Marist League of Legends Team Takes First Place in MAAC Esports Conference

Marist’s “League of Legends” Esports team wins the MAAC championship against Fairfeld University. Photo via Marist Esports on Twitch

This year, Marist College’s “League of Legends” Esports team placed first in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) finals on Mar. 20. Their victory against the opposing Fairfield University team came as no surprise. 

During the 2020 season, Marist also placed first in the “League of Legends” championship, as well as the “Rocket League” and “Overwatch” finals. 

The victory this year meant a lot to the “League of Legends” team, who have been practicing for their season since the beginning of the fall semester. Typically, the Esports team spends several hours a week practicing to make sure that they are always bringing their A-game. 

For those unfamiliar with the game, it consists of two teams in a 5v5 brawl. The goal is to destroy the opposing team’s base. Each player selects a champion, or a playable character, and utilizes their unique abilities to make decisive plays, secure kills, and take down the enemy turrets. 

“Being on the League team is something I look forward to every semester,” Luke Jacobs ‘23 said. “I love playing on the team because it’s a great group of guys. We have made a ton of memories over the seasons, both in and out of the game.” 

Photo via Marist Esports on Twitch

Tarik Narma ‘21 said this season’s win felt particularly rewarding. “Marist has a legacy of winning the conference tournament every year, so it was nice not to break the streak.” Narma said, who has been on the team since 2019. “The Esports team is like a second family to me.” 

The Esports program at Marist has humble beginnings. Members of an unofficial group playing “League of Legends” as a hobby, went on to found the Esports program in 2018. That first year, the “League of Legends” team saw a great victory, winning the championship trophy at the ECAC/MAAC tournament in Albany. Since then, the program has expanded greatly, creating teams for other games including “Super Smash Bros,” “Rocket League,” “Overwatch,” and “Valorant.” 

Both the “Overwatch” and “Rocket League” teams won their respective MAAC championships in the 2021 season as well. 

In prior years, the Marist Esports team convened in their suite at the Hancock Center, which is outfitted with 12 separate gaming stations to foster communication and shot calling. Since the advent of the pandemic, the obstacles that COVID-19 has brought have stifled their well-established in person training routines.

Even in the face of the pandemic and the unique restrictions that came with it, they managed to dominate the 2021 MAAC Championships. 

The Marist Esports team has posted the stream from the League of Legends finals on its Twitch account (Marist_Esports), so all students can see first-hand how the Red Foxes took home another victory.