Anna Maria College Launching Varsity Esports
(Paxton, MA) – March 21, 2022 – Anna Maria College is launching a Varsity Esports Program. Anna Maria Esports will compete at the collegiate conference and national level starting with the Fall 2022 semester. The team will be directed and coached by Zachary Gandara, formerly the director and esports coach at Providence College. Gandara has 18 post season appearances, including two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships. Anna Maria will also form a non-conference esports student club. Learn more about Anna Maria Esports here.
Esports are competitive, team-based video games where teams of 3-6 players work together in real time to outsmart and outmaneuver another team of the same number of players. Anna Maria will compete against colleges around the country in and outside of our conference. The team will initially play Valorant, a teen-rated fantasy simulation of competing superpowers, ghosts, and robots.
“Esports brings competition and school spirit to a previously untapped fan base and extends our reach to a national scene,” said Zachary Gandara, Director and Head Coach of Anna Maria Esports. “Right now, we are in the process of developing and equipping an esports facility on campus and recruiting students for our fall team. We plan to come out swinging.”
Players learn the traditional teamwork, time management, physical game and mental focus skills, but more tangibly, esports players must understand and maintain their equipment, and appreciate the game technology and features, which enhances their computer skills and often fosters interest in STEM. Esports is a rapidly growing industry and the associated skills involved in esports are applicable across many career fields.
“Anna Maria College and Anna Maria Athletics is excited to add esports as a new program on campus,” said Athletic Director Joseph Brady ‘96. “Esports is growing rapidly in popularity across many colleges. The addition of this program for Anna Maria opens the door to new prospective students who want to compete in online gaming. In addition, it will be a great opportunity for our current students to get involved with esports and a new activity outside the classroom. I am excited to help Zachary build a successful esports program. His experiences, vision and creative ideas will serve the program well.”
Students who are interested in being recruited to Anna Maria Esports or have questions should email esports@annamaria.edu. Please include your contact details, the game to which you would like to be recruited, and your qualifications such as: Rank, Competitive Experience, and References
Located just outside of Worcester in Paxton, Massachusetts, Anna Maria College is a 75-year-old private, co-educational institution inspired by the ideals of the Sisters of Saint Anne. We prepare our students to become ethical leaders by combining a values-based, service focused education with strong functional knowledge and the skills necessary to address the rapidly changing needs of their world. Anna Maria delivers undergraduate and graduate degrees along with certificate programs on campus and online. For more information, visit www.annamaria.edu.
