HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker College is pleased to announce the addition of eSports as a varsity sport beginning in 2018-19. More commonly known as competitive online gaming, eSports will provide a new and exciting sport for the college campus.
"We are very excited to have this emerging sport come to our campus," said vice president of athletics and athletic facilities, Dr. Lynn Griffin. "Adding eSports to the line-up of Cobra sports teams will create some great opportunities for our student-athletes."
More recently, eSports has gravitated towards big-budget tournaments with sponsorships and audiences. eSports (derived from electronic sports) often involves opponents facing one another through multiplayer matches, or through a time/score based competition. Coker will initially field teams that will participate in several online games, including League of Legends.
"eSports is one of the most popular sports out there, " added Griffin. "For example, 27 million people watched the League of Legends World Championships in 2014, compared to 23.5 million viewers for game seven of the World Series that same year. The addition of eSports promotes Coker, not only on a national stage, but a global one as well."
eSports are currently sponsored at the varsity or club level by 45 higher education institutions, which compete in the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE). Additionally, several major broadcasting networks, including BBC, ESPN, and Yahoo Sports broadcast tournaments worldwide.
About Coker College
Coker College is a student-focused, private liberal arts college located in Hartsville, South Carolina. Coker combines round table, discussion-based learning with hands-on experiences to encourage active participation in and out of the classroom. A supportive, close-knit community prepares Coker students with the confidence and practical life skills they need to reach their personal best, in college and beyond.
Coker's student body is a close-knit family of approximately 1,200 students from 31 states and 23 countries. The student population is about 60 percent female and 40 percent male, with 32 percent African-American students and 41 percent for all minority students.
Founded in 1908, Coker is a bachelor's and master's degree-granting institution and competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports. Coker is ranked among the "Best Colleges" in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review, and by Washington Monthly as No. 2 in South Carolina for value.