In just 12 months, UW-Superior esports has experienced remarkable growth – both in participation and competitive success. What began as a developing program has quickly evolved into a thriving varsity operation, highlighted by national championships, expanding rosters and a growing campus community.

During the Fall 2025 semester, UW-Superior fielded five varsity teams with more than 30 students, competing across two conferences: the PlayVS National Conference and the Wisconsin Esports Conference (WEC). Interest extended well beyond competition, with 103 active users engaging in the Esports Discord community throughout the semester.

“The Fall 2025 semester was one of the best semesters we have ever seen for UWS esports since starting the program in the spring of 2024,” said coach Brady Stocker. “After tryouts, we had 31 students on five different rosters. About half of them were first-year competitors for UWS varsity esports.”

National Champions: League of Legends Makes History

UW-Superior competed in five titles during the fall, with League of Legends emerging as the program’s standout success.

The eight-student roster competed in the PlayVS National Conference and delivered a perfect season, finishing 11-0 and capturing the national championship.

“This team had the most success of our five titles,” said Stocker, who also serves as UW-Superior’s Wessman Arena Manager. “The League of Legends team did not lose a single match all season, becoming our first team to ever go undefeated and win a national championship.”

The title marked the program’s second national championship, following the Valorant national title earned in Spring 2025.

Strong Performances Across Multiple Titles

Valorant

The Valorant roster featured eight students competing in both the PlayVS National Conference and the WEC.

“The team finished around .500 in the WEC and .750 in the PlayVS National Conference, earning a third-place regional finish,” said Stocker.

Rocket League

With a roster of five students, Rocket League competed in the WEC and narrowly missed a state tournament berth, finishing just one round short.

“This roster grew the most throughout the season,” Stocker said. “They finished with a winning record and defeated strong teams from River Falls, Northwood Tech and Eau Claire at the in-person regional tournament.”

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team, comprised of five students, competed in the PlayVS National Conference.

“They had a challenging schedule but showed steady improvement,” said Stocker. “The team had fun, leaned into teamwork and grew significantly over the semester.”

Counter-Strike 2

Also competing nationally, the Counter-Strike 2 team finished with a .500 record, earning notable wins against larger Division I programs.

“They picked up wins against schools like Ohio State and Oklahoma State,” Stocker said.

Building Skill, Confidence and Communication

Entering the fall semester, all five teams brought a competitive foundation, paired with a strong desire to improve.

“We had students with a lot of passion and a willingness to grow together,” said Stocker. “Teams embraced a teamwork mentality, spent time practicing and reviewed match footage to prepare scouting reports.”

While individual skill levels varied, players learned to understand and embrace their roles – contributing to overall team success.

One of the most visible areas of growth, according to Stocker, was communication.

“Esports is incredibly reaction-based, and communication is everything,” he said. “One of my favorite moments is seeing a quiet student at the start of the season become confident, vocal and a leader by the end.”

Looking Ahead to Spring 2026

UW-Superior esports will continue to build momentum in the spring semester, with varsity competition planned in:

• Overwatch 2
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
• League of Legends

Additional titles based on student interest

The Swenson Hall Esports Lab is open for drop-in use Monday through Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. All UW-Superior students registered for classes are welcome to use the facility.

Fans can also catch the action live – UWS esports competitions are streamed on Twitch. Follow UWS esports to stay up to date on matches, highlights and events.