March 10th, 2021
Fresh Off First Victory, Limestone Esports To Face Clemson On March 15 -- Here's How To Watch!
Limestone University’s esports program, coming off its first win in program history earlier this month, will attempt to tame the Tigers from Clemson University on Monday, March 15.
The competition that starts at 8 p.m. will be live streamed at www.twitch.tv/limestone_esports. The stream can also be found by visiting www.limestone.edu.
A portion of the Valorant showdown between the Saints and Tigers will also be featured on Limestone’s official Facebook page. Live footage of the Limestone players in action in their Training Room on campus will be streamed at www.facebook.com/limestoneuniversity.
To celebrate the esports matchup with Clemson, Limestone will also be holding a viewing party for its students at the new Granberry Amphitheater on the front campus. The esports competition will be shown on the large video screen that was recently installed on the side of the Granberry Hall building. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., Limestone students will enjoy live music, snacks, and giveaway items, all leading up to the Saints vs. Tigers showdown at 8 p.m. All Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines related to COVID-19 will be followed at the outdoor event.
On March 1, Limestone defeated Niagara University by winning two-of-three matches as part of the Conference One Valorant Series.
“Niagara was a tough opponent that came into the match well prepared,” said Limestone head coach Zach Lewis. “I am proud of our players for their resilience and continued hard work that allowed us to capture our first official victory in team history. The future is bright for this team and our overall esports program.”
As for facing off against such a well-known national brand in Clemson, Lewis said his team is ready for the challenge.
“It’s exciting any time a team from Limestone can go up against a nationally-known opponent,” Lewis noted. “Clemson is considered one of the best esports programs in the country, and our players are really fired up about the match and all the festivities that will take place on our campus that night to showcase our program. We hope as many people as possible can tune-in and see what Limestone esports is all about.”
Following their showdown with Clemson, the Saints will return to action against the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario) on March 22 and then face Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL) on March 29. A round robin Conference One tournament will run April 5 through May 3, and the Regional playoffs are scheduled for May 8. The Conference One championship will be held on May 15.
Valorant, which was officially released on June 2 on 2020, was wildly popular during its beta-stage testing, according to Lewis. The Riot Games five-versus-five first-person game resembles a hybrid between Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch. Interest was there from the beta launch last April, when Valorant reached 1.73 million views on Twitch.
Gamers who are interested in competing for a Limestone esports scholarship can participate in tryouts that will take place this summer. For more information on the program, and to view the Saints’ roster, go yo:
In making the leap into the popular esports arena, Limestone is one of only a handful of institutions across South Carolina to offer the sport. Along with competitive varsity and junior varsity squads, Limestone offers a recreational gaming club that has access to the University’s state-of-the-art gaming lab and lounge.
Lewis, a former esports player and coach at the Oklahoma State University, was hired last year to develop and coach Limestone’s new cutting-edge program.
