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The University of North Georgia (¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ) Esports team finished off a decorated 2025-26 academic year with a second-place finish in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) Marvel Rivals tournament held May 15-17 in San Antonio, Texas.

"It feels good to know that a grassroots program like us can compete on the national stage," said Branyan Daniel, a senior from McDonough, Georgia, pursuing a degree in finance.

This spring's strong showing came on the heels of ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ winning the Peach Belt Conference championship and taking second in the nation in the Marvel Rivals game in the fall.

Brayden Bryant, a sophomore from Watkinsville, Georgia, who is also pursuing a degree in finance, said NECC "was the biggest stage I've ever competed on." He said ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ's players are invested in each other.

"I've made some great friends along the way," Bryant said. "I've been able to learn a lot from my teammates, grow as a player and get better at the game because of them."

Matthew Vue, a senior from Winder, Georgia, pursuing a degree in accounting, says ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ's team competed well against more well-funded teams thanks to a competitive edge.

"Our whole team has a drive to win," Vue said.

Nathaniel Hehl, ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ Esports coach, was grateful to see his players finish their season on a high note.

"This was a massive success for our program after a very strong school year," Hehl said.

These are the latest in a long line of recent successes for ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ after a Halo national title in fall 2024 and a second-place national finish at NECC in spring 2025.