College Esports Week 3 Standings
Weston Athletics shared Week 3 standings: League of Legends 2-1 (8th/46 teams), Mario Kart 2-1 (7th/24), Super Smash Bros. 2-1 (14th/48). BVU Esports went undefeated in Valorant (2-1 vs. MSUN, 2-0 vs. UBCEA), plus wins in Call of Duty (3-1 vs. Iona) and mixed Overwatch results.
Most universities mentioned, including Buena Vista University, compete within larger governing bodies like the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). NACE organizes competitions for over 200 schools across North America, certifying student eligibility and hosting championships in a variety of titles. These weekly matches are part of the regular season for leagues such as the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) or NACE's varsity divisions. Strong regular-season performance is critical, as it determines seeding and qualification for the postseason, which often involves conference playoffs and a last-chance qualifier for a spot at the national finals. For titles like Call of Duty, teams often compete in the College CoD League (CCL), which is now partnered with the NECC. The CCL season is split into two phases, with divisions being restructured based on team records partway through, leading to conference championships and regional playoffs to determine who qualifies for the final championship bracket. Valorant's collegiate scene is organized by Riot Games and its partners, culminating in the College VALORANT Championship. Teams qualify for this final event through regional conferences and partner conferences throughout the season, with a selection committee also inviting top-performing teams to fill out the 32-team championship field. At the end of the spring season, the top teams from various leagues will advance to live, in-person championship events. The NACE Starleague Grand Finals, for instance, brings together the best collegiate teams to compete for national titles in games like League of Legends, Overwatch 2, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
