The Blinn College esports team saw its Overwatch squad take a big step towards its first national championship Wednesday.
The Buccaneers earned a 3-0 best-of-five series sweep over North Dakota State College of Science in the championship match of the NJCAA Esports Overwatch Regional Playoffs.
With the win, Blinn advanced to the NJCAA Esports Overwatch National Tournament.
“This victory solidifies our place as one of the top teams in NJCAAe and we now head into the national tournament with momentum and focus,” Blinn assistant coach and Overwatch manager Kyle Murto said. “We’re ready to finish this season strong.”
Overwatch is a team-based, first-person-shooter in which players select heroes with unique abilities and work together to complete objectives across multiple map modes. Each team can strategically choose its maps based on team strengths and opponent weaknesses.
Each of the three rounds Wednesday included different win conditions based on the following modes:
- Control: Teams fight to capture and hold a single point. The first team to reach 100% control wins two rounds in a best-of-three format, where the loser of each round picks the next map.
- Escort: The attacking team moves a payload to its destination while defenders try to stop them. The payload moves when attackers are near it, and the attackers aim to complete the route before time runs out.
- Hybrid: Teams capture a point and then escort a payload. The match is typically one round for attackers, who must secure the point first before moving the payload.
- Push: Teams battle to control a robot and push it toward the opponent’s side. The first team to push it farther than their opponents wins, with the loser picking the next map.
- Clash: Teams capture consecutive points, with the first team to a set number of points winning.
Blinn earned wins in Control, Hybrid, and Escort.
The Bucs’ team of Dylan Payne, , Matthew Hutchings, Braeden Greiffenstein, and Dhruv Pandrangi earned the victory.
“This victory highlighted not only the strength of our starting lineup, but also the depth of our roster, as Dylan and Braeden saw playtime and contributed to the win,” Murto added. “Their composure and ability to integrate seamlessly into our game plan speak volumes about their development and readiness.”
Blinn’s first match in the national tournament is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9. The Bucs’ opponent has yet to be determined.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
