Manchester University Esports Smash wins 1st championship
NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – Manchester University Esports Smash won the Great Lakes Esports Conference (GLEC) championship with a 3-2 win over Trine University on Thursday, April 9.
MUES finished off an undefeated season to secure its first conference championship in program history.
Team members are:
- James "Alex" Stefanatos
- Dakota Brown
- Levi Doe
- Mason Cross
- Que'Shaun Julius
- Collin Eastman
- James Walsh
- August Elliott
Information about esports at Manchester can be found at @MU_esport on Twitter. Scholarships available for League of Legends, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. and Fortnite.
Manchester began intercollegiate esports competition for men and women in the spring of 2020. The University also offers the Manchester Gaming Society, which brings esports enthusiasts together for both casual and competitive play.
Championship details:
The Spartans went into the conference playoff finals as the undefeated No. 1 seed. The team played No. 2 seed Trine. Trine’s only loss of the year came from MUES in the final week of the regular season.
Trine made the trip from Angola to North Manchester to play in person rather than online.
Manchester University Student Assistant Trevor Johnson organized the event from streaming, to room reservation, to tech set up.
Adrian Allen and Savion Hunter were in the booth for commentary on the match.
Each team gets nine stocks (lives) as a team, three per person, in a round until one team has no stocks remaining. They then play best of five.
MUES got behind in game 1 (6-9 in stocks), but first-year students August Elliott and James Walsh managed to turn the tables and squeak out a game 1 win.
The Trine Thunder convincingly responded in game 2 to tie the series 1-1. In match 3, MUES senior Mason Cross had an incredible comeback on his character Yoshi to take three straight stocks allowing first-years Collin Eastman and Walsh to clean up the remaining two Trine players to pull ahead 2-1 in the series.
Trine jumped out to an early lead in game 4 which proved too much for MUES to overcome. Series tied 2-2. MUES led with Elliott on his signature Terry character. Elliott took five stocks to start the match, putting the Spartans ahead. Eastman held the lead, taking three stocks, and then anchor Walsh finished it off by taking the last stock from the Thunder.
Overall, MUES was led by team captain James “Alex” Stefanatos, a junior. His selflessness, commitment, teaching and leadership were paramount to the team’s success.
The team also had strong and mature senior presence from seniors Dakota Brown, Levi Doe and Mason Cross, who contributed in the championship match.
Sophomore Que'shaun Julius contributed throughout the regular season and was an amazing help with managing the team.
Most of the stocks throughout the conference tournament were taken by the top three MUES players.
Eastman came on to the team as one of its top players, helping everyone regardless of skill level. Elliott brought fire, excitement and emotion to every match, getting the team excited. Walsh provided a cool and collected presence, perfect for the high-pressure spot as the team’s anchor.
Total MUES stocks taken for the GLEC Championship (with main characters played):
August Elliot: 12 stocks (Terry)
James Walsh: 11 stocks (Steve)
Collin Eastman: 10 stocks (Cloud)
Mason Cross: Three stocks (Yoshi)
Levi Doe: One stock (Marth)
Dakota Brown: One stock (Joker)
Garrett Schieferstein is esports director. A member of the Manchester Class of 2019, Schieferstein is an admissions counselor. Student Success Advisor Jen Kuepper, Class of 2013, is a volunteer assistant coach.
- For the media
Garrett Schieferstein esports@manchester.edu
Cutline, left to right: James Walsh, August Elliott, Que'Shaun Julius, Levi Doe, Alex Stefanatos, Dakota Brown, Mason Cross, Collin Eastman
Follow GLEC: @GLEC_GG on Twitter
Follow MUES: @MU_esport on Twitter
Manchester eSports: https://www.manchester.edu/student-life/esports
Manchester Gaming Society: https://link.manchester.edu/gaming
Our mission
Manchester University respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.
Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., provides vibrant and transformative student experiences. Learn more at www.manchester.edu/about-manchester (April 2021)