FSCJ Announces Launch of Varsity Esports and Gaming Arena

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is pleased to introduce Esports as a new competitive varsity program at the College. This innovative new offering will debut in fall 2024 with the intention of fielding nationally competitive teams in the following games:

• Call of Duty
• League of Legends
• Overwatch
• Rocket League
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Valorant
• Fortnite         
• NBA2K, FIFA & Madden 24
• Super Smash Bros Ultimate
• Mario Kart

Teams will represent the institution in intercollegiate competition within the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports (NJCAAE) and the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Students must meet specific credit requirements and earn a minimum GPA to maintain their eligibility status for competition.

Director of Athletics Jerry Thor will oversee the program and he has enlisted a staff of gaming enthusiasts along with advisory support from the video game industry. The program was launched in response to one of FSCJ’s strategic plan goals, to increase student engagement in co- and extra-curricular activities.

"FSCJ has a long and storied tradition in college athletics, and I'm excited to see our students compete in this new frontier of collegiate esports," said Thor. “The esports industry has experienced unprecedented growth over the past five years, and I am grateful to the administration at FSCJ for supporting the success of students that wish to participate in the rapid growth of this phenomenon.”

To host in-person esports league activities and academic programming, the College has announced the upcoming state-of-the-art FSCJ Esports Arena that promises to foster innovation, collaboration and camaraderie among students in the program. The FSCJ Esports Arena represents a significant step forward in FSCJ’s commitment to elevating student experiential learning opportunities and community engagement. Within this dedicated space, students will be able to hone their skills to then broadcast a variety of matches and events that will be streamed live weekly via the program’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

Recruitment is underway now through the summer, with teams being formed at the beginning of the Fall Term. Interested students are encouraged to contact Coach Thor at esports@fscj.edu.