DSU Esports program to host Midwest Invitational

November 17, 2021

Invitational to take place Saturday and Sunday, November 20 & 21

Dakota State University Esports is hosting a Midwest Invitational on Saturday, November 20, and Sunday, November 21. It will feature collegiate gameplay in VALORANT and League of Legends, with open to the public, pay-to-play fighting games tournaments.

Teams from South Dakota State University, University of South Dakota, University of North Dakota, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of Iowa will be competing as part of the Collegiate Champions League (CCL).

CCL was developed by Dakota State Head Esports Coach Andy Roland in the fall of 2020 to create consistent competition for DSU and other Midwest universities.

“There isn’t a central governing body for esports,” Roland explained, “and most collegiate platforms run tournaments instead of seasonal play. I wanted to create a season-long schedule just like volleyball or other sports.”

The CCL mirrors other athletic sports seasons by being a competitive conference that allows the teams to build rivalries, compete at similar skill levels, and help the teams and their coaches build their organizations together.

The collegiate teams will compete on Saturday and Sunday and the fighting games tournaments will take place on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Dakota Prairie Playhouse in Madison.

The public is invited to attend the invitational to watch and/or participate in the fighting games tournaments. Masks are required for the event and to enter the building, and there is a $10 venue fee for admission to the building. For a schedule of the events visit the tournament site.

Additionally, the entirety of the Midwest Invitational will be live-streamed on DSU Esports’ Twitch Channel. An esports caster will break down the play for those watching.