LISLE, IL – The Columbia College Esports program competed in the Midwest Esports Conference (MEC) Championship this past weekend at the Sheraton Hotel in Lisle, Illinois. The Cougars entered the tournament as the overall No. 1-seeds in both Rocket League and Valorant, having posted perfect records during the regular season.

The championship featured a double-elimination format, with the top teams from the regular season vying for the Conference Championship title and an automatic bid to the CECC May Madness Championship in Waco, Texas.

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Regular Season Standings

Rocket League			Valorant
1. Columbia College	11-0		1. Columbia College	8-0
2. Michigan State University	9-2		2. DePaul University	6-2
3. Radford University	9-2		3. Cleveland State University	6-2
4. Pratt Community College	8-3		4. Michigan State University	6-2
5. Simpson College	5-6		5. Briar Cliff University	4-4
6. St. Cloud State University	5-6		6. Missouri Baptist University	3-5
7. Spring Arbor University	4-6		7. St. Cloud State University	2-6
8. Penn State University	3-8		8. Penn State University	1-7
9. Briar Cliff University	2-9		9. Radford University	0-8
10. Mount St. Mary's University	2-8
11. Harrisburg University	1-9

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Rocket League

Rocket League Navy opened the championship with a first-round bye before facing No. 2-seed Michigan State University (East Lansing, Mich.) in the winners bracket finals. The Cougars made a statement, sweeping the Spartans 4-0 to advance to the Grand Finals. There, Columbia faced Michigan State once more, this time with a game advantage in hand. The Cougars surrendered just one game en route to a 4-1 series victory, claiming the Championship and securing their bid to the CECC May Madness Championship in Waco. It marks the first Midwest Esports Conference Championship for the Rocket League Navy team.

Valorant

The Valorant squad also received a first-round bye before meeting No. 4-seed Michigan State University in the winners bracket semifinals. The Spartans pushed Columbia to a decisive Map 3, but the Cougars closed out the series and reaffirmed their standing as the top seed. In the winners finals, Columbia squared off against No. 3-seed Cleveland State University (Cleveland, Ohio), who had just swept No. 2 DePaul University (Chicago, Ill.) to advance. The Cougars and Vikings traded blows in another tense series that went the distance, with Columbia ultimately winning the final map 13-9.

The two programs met again in the Grand Finals, where the Vikings once again pushed Columbia to the limit before falling on the final map, 13-10. With the victory, the Cougars secured both their bid to the CECC May Madness Championship in Waco and a berth in the Collegiate Valorant National Championship later this April. It is the third Midwest Esports Conference Championship for Columbia's Valorant program.

 

	Rocket League		Valorant
	Alex "Gske" Gustke		Christian "Ev0" Chun
	Avg. Score - 438		Kills - 137
	Goals - 7		Assists - 79
	Assists - 6		First Bloods - 7
	Saves - 12		Plants - 7
	Demos - 6		Defuses - 2