Student Esports Kickoff Party on Oct. 14

Dear UHart Student,

Esports is coming to the University of Hartford!

On behalf of Interim Director of Athletics Maria Feeley, the Department of Athletics, in partnership with the Student Government Association and Information Technology Services, is excited to announce the formation of the first-ever UHart varsity Esports team. The varsity Esports program will be run by the Department of Athletics and compete against other college Esports teams from around the country. The Esports Arena, where practices and competitions will be held, is located in the Sports Center on campus and will feature all new gaming hardware, as well as a space customized specifically for Esports.

To celebrate the arrival of Esports at Hartford, the Department of Athletics and Student Government Association will host an Esports kickoff party on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The two-hour long event, which begins at 7 p.m. at Alumni Plaza, will feature video games, music, yard games, giveaways, and much more. Attendees will also have the chance to become a member of the Esports team during the event.

The team will be co-ed and gamers of all levels of ability and experience are invited to apply to be a part of the team. Based on the gaming preferences of students selected for the team, we will sponsor up to eight games during our inaugural season!

Our Esports page on the UHart Athletics website provides interested students with more information about the program, and includes an application that students can complete to be considered for team membership.

We are dedicated to this being a student-driven venture, where students can become involved in all aspects of the program. If any student is interested in being part of the team, but not as a competitor, we invite you to reach out to Matthew Raidbard at esports@hartford.edu for more information about other ways students can get involved, including announcing competitions, helping manage the team’s social media accounts, creating videos and other marketing tools to promote the team, coaching and managing opportunities, and much more.

The Department of Athletics is extremely excited about the formation of the UHart varsity Esports program. We look forward to speaking with all students who wish to compete or be involved.

Matthew Raidbard
Senior Associate Athletics Director—Compliance, Academics, and Student-Athlete Welfare Services