Vote now Hawaiʻi! UH Mānoa esports looks to defend North American title

(Graphic courtesy: Scholars Collegiate Gaming Awards)

Photo from last year's esports awards with Nyle Sky Kauweloa holding the trophy

Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/auy

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa esports program is looking to win back-to-back collegiate esports program of the year awards, and it needs your help! The public can vote for the team on the Scholars Collegiate Gaming Awards website until November 20. The winner will be announced at an event in Las Vegas on November 28.

Vote now for UH Mānoa’s esports program!

UH Mānoa was named the 2022 best collegiate esports program by Esports Awards, and is one of 15 finalists this year. This is the third consecutive year that the program has been a finalist among the best collegiate esports programs in North America. The winner will be selected by an esports panel of experts (75%) and public vote (25%).

“UH esports is leading the charge around international and global esports in the collegiate level,” said UH Mānoa’s esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa. “We have students from across our system that are doing wonderful things at each of their campuses, and so for what we’re doing right now, the state should be very proud of what we’ve accomplished, not only in the fact that we attract very dedicated and excited students to the collegiate esports program, but we’re also establishing partnerships both domestically in the United States but also partnerships in East Asia.”

Program accomplishments

UH Mānoa esports has skyrocketed since it began in 2019, becoming the first higher education institution to host professional Overwatch League events. Among its major accomplishments over the past year, UH Mānoa’s Apex Legends team has become one of the top in the nation. The program sent several students to intern in South Korea with Gen.G, one of the largest esports companies in the world. UH Mānoa has placed a major emphasis on the Women of Esports organization, which was created to increase inclusion in the esports program, and has launched a new team for the game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

“We put all this time into the program and to having our work shown, and people appreciate it,” said Tuan Jr. Pham, UH Mānoa Valorant team lead. “It seems really cool and really fun to see how the program’s expanding.”

Madeline Gilbert, UH Mānoa esports player support coordinator, added, “We’re really one massive team here so it’s not the individuals, it’s not leadership, it’s all of us working together. And I think everyone deserves it.”

UH esports receives substantial funding from the Academy for Creative Media System. Visit the UH esports team’s X and Discord pages. More stories on UH’s esports program.

Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/auy

VIDEO:

BROLL: trt 1:35

Two photos from last year’s esports awards

Footage of the students practicing at the iLab

SOUNDBITES:

Nyle Sky Kauweloa, UH Mānoa Esports Program Director 

(:15)

“UH Esports is leading the charge around international and global esports in the collegiate level. We have students from across our system that are doing wonderful things on each of their campuses and so for what we’re doing right now, the state should be very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

Madeline Gilbert, UH Mānoa Esports Player Support Coordinator

(:12)

“Super proud. We’re really one massive team here so it’s not the individuals, it’s not leadership, it’s all of us working together. And I think everyone deserves it.”

Tuan Jr. Pham, UH Mānoa Valorant Team Lead

(:17)

“It brings a lot of joy to us. We put all this time into the program and having to see that our work is being shown and people appreciate it. It seems really cool and really fun to see how the program’s expanding.”