The Blinn College esports team competed in Valorant and Super Smash Bros Ultimate matchups Tuesday.
The Buccaneer Valorant squad of Anthony Nguyen, Adam Laamoumi, Noah Drake, Ludovic Lefebvre-Lavigne, and Michael Rieger defeated Conestoga College 2-0 in a Valorant Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup matchup.
The Bucs are now 8-1 in the Cup.
“We played Conestoga who was coming off a pretty big upset over the University of Missouri, and we kept them contained throughout the bout,” Blinn head coach and Valorant manager Aaron Kapiko said. “After facing them earlier this season, we were prepared for what we would see, and the team took care of business. Our team is looking good as we head into the postseason for all the leagues we play in and we are excited to get back into action next week.”
Blinn’s Super Smash Bros team competed in 10 one-on-one NJCAA Esports (NJCAAe) matches and posted a 5-5 record.
Tanner Hicks won twice as he picked up 3-0 victories over Gogebic Community College and Southwestern Illinois College. Brady Landy fell to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College 3-2 and Laredo College 3-1. Cody Bentlage split two matches as he fell 3-1 to Laredo before knocking off Coastal Bend 3-2. Gage Pipes competed in and split four matches. He lost a 3-0 decision to Crowder College, defeated Barton Community College 3-0, fell to Hutchinson Community College 3-2, and blanked State Technical College of Missouri 3-0.
“We delivered a mixed performance, and while this may not be the outcome we had hoped for, it represents a decent finish to the season,” Bucs assistant coach and Super Smash Bros manager Kyle Murto said. “Despite some losses, particularly against formidable opponents, the players demonstrated remarkable determination and competitive spirit throughout the season. It’s worth noting that all our players finished near the top or in the middle of their respective conferences, reflecting their consistency and overall strong performances. Despite a rocky start, the team rallied together, showcasing significant improvement and a fighting spirit. I am proud that they were able to come back and make it a competitive season after what was a very rough start to the season.”
Blinn Call of Duty was scheduled to compete in an NJCAAe match Tuesday but was instead awarded a forfeit victory over Bergen Community College.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.