Broncos, Get Your Game On! Esports Lab Grand Opening.
posted by Troy Hobbs III | October 23, 2023 | In NewsOn October 19 in the first floor of the Telecommunications Building, the Bronco Esports lab opened its doors for its Grand Opening. The Esports lab consists of sixteen Alienware Intel i7 Gaming PCs. The lab also has two PlayStation 5s, two Xbox Series Xs and two Nintendo Switches. The lab has the newest games in stock including NBA 2k24, Madden 24, and Mortal Kombat 1. Players are welcome to bring their own games or use their accounts on the systems.
The lab will be open Mondays through Fridays 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday nights from 6-8:30 p.m. will be dedicated to Esports practices, and coaches will be there. The lab is open to all students, faculty and staff.
The director of the Esports lab is Dr. Joshua Murray, an associate professor in the English department who has been teaching at Fayetteville State University since 2017. Dr. Murray teaches Harlem Renaissance literature and advanced research. However, another one of his courses includes storytelling within video games themselves.
In July, he became the director of both the Esports program and its minor.
Dr. Murray stated “I am excited for the Esports Lab and Program. What started out for me as a course creation for video game storytelling, and to now take over and be able to create a place for students to interact with one another about their love for video games is exciting.”
One of Dr. Murray’s main foci is to build pathways for students who are gamers and be able to find career opportunities in the video game industry.
Another key player in the Bronco’s Esports lab is Coach Andrae Thomas. Thomas is a recent graduate and 2023 alumni of FSU. Thomas first heard of the Esports Lab from an email from a professor while a student here.
Thomas stated, “I would come here at 8 a.m. every day and play.”
Thomas is a League of Legends player and became a student-coach who showed players not familiar with the game how to play and become a team. Thomas showed responsibility within the lab, and when there was an opening position as student director, he was awarded the position.
Thomas, now one of the main coaches, stated: “What started as a sapling has now begun creating roots. Just starting out, we had to experience what works for us in the lab. Now with more experience, there is a lot of potential here.”
Thomas is currently working on trying to set up scrimmages and network with various other Esports teams. Thomas believes that Bronco Esports can become a premiere pillar in the gaming community and attract various players and sponsors to our university.
Fayetteville State is also home to our Bronco Esports teams. FSU’s NBA2k Team has won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association U.S. Army Tournament in the past years. Former FSU Esports player Ahmahd Moore won the HBCU Heroes Tournament for NBA2k.
However, not just 2k is in the future for the Broncos, as Director Murray stated: “were open to building as many competitive teams for various games as possible.”
The Esports team is currently searching for new players. The main requirements are to be a student at the university and be full-time status (12+ hours), maintain a university G.P.A. of 2.0, and once a major is declared, the student must maintain a 2.5 GPA. Finally, players must maintain the Bronco Esports Code of Conduct. Students on the Esports teams are eligible for scholarships as well.
The lab is not open to just Esports, it is available to all current students, faculty and staff wishing to fellowship about video games.
Coach Thomas stated: “The lab is welcome to anyone who has a passion for video games. It is like a family here and there is a place for everyone.”
Anyone interested in playing Esports or has questions regarding the lab can contact Dr. Joshua Murray (jmurray9@uncfsu.edu). There is also a community discord for students that are involved in the lab.
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