MIDLAND, MI– Another success for Northwood University’s eSports team. The varsity gaming group at Northwood has been no stranger to taking home the gold. Now, the team’s Rocket League players have been named winners of the first-ever Collegiate Rocket League World Championship.
“This victory is something these students will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Head Coach Cody Elsen.
Since the fall of 2020, Northwood University’s eSports team has achieved great success winning four national championships; being named 31-time league/conference champions and have won 20 tournament championships.
In the last two years, their online and event viewership has grown to over 15.8 million views.
Elsen said he is incredibly proud of the hard work and determination that the team showed and was amazed at the unbelievable recognition for both players and the University.
In the Sunday, June 5 tournament, Northwood had early victories against England’s Salford University (3-0) and Canada’s St Clair College (3-0), before advancing to the quarterfinals.
Northwood defeated teams from the University of Las Vegas and Quebec’s Collège de Valleyfield to advance to the event’s grand finals against an opponent they have faced frequently in other league tournaments- Stockton University (NJ).
In the finals, the Timberwolves managed to sweep the series against Stockton (4-0) to earn the world title.
See Also: New eSports team at mid-michigan high school gives students another opportunity for scholarships
Team Captain Hunter Woitas, who goes by the username LionBlaze, said taking home the win was only a matter of team chemistry formed with a strong group trust.
“Once you have that, you become the best team possible,” he said.
Woitas, who came to Northwood from of San Tan Valley, Arizona, competed alongside teammates Stephen Hoelbinger (West Deptford, New Jersey), and Alexander Che (San Antonio, Texas).
The varsity gaming group at Northwood has been no stranger to taking home the gold. Now, the team’s Rocket League players have been named winners of the first-ever Collegiate Rocket League World Championship. (Photo provided with permission by Northwood University eSports)
This season, Northwood’s team won the Collegiate Rocket League Summer Series Championship, Collegiate Rocket League National Championship and Collegiate Rocket League North American Championship.
Other accomplishments by the Northwood Rocket League group include:
- AVGL Intel Champions
- CCA Summer Series Championship Runner-up
- CRL National Champions
- Maui eSports invitational Champions
- NACE National Champions
- PlayVS Fall Championship 3rd place
- UCEA Fall Season Champions
- UGC Fall Rocket League Champions
- Upsurge Premier League Season 1 Champions
- Upsurge Premier League Season 2 Champions
Sunday’s global championship victory completes the grand slam of college Rocket League events for Northwood this year.
For more information about the Northwood eSports program, visit the University’s website, the team’s eSports homepage or their Twitch.TV channel.
More from MLive:
Line 5 shutdown would hike gas prices a half-cent per gallon court filing reveals
Canadian EV charging company invests $3M in Michigan for first U.S. facility
Michigan moves to outlaw fake urine as marijuana popularity soars
