GREENEVILLE – If playing Madden NFL is one of your passions, Tusculum University is the place to be this weekend.
Dr. Harold Branstrator, left, and Joseph Cole play Madden 2023.
Tusculum University’s esports team and gaming club are hosting a Madden 2023 gaming tournament on campus Saturday, Nov. 18, starting at noon. The tournament will take place on the second floor of the Charles Oliver Gray North building, and participants will have an opportunity to participate in two-on-two or one-on-one matches. The tournament will have a bracket-style format.
“We are looking forward to having a great day of gaming on campus and welcome anyone from the Tusculum family or the community to participate,” said Dr. Harold Branstrator, associate professor of management and co-coach of the esports team. “This tournament is a great way for your competitive juices to flow in a fun way and enjoy a trip to our beautiful campus.”
Madden 2023 is a football simulation game, where each participant is in control of an NFL team. Each game lasts about 30 minutes.
“It will feature two teams against each other like a regular NFL game,” said Joseph Cole, a Tusculum freshman, who is helping organize the tournament. “You are in full control of the receivers and the quarterback and other players and make the offensive, defensive and special teams plays. You are in control of the entire spectrum.”
The cost is $10 for the two-on-two matches and $5 for the one-on-one matches. The winner of the one-on-one and two-on-two matches receives $50. To sign up for the tournament, community members can email Dr. Branstrator at hbranstrator@tusculum.edu. Walkups are also welcome.
Snacks provided by the Tusculum Debate Club will be available for sale.
Joseph Cole, left, and Dr. Harold Branstrator hang out in the esports lab at Tusculum.
Tusculum has embraced gaming and esports with the establishment of the COG North labs in 2022. It is a terrific place for students to spend time when they are not studying or in class. The two labs are close to each other, enabling students with a desire to participate in both to easily move from one to the other.
During the fall semester, Tusculum formed an esports team. The esports Valorant team won its first-ever National Association of Collegiate Esports contest in October against Michigan Tech by a score of two matches to one. On Wednesday, Nov. 8, the team defeated Lake Michigan College and qualified for the National Association of Collegiate Esports playoffs.
“We are pleased to be building our esports program and having success at an early stage of competition,” said Dr. Nick Davidson, chair of Tusculum’s Sport Management Department and the team’s co-coach. “We are also thrilled to offer robust gaming opportunities and are excited we will have the community join members of the Tusculum family this weekend. Esports and gaming are growing industries, and we are focused on being at the forefront from recreational and academic standpoints.”
More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.