UHD’s Overwatch Varsity Team won the United Gaming Clans (UGC) Overwatch 2 Division 4 Season 19 League.
“Seconds before the win, my heart was pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears,” said Sibel Deniz Emekli, OW2 Varsity Team Captain, of the win. “I knew in that moment that this would be a core memory that I will never forget and hopefully relive with another trophy this year.”
Overwatch 2 is a team game played with a total of five players, and Emekli was sure to give her team all the credit it deserves. “My world stopped for a second when I heard my team scream and celebrate into their mics,” Emekli said. “UHD wouldn’t have received another award if the Overwatch Varsity team hadn’t worked so hard to win. I’m sure no one deserves this celebration more than these dedicated players who put in hundreds of hours of training and just persevered,” she added.
Richard Rodriguez, the UHD eSPORTS coordinator, was sure to share the same opinion. “These students are the ones who deserve the win and I make sure they soak up all the glory when they deserve it,” Rodriguez said.
The event was hosted by the UGC League, an independent tournament organizer that hosts events for amateur and collegiate colleges in Overwatch 2 and Team Fortress 2. The UHD Gators beat teams from the University of North Texas, the University of Jerusalem and the University of Kentucky. among other colleges and amateur programs on their way to winning the tournament as they defeated the Storybook Heroes 4-0.
The Gators competed in OW2 Season 18 where they qualified for the Consolation Playoffs after finishing 22nd in the 32-team league. The team lost 2-3 to Element: Inspire in the first round of the playoffs.
Emekli praised UHD for its continued support of the OW2 team. “We wouldn’t have had so many opportunities if the amazing eSPORTS staff hadn’t been there for us when we needed them the most,” she said. “Every single person who works at the eSPORTS Center has had an impact on where the Overwatch team is today.”
Emekli is an international business major. When she started at UHD, she had no interest in school activities. She just wanted to graduate and move on. All of that changed with the creation of UHD’s Varsity Overwatch team. “I told one of my players the other day that when I started at this university I literally wanted to go to school and back. I didn’t want to make friends, nothing.” Emekli added. “Now here I’m talking about what it’s like to be a part of something I started a year and a half ago.”
The team is currently collecting offers for new players and would like to compete in season 20 of UGC. “There are always plans for teams to expand their rosters,” Rodriguez said. “If you have the skills or just want to be a part of the eSPORTS community, we always strive to grow.”
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