Bismarck State College is all in on esports and it’s already paying off
BISMARCK, N.D. (BVM) — Last July, Bismarck State College announced it would be offering varsity-level esports. The Mystics went all in, offering scholarships and setting up a room in the student union for the team to practice.
The team got current students and even athletes from other teams to join. Of the 50 spots they had for the esports team, the Mystics were able to get 39 players. Then their basement room evolved into a fully-furnished esports lab and the team began to prepare for tournaments.
The Mystics offered competitions in League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite and Hearthstone.
In September, the NJCAA set up an esports league offering seasons for FIFA 20, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Rocket League. There are 43 colleges involved in the NJCAA esports league. Bismarck State College had athletes compete in 6v6 Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate doubles and singles.
The Mystics hit the ground running. They had three players compete in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate singles and all of them advanced to the playoffs. Their Super Smash Bros. Ultimate doubles team also made it to the playoffs.
For BSC, the crown jewel was its Overwatch team. The Mystics went 6-2 during the regular season, entering the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. They made it all the way to the national championship before losing a tough match to the Centralia College Trailblazers.
Esports at BSC was already popular, and throughout the fall and winter, students would stop in to check out the new Mystics team. With their success, that popularity will likely grow as esports continues to take over the sports world.
