Esports 2/5/2026 8:22:00 PM

Buccaneers drop NACE Valorant opener to Rutgers

Blinn continues Valorant play against Lawrence Technological University on Feb. 11

Esports 2/5/2026 8:22:00 PM

Buccaneers drop NACE Valorant opener to Rutgers

Blinn continues Valorant play against Lawrence Technological University on Feb. 11

The Blinn College esports Valorant team dropped its National Association of College Esports (NACE) spring opener to Rutgers University on Wednesday.

Rutgers earned a 2-0 win in the best-of-three matchup.

Competing for the Buccaneers were Ilies Dolliazal, Milad Khorsandi, Tyler Hartman, Samuel Long, and Brian Yang.

Valorant is a tactical, team-based, first-person shooter set in a near-future world. Teams of five players choose unique agents with distinct abilities, combining shooting skills with strategic use of each agent's toolkit. Teams alternate between attacking and defending. Attackers aim to plant a spike at one of the designated sites, while defenders try to prevent this or defuse the spike if planted. The first team to win 13 rounds claims victory. If both teams reach a tie at 12-12, overtime is triggered, and the match continues until one team wins by two rounds, with teams alternating between attacking and defending in each overtime round.

Rutgers prevailed 13-8 in the first round (Bind map) and 13-1 in the second (Haven map).

"We went into this match knowing Rutgers had a disciplined and well-rounded roster, and we emphasized keeping communication tight and playing at our own pace rather than trying to mirror their aggression," Blinn assistant coach and Valorant coach Patrick Daley said. "The goal was to stay composed, take smart fights, and rely on our fundamentals. Across both maps, there were moments where our coordination and individual skill showed through.

"While the series result did not go our way, the team continued to show effort and communication even under pressure. The focus now shifts to tightening mid-round decision making, improving economic conversions, and carrying the lessons from this match into our next competitions."

Next up for Blinn Valorant is a NACE bout against Lawrence Technological University at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.

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Players Mentioned

Ilies Dolliazal: Sophomore; Valorant

Milad Khorsandi: Freshman; Valorant

Samuel Long: Freshman; Valorant

Brian Yang: Freshman; Valorant

Tyler Hartman: Sophomore; Valorant

Players Mentioned

Ilies Dolliazal
: Sophomore; Valorant

Milad Khorsandi
: Freshman; Valorant

Samuel Long
: Freshman; Valorant

Brian Yang
: Freshman; Valorant

Tyler Hartman
: Sophomore; Valorant