GREENEVILLE – Gaming enthusiasts can once again put their skills on display and enjoy friendly competition at the fall Pioneer CON at Tusculum University.
Participants play Warhammer 40K at Pioneer CON in the spring.
Pioneer CON will be held Saturday, Oct. 19, in the Scott M. Niswonger Commons, with tournaments slated to last throughout the day. Organizers have scheduled Warhammer 40K, Magic: The Gathering and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments. The event will also include cosplay and Dungeons and Dragons sessions.
“We are thrilled to once again open the campus to those who have a passion for gaming and enjoy spending their leisure time in this pursuit,” said Dr. Harold Branstrator, co-coach of Tusculum’s Gaming Club and Esports Club. “Those who have come to our previous gaming events have enjoyed themselves immensely, and we know that will be the case again this time. We encourage everyone to join us for this extremely fun day.”
The cost to enter the facility is $10. The fee for each of the tournaments is an additional $30. Here are further details about the tournaments:
- Warhammer 40K will take place from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. in Chalmers Conference Center. The winner receives a $150 in-store credit at House of Games, located at 562 Tusculum Blvd. in Greeneville. The second place finisher earns an $80 in-store credit, and the person finishing third collects a $40 in-store credit. The individual who wins best painted receives $30 in-store credit.
- Magic: The Gathering will be played from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Tusculum’s esports and gaming labs on the fourth floor of the Scott M. Niswonger Commons.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Tusculum’s esports and gaming labs.
A group plays Dungeons and Dragons during Pioneer CON in April.
The Dungeons and Dragons component will consist of a symposium and two one-shots, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Participants in cosplay will be eligible to win prizes.
Dr. Branstrator, an associate professor of management at Tusculum is organizing Pioneer CON. Dr. Nick Davidson, assistant dean of the Sport Studies Division at the university, is leading the Warhammer 40K tournament. The event’s sponsors are House of Games and Playmore Games, which is located at 817 Tusculum Blvd. in Greeneville.
Pioneer CON is held in the fall and the spring. The fall event focuses almost exclusively on games, while the spring edition also incorporates a number of side activities.
“Those who have already marked their calendars for this event are looking forward to showcasing their talent,” said Dr. Davidson, who serves as co-coach of Tusculum’s Gaming Club and Esports Club. “We hope to see even more participate and experience a great time in excellent facilities. This event is also excellent for our students to compete and grow as players as well as understand how popular and big the gaming industry is.”
Cosplay was a hit at Pioneer CON in April.
Gaming and esports have become important elements of the extracurricular opportunities for Tusculum students. Dr. Branstrator and Dr. Davidson arranged for the opening of the first gaming and esports labs on campus in 2022 and then teamed to move them to the current and larger home in the Niswonger Commons in the 2023-24 academic year.
In 2023, Tusculum’s esports Valorant team won its first-ever National Association of Collegiate Esports contest in October against Michigan Tech. The team later defeated Lake Michigan College and qualified for the National Association of Collegiate Esports playoffs. Tusculum’s esports team plans to compete internally and with other higher education institutions during this academic year in Valorant, Twilight and Call of Duty.
Anyone with questions about Pioneer CON can email Dr. Branstrator at hbranstrator@tusculum.edu. More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.