Cougar Esports looks to carry hot start to finish line

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

The Cougars currently sit third overall and 12th place with a map win percentage.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) formed eSports in 2019, but Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) didn’t add a team until the fall of 2022. Now in their second season, the Cougars’ eSports team is off to a hot start in Overwatch 2. Midway through the year, NICC currently carries a 3-1 record.

After losing their first match of the season, the Cougars have rebounded with wins over North Central Michigan College, Madison College and Hutchinson Community College.

“Over the first couple of matches,” Ezra Hershberger, head coach, said, “they have done a great job working together to win their team fights.”

NICC competes in the “Contender Series,” referred to as “Tier 2” by the NJCAAE. Although Coach Hershberger has seen some good things so far, there is plenty of room for improvement.

“What holds us back the most at the moment is our communication in-game during mid-fight scenarios,” he said. “When fights get hectic, so does our communication. If we want to be able to succeed against the better teams in our league, we will need to iron that out before playoffs.”

The Cougars currently sit third overall and 12th place with a map win percentage. Their season is winding down with only three matches remaining before the playoffs start, but NICC is in an excellent position to sharpen their skills before postseason play.

Stay up to date with Cougar Esports at nicc.edu/news.

Tags: Esports