After a promising season of competition in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the Fairfield University Club Esports team is gearing up for a program debut on the national stage. Starting on May 2, the Valorant team will be competing in the Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup, a three-day local area network (LAN) Event in Waco, Texas, aimed at crowning the best team in the nation. Other games of the event include Overwatch 2, Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Fairfield’s Valorant team is comprised of a six-man roster, co-captained by senior Mitchell Zaliznyak and sophomore Sion Yap. Rounding out the team are first-years Christopher Gallegra and Lukai Dada, sophomore Louis Messano and graduate student Patrick McCloat.
To reach the national level, the Stags had to overcome the loss of the gaming PC area in the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreation Complex and adapt to playing matches at home or in their dormitories, a circumstance that can easily make or break a match depending on internet quality.
“[Because the RexPlex removed the PC’s], we just play from our rooms. Sion takes his laptop back to his room, and I play from mine,” Gallegra said.
Another challenge for the Stags this season has been the team’s external commitments, which have led to scheduling conflicts.
“We have a grad student who works a full-time job. We have another kid who has five classes two times a week and an internship,” Yap said.
Despite these challenges, the Valorant squad has flexed its prowess over the rest of the MAAC. Overall, the Stags went 9-4 and 8-3 within the conference, and finished the regular season with a five-game win streak.
“I think [the MAAC] has taught us a decent amount of how to handle disciplined teams, how we handle our own discipline, how we handle a lack of momentum or gaining momentum and not losing it,” Yap noted. “It’s gonna be cool to go up against competition that’s gonna look for any flaw that we might ever have and try to exploit it as best as they can.”
No matter the outcome, the Stags will be taking every possible chance to sharpen their game and take lessons out of their weekend in Texas. “Considering this is the biggest stage in collegiate esports, it will be the most challenging test our team has faced thus far,” McCloat said.
Gallegra also expressed his excitement for the team’s trip to Texas.
“Nationals will all be top 10,000 players on every single team, which I’m looking forward to being able to play against.”
Not only is the competition going to be at the highest level, but the schedule is almost going to be just as grueling. “It’s just going to be a test of how well we can learn, how well we can endure the way the schedule is. We’re going to be playing basically all day of each day for that weekend,” Yap said.
Riding the high of their recent successes, the Stags are hopeful about making a statement during nationals.
“We are a really strong core that has regularly punched above its weight in other Valorant competitions,” Zaliznyak said. “We are all extremely committed to giving it our all. The last two LAN wins have really boosted our confidence and passion for the game.”
During the regular season, the Stags prepare for matches by watching film as a team and strategizing gameplay, map routes and different playstyles of opponents. Last weekend, the Valorant team participated in a tournament at Sacred Heart University and emerged victorious. A point of emphasis in preparation for that tournament was the University of Connecticut, which beat the Stags earlier this year.
“This week we were talking about UConn because they have a team that beat us, three or four weeks ago,” Yap said. “We were worried about them and talked about what they did and comps that we want to adjust or stick to.”
Over the next week, the Valorant team will be busy scouting and practicing as much as possible before their biggest competition to date. Head Coach Liam Carr made it clear that the Stags control their own destiny, “It mostly comes down to how bad these guys want to win.”
“Even though these players just won back-to-back, they all seem like they are starved.”
