Esports starts 2020-21 season on Saturday with new coach

DEFIANCE, Ohio -- Under first-year head coach Chris Sanders, Defiance College esports begins its third season of competition this Saturday, Sept. 12.

Defiance's 2020-21 schedule includes six consecutive Saturdays of competition in the fall versus fellow members of the Great Lakes Esports Conference. The slates for Rocket League and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are set with more League of Legends play to be added later.

This Saturday inside DC's esports arena, the Yellow Jackets open in Rocket League against Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Defiance then takes on Ohio Northern University in League of Legends and Tiffin University in Counter-Strike.

The Yellow Jackets' roster this season includes 13 returning players and 11 newcomers. With its new coach, DC hopes to use the blend of veterans and first-year players to be successful in the GLEC.

"I have been very upfront with the students, saying that this is basically a rebuilding year," Sanders said. "That being said, I think we are going to sit in the middle of the standings with some of our competitive teams."

Those squads that Sanders believes will be Defiance's strongest are in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate and League of Legends.

Sanders mentioned three returnees who he expects to be leaders on the various esports groups.

"Jason Slachter from the CS:GO team is a huge part of keeping that group together," Sanders said. "Slachter and Jeremy Jimenez, from CS:GO, are not only holding down the fort with their leadership, but they are carrying the team on their backs in game.

"Christian Rennie from the Rocket League team is a great personality for the freshmen on the team. I hope they pick up some of his practice mentality during the season. Christian is also part of the Smash Ultimate team and is performing extremely well, even playing against top 100 Smash players in the world in his spare time."

Some of the gamers new to Defiance will also be counted on in their inaugural seasons on campus.

"We have a few first-year players that are really going to help our organization compete," Sanders said. "Haider Hasan from the League of Legends team is doing great work in game, holding down a very important support position for us. Stephen Jones, also from the League of Legends team, is playing opposite of the map from Haider, but is just as vital to the way the team will be playing this year."

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, esports is the only DC program competing so far this fall. The squad is seeking to challenge some pretty strong opponents and show improvement over the next six weeks.