Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Old Dominion University to Launch Esports Program

  • 11/12/19

NORFOLK, VA – Old Dominion University (ODU) will become the first four-year public institution in Virginia to join the world of esports with a new varsity program beginning in the fall of 2020.

Managed by the Department of Recreation and Wellness, ODU's Esports Program will be a member of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), which has more than 160 institutional members across the country.

"Formal and informal varsity esports teams have grown significantly across the country over the past several years," says Grant Deppen, assistant director of intramural sports. "Seventy-five percent of young people between the ages of 13 and 17 play games on a regular basis."

The rapid growth of esports leagues across North America, Europe, and Asia have made millions in prize money and live-streaming deals. In July, 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf of Pennsylvania won $3 million as the champion of the Fortnite World Cup. Through varsity esports, ODU students can win prizes or scholarship funds from event organizers based on their performance in worldwide tournaments.

The Webb University Center will be the home of the esports program. Roughly 2,400 square feet will be retrofitted with high-end gaming computer systems and consoles available for recreational use by all students and varsity teams. The space will also include a section that allows the varsity competitions to be broadcast and streamed online.

"There are two large gaming student organizations on campus currently; the ODU Esports Club and the Super Smash Association. The ODU Esports Club plays competitively in Rocket League, League of Legends, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and others," Deppen says.

In addition to a section of the space for live streaming competitions of the varsity teams, computers equipped with game design software will support student academic and entrepreneurial game development opportunities.

"We see the esports and gamification phenomenon happening at all levels of education and professional development," Deppen says. "This program and facility will provide significant opportunities for students to hone their skills for majors such as game design studies, graphic design, sport management, cybersecurity, modeling & simulation, computer engineering and computer science and many of the other academic disciplines that the university offers."

For more information, contact Grant Deppen, assistant director, Recreation & Wellness, at [email protected] or visit odu.edu/esports.

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Colorado School District Breaks Ground on Unified PK–12 Campus

    The Haxtun School District No. Re-2J in Haxtun, Colo., recently announced that ground has been broken on a renovation/addition project that will unite its two schools, Haxtun Elementary and Haxtun Jr/Sr High School, according to a news release.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.