The York University esports program completed a phenomenal fall season with major successes from various teams, paving a bright pathway for their programs in the spring.

The League of Legends team finished an undefeated fall semester of competition in the NECC and captured 1st place in the Division Championships while clinching a well-deserved bid to spring nationals. The team also competed in the ECAC, finishing with a respectable 4-4 record and an overall season record of 13-5. This impressive group consisted of Gil Cardoso, Gabriel Barbosa, Luca Caramihai, Bryson Adams, Terry Dilliard, and Josh Clark, who showed exceptional skill, teamwork, and consistency all season long.

York University made its mark on the national stage in Fortnite with teams qualifying for Playfly No-Build Nationals, Playfly Build Nationals, and ECAC No-Build Nationals. The team of Harry Yunevich, Jordan Herring, Makai Schwarz reached an incredible 11th-place finish in the nation. The players who had qualified for nationals, such as Harry Yunevich, Jordan Herring, Makai Schwarz, Reese Leonard, and Arturo Sanchez, proved they could compete with the best in collegiate esports.

The Super Smash Bros: Ultimate team had a tough season, with an all-new roster, but their dedication and hard work were evident in the steady improvement throughout the semester. While this season presented growing pains, the team has its sights set on a strong showing when it competes at Kansas State University in the Heartland Showdown LAN in the spring. Expect big things from this talented group as they continue to develop.

Luca Caramihai was the star player in FC 25, being ranked number one in the ECAC for several weeks. His season ended with a nationals qualification, but his run came to an end after Week 2 of the playoffs. In any case, he will come back in future seasons with more hopeful runs at nationals.

This past fall season's accomplishments are a direct reflection of the dedication, resilience, and passion demonstrated by our student-athletes. With several national qualifications and a championship win in League of Legends, York University esports has made their presence known in collegiate competition.

Increasing Number of National Qualifiers
We proudly witness the growth of the number of National Qualifiers every semester:

Harry Yunevich: Rocket League x1, Fortnite x4
Jordan Herring: Fortnite x3
Makai Schwarz: Fortnite x3
Reese Leonard: Fortnite x1
Luca Caramihai: FC 25 x1

New Player Highlights
The Panther Esports team has added nine new players to the team for this fall, and have some local Nebraska talent joining the program. Earlier this year, Boe Fraser and Makai Schwarz reached an important milestone when they took the first place in the 2024 NSESA Division 2 State Championship with Overwatch 2. Additionally, Terry Dilliard continued to shine as a multi-state qualifier for NSESA, taking home a Division 3 State Championship in Hearthstone in 2021, and has qualified for the NSESA State Championship in League of Legends multiple years, further demonstrating the depth of talent in our program.

Looking Ahead to Spring
We are excited to compete in a variety of titles this spring, including Valorant, Rocket League, Madden, EA College Football, Apex Legends, and two full rosters for Overwatch 2. Additionally, we will make a trip in March to Kansas State University for the Heartland Showdown, competing in Overwatch 2, Super Smash Bros: Ultimate, Rocket League, and Valorant.
As we take the time to reflect upon such a great semester, all we feel is pride with a look toward an amazing future. Congratulations to all our teams on such a great fall, and Go Panthers!