Esports 11/28/2023 11:38:00 PM

Blinn esports captures its first Call of Duty national championship

The Buccaneers defeated Central Community College for the NJCAA Esports title

Esports 11/28/2023 11:38:00 PM

Blinn esports captures its first Call of Duty national championship

The Buccaneers defeated Central Community College for the NJCAA Esports title

History was made by the Blinn College esports team Tuesday as the Buccaneer Call of Duty team claimed its first national championship.

Blinn won two matches — a semifinal tilt against the University of South Carolina -Sumter and the championship bout against Central Community College — to win the NJCAA Esports championship.

The Buccaneers won both best-of-five matchups 3-1.

Competing for the Bucs were David Rodriguez, Landon Campos, Logan Rivera, and Wesley King.

"Everything this team represents was on full display today," Blinn assistant coach and Call of Duty manager Ryan Lucich said. "The resiliency of our players shined through, and as I've said all semester, I am so proud of the work our players put in and they more than earned this title. Every player stepped up and had their moments when it mattered most."

Blinn Call of Duty 2023-24 Redo

(Pictured: The Blinn Call of Duty team of, front row from left, Eroin Hernandez, Wesley King and Logan Rivera, and back row from left, David Rodriguez and Michael Allen)

In the championship match, the Bucs were victorious in the first two maps against Central before dropping the third. Blinn would bounce back in the fourth map to secure a 250-232 win and the title.

The victory was also notable for the Bucs after the team fell to Central during the NJCAA Esports regular season and in the title bout of the NJCAA Esports Regional Playoffs.

"Facing Central in the finals gave us a shot at redemption, and we had a chip on our shoulders," said Rodriguez, who serves as the team's captain. "We came into the matchup inspired, and to see us win a national title and finish the year as the top team in the country is exciting."

Since beginning play in the fall of 2020, Blinn esports has won two national championships while earning several runner-up finishes. The Buccaneer Valorant team captured the program's first national title in the spring when it earned the NJCAA Esports crown.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 44 NJCAA national championships since 1987.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Michael Allen: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Landon Campos: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Logan Rivera: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Players Mentioned

Michael Allen
: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Landon Campos
: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Logan Rivera
: Sophomore; Call of Duty