What started out as an extracurricular activity at the Shocker Gaming Club has ballooned into a career leading students to success for Wichita State’s Joe Mazzara.

Mazzara, who was recently appointed to director of Wichita State University’s Esports program, began his tenure with the program as a volunteer assistant coach while he was an undergrad at WSU, before becoming the assistant director of Esports in 2019.

“During the infancy of the program, I felt I was learning quickly and excelling in areas like recruitment and team operations and always took a player-first approach to program leadership, which allowed me to connect with our players on a personal level,” Mazzara said. “My motivation to continue with the program has been fueled by my previous mentors/directors and the impact we have had on students' lives as a result of the creation of the varsity esports program.”

Wichita State Esports, housed in the College of Applied Studies, primarily competes in the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Among the supported titles in the association, WSU Esports currently has teams in Call of Duty, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) and Valorant, but Avery Pierce — program manager for WSU Esports and another student turned full-time employee of the program — doesn’t see why the number of teams can’t continue to grow in the future if the demand is there for it from the players.

“NACE is very big on the big-named titles like League of Legends,” Pierce said. “We currently don’t have the student population to fill those rosters, but if we have that ability in the future, we’ll do it.”

NACE only allows one team per game per school, so in all but Overwatch 2, WSU Esports includes a varsity team and a JV team, giving more Shockers the opportunity to compete at the highest levels of competition.

Mazzara has high hopes for the program under his tenure.

“My goal for WSU Esports during my term as director is to make Wichita State the best place to be an esports athlete,” Mazzara said. “I want to continue to develop our player engagement and player experience initiatives and expand the applied learning opportunities available for non-competitors.”

WSU Esports isn’t just its players; others work behind the scenes to elevate the program. David Hunter, student videographer for WSU Esports, is one such student who was recently selected as a finalist for the Student Leadership Award from NACE.

“When it comes to leadership, a lot of people think about it as being ‘the boss,’ but it’s a lot more than that,” Hunter said in his nomination video. “It’s a lot more of leading by example, and in esports, that’s a really important thing.”

WSU Esports has seen tremendous success since its inception. Nearly 60 students are signed to its roster, doubling what the program had in 2022.

Such growth isn’t just happenstance. WSU Esports has been putting in results.

The Valorant team saw a tournament victory in fall 2023 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship. Other teams have seen many top four finishes, including the Rocket League team in fall 2023 and spring 2024 and the SSBU team in fall 2023.

And in NACE, the Shockers have top four finishes in Valorant and SSBU, and just this spring, the Call of Duty team reached the grand finals in Modern Warfare 3.

“Our Varsity Esports program is having a significant impact at Wichita State through our five competitive teams, applied learning student positions and scholarship opportunities,” said Dr. Jennifer Friend, dean of the College of Applied Studies. “Our esports program is gaining national prominence through the 2022 and 2023 ECAC Valorant national championships, and due to the professional connections and outstanding leadership of our esports director, Joe Mazzara.”

WSU Esports isn’t just a competitor; it’s pushing Wichita as a premier destination for esports.

Bringing high-level competition from around the Midwest, D-Air Capital (a portmanteau of Air Capital and the move from the Super Smash Bros. series) will host players in WSU’s Rhatigan Student Center Aug. 31 for competitions in both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The D-Air Capital regional Super Smash Bros. tournament was revived with help from WSU Esports alongside Wichita Melee and SoKanSmash to bolster the Midwest fighting game scene. WSU Esports has also been collaborating with Visit Wichita to ensure the event succeeds.

“Esports is a rapidly expanding industry, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Wichita State Esports to help them host these exciting events,” said Josh Howell, vice president of sports development at Visit Wichita. “As Visit Wichita continues to attract remarkable events to the city to drive economic growth, we are happy to support this dynamic field and its positive impact on the community.”

Applications to compete or volunteer for D-Air Capital are still open.

WSU Esports also hosts other events, such as the weekly Shocker Smash Fridays at the Esports Hub in the Heskett Center, and recently supported the annual Kansas K.O. tournament held on campus.

“I hope to continue bringing successful esports events to campus and strengthening our relationship with community partners to make Wichita a consistent destination for SSBU and other fighting game competitions,” Mazzara said.

Recently Pierce saw an opportunity amidst the growing popularity of esports and started an annual high school summer camp to help spread the word about esports and give WSU Esports players a chance to guide the next generation of players.

The camp isn’t simply just an excuse for high schoolers to play games; students gain valuable experience and learn from those already competing. It’s also an opportunity for them to see how esports can be a career, how it can complement other career paths and serve as an outlet for them to make connections.

“This camp isn't just about showing kids potential routes they can take in their futures; it’s about connecting with people who have already tried different things and seeing if it feels like themselves,” said Japheth Briney, junior business administration major and member of the SSBU team. “I feel, at least for me, it was very hard to find where I belonged growing up, and I feel it’s only getting harder and harder for kids to get out and try new things as time goes on. This camp is an excuse to try something new and find out who you are.”

Students can try out games from WSU Esports’ roster or choose additional games that are rising in popularity, including titles like MultiVersus and Mario Kart.

Members of WSU Esports also get the opportunity to use their expertise to help the campers learn games and give them an inside look at what it’s like competing at the highest levels of collegiate esports.

“Foundational understanding of esports in its entirety isn't clear until you’re in the industry,” said Codi Reinert, sophomore game design major and member of the Call of Duty JV team. “Giving kids an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of esports is special to me because my generation never had these opportunities.”

Pierce started the camps in 2023, and even in their second year, the camps have already seen students return to gain even more insights from the program. This summer, two separate camps were held, for a week each, June 17-21 and June 24-28.

“It is always great to see the next generation taking an interest in something I was always so passionate about,” said Aiden Heckard, sophomore  industrial engineering major and member of the SSBU team. “The campers reminded me of myself at that age and the opportunities I wish I had.”

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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