SUNY Canton Esports Welcomes New Women’s ‘Overwatch’ Team Members, Adds ‘Madden NFL’

SUNY Canton’s thriving esports program continues its expansion into the spring 2020 season by welcoming new members to its competitive all-women’s Overwatch team.

“We’re looking forward to our six player, all-women’s Overwatch team competing and representing SUNY Canton this spring,” said Esports Coordinator and Head Overwatch Coach Charles W. Murray. “We take great pride in promoting and integrating women in Esports at SUNY Canton, including both coed and all-women’s teams.”

With assistance from Murray, the all-women’s team is coached by Admissions Counselor Kimberley L. Wise. “This is a very driven group of women,” Wise said. “We want to get in the game and compete as much as anyone else.” 

The college has been attempting to address the systemic gender division in the competitive esports world and has previously offered all-women’s hours in the esports arena to expand access to the environment and promote a welcoming atmosphere. The college has a contingent of women who play almost every game, with female captains on three teams.

SUNY Canton made history in 2018 by playing the very first known all-women’s collegiate varsity esports match against Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. This year, the team will look for continued opportunities to compete during the semester.

 

Adding Madden

The college recently recruited a team of students interested in playing EA Games’ “Madden NFL 20” as part of its lineup of Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) teams. 

“Our program expands to meet student interest every semester,” Murray said. “Madden was one of the most requested game titles we’ve had. Our student captain is a very motivated leader who has made our addition of the game a complete success.”

Madden NFL is a three-vs-three American football video game played on the college’s Alienware computers in the esports arena. 

There are currently about 80 SUNY Canton Esports students playing eight game titles, including Blizzard’s “Overwatch” and “Hearthstone;” Riot Games’ “Fortnite” and “League of Legends;” Psyonix’s “Rocket League;” Nintendo’s “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate;” and Ubisoft’s “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.”

Murray noted that due to demand, he has added two more Super Smash Bros. teams. “Smash has become the fastest-growing game we have,” he said.  

 

SUNY Canton’s Esports Team Members Include:

Fortnite

• Thomas Cunningham, Game Design and Development
• Brandon McPherson, Information Technology
• Johnattan Melo, Game Design and Development
• Dylan Santiago, Game Design and Development
• Clayton Sawdey, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Timothy Urbom, Graphic and Multimedia Design

 

Hearthstone

• Zachary Lawrence, Game Design and Development
• Nathaniel Pynemercier, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Frederick Given, Cybersecurity
• Stephen Folk, Information Technology

 

League of Legends

• Garrett Bresett, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Logan Coggins, Technological Communications
• Alexander Dacosta, Game Design and Development
• Denny Gao, Game Design and Development
• Zachary Gould, Game Design and Development
• Lucas Hartmann, Game Design and Development
• Tyler Johnson, Game Design and Development
• Kal-El Key, Game Design and Development
• Alec Knowles, Game Design and Development
• Thomas Nagle, Game Design and Development
• Juan-Arturo Nunez, Information Technology
• Kasey Palmer, Veterinary Technology
• Xaris (Harris) Zotos, Mechanical Engineering Technology

 

Madden NFL 20

• Zaire Berkeley, Criminal Investigation
• Xavier Gregory, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• James Mifflin, Sports Management
• Michael Wilson, Graphic and Multimedia Design

 

Overwatch

• My Dang, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Shane Girard, Veterinary Technology
• Kal-El Key, Game Design and Development
• Todd Millington, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Emily Oeser, Game Design and Development
• Chris Ouellette, Game Design and Development
• Kevin Smith, Engineering Science
• Gunnar Roaquin, Game Design and Development
• Dana Olmstead, Veterinary Technology
• Owen Jauch, Game Design and Development
• Louis Penque, Game Design and Development
• Joseph D'Antuono, Game Design and Development
• Stephen Pappacena, Game Design and Development
• Mycah Stuckey, Individual Studies
• Danny Cerqueira, Veterinary Technology
• Michael Rego, Funeral Services Administration

 

Women’s Overwatch 

• Alexis Hervin, Game Design and Development
• Samantha Lucchi, Game Design and Development
• Samantha Moore, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Emily Oeser, Game Design and Development
• Dana Olmstead, Veterinary Technology
• Mycah Stuckey, Individual Studies

 

Rainbow Six Siege

• Erik Bondgren, Sustainable Energy Technology
• Steven Canino, Homeland Security
• Skylar Crespo, Game Design and Development
• James Cyr, Management
• Dillan Domagala, Homeland Security
• Johnattan Melo, Game Design and Development
• Angel Velazquez, Law Enforcement Leadership

 

Rocket League

• Brendan Capria, Engineering Science
• Adam Ploutz, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Brandon Prusinowski, Mechanical Engineering Technology
• Keegan Rule Paone, Game Design and Development

 

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• Donjei Bethea, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Justin Brooks, Game Design and Development
• Kyle Chen, Game Design and Development
• Madison Cragle, Individual Studies
• Sean Craver, Game Design and Development
• Jacob Doorhy, Game Design and Development
• Eban Estevez, Technological Communications
• Alexander French, Game Design and Development
• Sean Grillo, Game Design and Development
• Matthew King, Game Design and Development
• Nathan Lafary, Game Design and Development
• Todd Millington, Graphic and Multimedia Design
• Anthony Nieves, Undeclared
• Damnian Okrasinski, Game Design and Development
• Adhemar Tiburcio, Game Design and Development
• Nathanael Whyte, Game Design and Development