Playing to a packed house, on February 17 Cal’s Overwatch team won its second straight national collegiate championship at the Overwatch Collegiate Championships held at Arizona State University. For their victory, each member of the six-member Cal team earned more than $7,000 in scholarship money. Led by its captain Daniel “Aligned” Lee, the team defeated UC Irvine in the final round, using a strategy that Lee described as “build ‘em up and break ‘em down.”
Competitive video gaming, or eSports, is popular on college campuses across the country and provides an opportunity for Cal students to build a strong sense of community and leadership skills. Through Recreational Sports, more than 90 collegiate student-athletes currently represent UC Berkeley at national and international competitions, and there are numerous non-competitive gaming clubs on campus as well. The competitive teams have a track record of success, placing first or second in a number of national championships since 2009. Read more about the Overwatch championship on Berkeley News.