Esports 3/12/2025 9:40:00 PM

Blinn Overwatch cruises past Salt Lake for NJCAA Esports sweep

The Buccaneers improved to 4-0 in the NJCAAe Central Conference

Esports 3/12/2025 9:40:00 PM

Blinn Overwatch cruises past Salt Lake for NJCAA Esports sweep

The Buccaneers improved to 4-0 in the NJCAAe Central Conference

The Blinn College esports Overwatch team earned a 3-0 sweep of Salt Lake Community College in an NJCAA Esports (NJCAAe) match Wednesday.

The Buccaneers, ranked 10th by the Overwatch Collegiate Rankings Association (OWCRA), earned the best-of-five series win behind the stellar play of Joseph Mares, Haluk Tanriseven, Matthew Hutchings, Donnivan Straight, and Dhruv Pandrangi.

Blinn is now 4-0 in the NJCAAe Central Conference.

Overwatch is a team-based, first-person-shooter in which players select heroes with unique abilities and work together to complete objectives across multiple map modes. Each team can strategically choose its maps based on team strengths and opponent weaknesses.

Each round Wednesday included a different win condition based on the following modes:

Control: Teams fight to capture and hold a single point. The first team to reach 100% control wins two rounds in a best-of-three format, where the loser of each round picks the next map.
Escort: The attacking team moves a payload to its destination while defenders try to stop them. The payload moves when attackers are near it, and the attackers aim to complete the route before time runs out.
Hybrid: Teams capture a point and then escort a payload. The match is typically one round for attackers, who must secure the point first before moving the payload.
Push: Teams battle to control a robot and push it toward the opponent's side. The first team to push it farther than their opponents wins, with the loser picking the next map.
Clash: Teams capture consecutive points, with the first team to a set number of points winning.

The Bucs earned victories in the Control, Hybrid, and Escort game modes.

"This was a much-needed win as we continue to rebuild our confidence and refine our gameplay," Blinn head coach Kyle Murto said. "Salt Lake is a respectable opponent, so handling them in such a dominant fashion shows that we are getting back on track. There's still work to be done, but this week has been a step in the right direction as we push forward through the season."

The Bucs continue their Overwatch season with a National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) matchup against Maryville University at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 national championships since 1987.

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