TORRINGTON – The EWC Fortnite (No-Build) team secured its spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports (NJCAAE) National Tournament this week with a victory over Southeast Community College from Lincoln, Nebraska. The match was a 2v2, best-of-5 format, where players earned points based on how long they stayed in the game and their kill count. Ryder Tillard (tag: Ryders TNT) and Allen Woodard (tag: Papa.Padre) displayed exceptional teamwork as they collaborated to gather resources, identify targets, and execute strategic hits. The match was ultimately decided by well-timed risk-taking, including Woodard’s decision to resurrect Tillard at the risk of being discovered by opponents during match 2. Additionally, the team compromised their safe position to secure more kills, which proved crucial in deciding the outcome of the game.

Caleb Spitzer, EWC Esports Coach, praised the performance: “I am very proud of the performance Ryder and Allen gave tonight. Ryder has done an excellent job developing his communication skills. Allen really stepped up his commitment over the last few weeks and made an insane last-second decision to bring home the win in game 4. Congratulations to both of them.”

This is the first year for the Esports team at EWC, though organized college-level Esports have been around for more than a decade. Over 6,000 students from 230 institutions compete in the NJCAAE. Recently, the EWC Esports team entered into a partnership with the University of Wyoming Esports Club to share technical resources, recruit high school students, boost community engagement, and explore potential sponsorship opportunities in the future.

The team will face Eastern Arizona on December 2 at 6 p.m. to determine its placement in the national tournament. To watch, visit https://www.twitch.tv/ewcesports.