Pittsburg State’s eight competitive esports teams have officially begun their seasons, which behave like any other sporting season- a schedule of regular season matches, the results of which determine their placements in the playoff brackets. Pittsburg State competes in the PlayVS College League (PCL,) an esports focused league that offers a total of 14 titles for college students to play in. The Gorillas play in seven of those titles, and are coached by Gabriel Cozart, a member of Housing and an alumnus of Pittsburg State who often operates with the username “Beast.”
“I find coaching to be a fulfilling way to spend my time,” said Cozart. Despite the stresses of managing schedules and finding time and space to help, Cozart enjoys seeing the players improve in real time, seeing his teachings being applied in matches giving him a sense of satisfaction.
The PCL offers two divisions for playing- Premier, which is for higher ranked teams, and ranked, which is for lower ranked teams. This semester, Pittsburg State has one team participating in the Premier Division; that team being the Rocket League team. Rocket League is a fast-paced take on soccer, where two teams of three drive cars around a stadium, trying to score goals with a ball. The Gorilla Rocket League team is captained by “Colbz,” real name Colby Riddle, a senior majoring in biology, pre-med. Riddle, who started playing Rocket League in 2018, enjoys the game for how, in his eyes, the only real way to win is with skill. Being the captain of the team, Riddle is very appreciative towards his teammates.
“A lot of the time I am the point of contact, but I often don’t have the most time or availability,” Riddle said about his jobs as a captain; however, he knows he has Cozart and his teammates to help him out when he needs it. “I can rely on my two teammates to schedule a scrimmage, or message an opponent if I’m not immediately available.”
The Gorilla Rocket League team is currently 2-2 on the season, which ties them for fourth place overall in their division along with the University of Cincinnati’s team. PCL Rocket League play is on Tuesday nights.
This semester, Pittsburg State was able to welcome back most of their earlier teams that had competed in the previous semester, as well as a new addition to the Gorilla esports family- a team for Marvel Rivals. The game was released on Dec. 6, 2024, making it the newest game amongst all the titles the PCL has to offer. However, Marvel Rivals skyrocketed to fame overnight and was a highly requested team amongst Pittsburg State students to get off the ground. In PCL competition, Marvel Rivals is a best-of-five type of game, each with different rounds of play. Players use different characters from across the Marvel universe to play, each character having their own unique skills and abilities. Pittsburg State’s Marvel Rivals team is captained by sophomore computer science major Brendan McAllister, who competes under the username “DredgenG.”
“Going into this I had no intention of being captain. I am new to the school and didn’t know anybody here, but when the application was sent out, I thought that it could be an educational and challenging experience.” McAllister said. This is his first semester at Pittsburg State, but McAllister has found enjoyment in being captain, using each match and practice as a way to strategize future matches.
The Marvel Rivals team generally plays on Monday nights, and the Gorillas currently have a 1-1 record, putting them fourth overall in the rankings for their division.
Fans across campus and beyond can watch Pittsburg State’s esports teams play on the official Pittsburg State Twitch. League of Legends and Marvel Rivals compete on Monday nights, Rainbow 6: Siege and Rocket League on Tuesdays, Overwatch plays on Wednesdays, and Counter-Strike 2 and both of Pittsburg State’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate teams play on Fridays.