's postseason ranking and schedule release. The Lakers qualified for both Tier 2 and Tier 3 of the NJCAAe playoffs with impressive national rankings. 

In Tier 2, the Lakers' Rocket League Blue team, comprising Callaghan Ayotte, Joey Pompeii, and Calvin Portuondo, has earned a #12 national seed, setting a new benchmark in the FLCC eSports history books. The Call of Duty - Modern Warfare II squad, featuring student-athletes Sarah Louden, Matthew Walsh, Devon Young, Christian Rucci-Santiago, Aiden Bower, Reece Middlebrook, and Connor Burns, has secured a #16 national seed. The Overwatch 2 team, including Tucker Drouin, Joshua Crawford, Hannah Fegley, Isiah Osborn, Sierra West, Hayley Topping, and Tanner Kennedy, holds a notable #25 national ranking. Completing Tier 2's impressive lineup is the Valorant team, with Joseph Yates, Francesca Dean, Nicholas Reifsnyder, Gaven Valder, Alex Schimizzi, Nathaniel Wonsey, Brandon May, and Will Smith, also standing at #16 in the national rankings. 

In Tier 3, Thomas LoDestro shines as the Lakers' Tekken 7 standout, securing the #3 seed nationally. The Smash Bros Ultimate team, comprising Joshua Schoonover (#26), Jakob Bamberger (#8), Izzy Smith (#41), and Tucker Drouin (#17), brings a series of impressive national rankings to the table. In Mario Kart 8 DX, Joseph Yates (#13), Destiny Rodriguez-Bellinger (#32), and Gabe Rose (#6) are set to represent the Lakers on the national stage. The Lakers' Rocket League Green team, featuring Brittany Ploof, Tristan Johnson, and Israel Smith, is ranked #23 nationally. Additionally, the Rainbow Six Siege team, with Jackson Johnson, Joshua Schoonover, Jayden Maddox, Braden Whitcomb, Alex Herington, Gilberto Pagan, Quinton Rabah, and Courtney Schenck, boasts the top ranking in Tier 3 for the Lakers with a #2 seed nationally. 

The postseason, starting on November 27th and running through December, will be streamed live on the FLCC eSports Twitch channel. Follow along with the Lakers' progress on social media @flccesports on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch.