CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Last Friday (May 9), the Lesley University eSports team claimed its first-ever National Championship by winning the National Esports Collegiate Conferences (NECC) Division 7 National Championship for Overwatch. 

eSports head coach Ibo Rivera could not have been more proud of the effort the Lynx showed throughout the playoff run. "I'm incredibly proud to represent Lesley University on the national stage," said Rivera. "Our goal has always been to build one of the top collegiate esports programs in New England and this championship run was a major step in that direction. As a first-year program, we faced our share of growing pains early on, but our players never lost sight of the bigger picture, they stayed locked in and committed to the grind. Our Overwatch captain proved he's one of the best in the country, leading by example and dominating when it mattered most. We also had new players join us this semester who exceeded expectations, and our returners from the fall showed real growth and maturity. We knew we had the talent to be special this spring, and the results speak for themselves."

In the postseason, the Lynx dominated their competition as the squad went a perfect 4-0 to capture the title. In the round of 16, Lesley took down the University of Alabama in Huntsville, by a score of 3-0. Moving onto the elite eight, the Lynx bested Huntingdon College, 3-0 and in the final four, the squad downed the University of Alberta, 3-0. When it came to the championship match, Lesley also swept that matchup, 4-0 versus Midland University.

Not only did Lesley finish the postseason with perfection, the Lynx completed their entire national tournament run 13-0 in maps. Such a feat is considered a rare and dominant achievement in the eSports community. 

This national title adds a perfect capstone to an already stellar Spring NECC season, where Lesley finished with 13 wins and only one loss. From the regular season grind to the biggest stage of the year, the Lynx never took their foot off the gas.

This championship run sets a new standard for the program and shows the rest of the collegiate esports scene that Lesley University is a rising powerhouse.