Links:  Esports Collegiate release  |  Conference website

CLEVELAND, Ohio – In a move providing a sound, competitive framework for its varsity esports program, Northeastern University has been unanimously approved for membership into the Esports Collegiate Conference (ESC) by its board of directors, as announced on Friday by ESC Executive Director Bob Gennarelli.
 
Within Esports Collegiate – the independent esports venture launched in June by the Mid-American Conference (MAC) – Northeastern will compete against the league's 12 founding schools (see listing below) for conference championships that merit automatic berths to national championship events.
 
Beginning in 2021, the Huskies' ESC membership will include annual entry into the competitive seasons for two spring titles, League of Legends and Overwatch, plus one fall title, Rocket League.
 
"We are extremely pleased to be adding an institution with the resume of Northeastern to our esports membership in 2021," said Gennarelli. "Their competitiveness across many game titles will make them a great fit for the conference for years to come."
 
"This is the next logical step for our competitive esports programs," said Northeastern Director of Athletics and Recreation Jeff Konya. "We are thrilled to be aligned with such aspiring institutions in the conference and excited to provide elite competition for our student-athletes. The Esports Collegiate Conference will allow our student-athletes to compete for a conference championship and earn an automatic berth to national championships."
 
Miami University President Dr. Greg Crawford serves as the President of the Esports Collegiate Board of Directors that welcomed Northeastern to the conference. The ESC administration also features a seven-member Competition Committee that coordinates league scheduling, outlines championship formats and reviews all matters of league infrastructure.

"We're excited to have Northeastern join Esports Collegiate," states Dr. Greg Crawford. "It is an innovative and forward-thinking university with a great presence in the esports landscape."

Before signing on as a conference member, Northeastern's rapport within Esports Collegiate was already well established. This fall, the Huskies were invited as the No. 1 seed into the ESC qualifying region for the ancillary College League of Legends Fall Invitational (hosted by RiotGames and PlayVS), having since advanced to the region's championship round.

Northeastern has also chronicled similar success on the Collegiate Rocket League (CRL) national stage to that of its to-be Esports Collegiate foe, Akron. Both programs have celebrated CRL national championships since the event's fall 2017 inception and are pitted against each other inside the fall 2020 season's Eastern Conference.
 
Northeastern is slated to debut in the Esports Collegiate Conference when the spring 2021 national League of Legends season begins on Jan. 18. Conference and national schedules for the spring 2021 Overwatch campaign are yet to be released.
 
For Esports Collegiate news and information, fans are encouraged to follow the league online at esports-collegiate.com, on Twitter at @ESC_Conference and on Instagram at @esportscollegiate_.
 
Esports Collegiate membership:  University of Akron, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Kent State University, Miami University, Northern Illinois University, Ohio University, University of Toledo and Western Michigan University.
 
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