The Bethany Lutheran College Vikings Esports Team is among the top-eight programs in North America after reaching the 2021 College League of Legends Championship Tournament quarterfinal round. League of Legends, developed by Riot Games, is one of the world’s most popular video games. It features a team-based competitive game mode centered on strategy and outplaying opponents. The competition involves two squads of five players. Players work with their team to break the enemy Nexus before the enemy team breaks theirs.
The College League of Legends Championship Tournament is open to over 450 sanctioned collegiate esports teams and clubs from across North America. Each team competes in conference competitions during a regular season. The College Championship is formed by twenty-eight teams that qualify through their conference playoffs, as well as four teams that are selected by the tournament committee. Bethany Esports was one of the four at-large selections. These thirty-two best esports teams in North America compete in a single elimination tournament to claim the College Championship trophy.
In the first two rounds of competition, Bethany promptly eliminated the University of California Berkeley on May 2 in round one, and then defeated Western University (London, Ontario) on May 9 in the second round. Bethany Esports dominated both best of three matches, notching decisive 2-0 victories.
Collegiate esports teams and players must be associated with an accredited higher learning institution in the United States or Canada, including four-year colleges, two-year colleges, universities, and graduate schools. Players must be currently enrolled in a degree program lasting at least two years and in academic good standing at the school they are competing for as either a (a) full-time student, or (b) part time student that is a former full-time student within one academic year of their expected graduation. Players must additionally be eligible to participate in school sanctioned club or competitive sports, as defined by the respective institution.
Bethany’s next match in the round of eight will take place on May 27, 2021, against the University of Toronto. Follow Bethany Esports Twitter (@BethanyEsports) for up-to-date information.