The professional esports organization NTMR has recruited Joseph “Lep” Cambriani and Julian “Rokit” Pizana from Northwood’s Varsity Overwatch roster.
“Watching Joseph and Julian grow into world-class competitors has been incredible,” said Northwood Esports Coach Jacob R. Jacob. “Their signings with NTMR are a testament to their talent and drive, and to the high-performance culture we’ve built at Northwood. We’re proud to see them represent our program on the global stage — and we’re equally enthusiastic that they will be continuing their academic journey with us.”
Cambriani, a student from Plano, Texas, initially competed for Northwood during the 2021-22 school year and helped bring the program its first championship in the Overwatch Collegiate Championship Series in 2021. That following summer, he signed to play professionally for the Houston Outlaws. Due to competition restrictions from the Overwatch League, he had to take a break from his education to focus on his new professional career.
Rules changed after the Overwatch Champions Series was introduced in 2024 as the premier international Overwatch circuit, becoming the successor to the Overwatch League. Now students can compete in collegiate esports events while also being signed to professional rosters.
“Flash forward to 2024, Joseph has decided to return to Northwood and finish his education while competing in the game he loves — thanks to this new era of the Overwatch Champions Series,” explained Assistant Coach Aden Frosch.
Pizana, a student from El Paso, Texas, returned to Northwood this spring after signing with the professional esports organization, TSM, in 2024. Like Cambriani, Pizana is focused on finishing his education while taking advantage of the unique resources that Northwood offers so students can grow as competitors and future leaders.
Pizana and Cambriani currently are focused on qualifying for the Esports World Cup this summer in Saudi Arabia, where they could potentially reunite with other current and former Northwood Esports players, including Christopher “Cjay” Smith, Landon “Landon” McGee, and Diego “Vega” Moran.
Cambriani is grateful to be back at Northwood and excited about this new opportunity with NTMR.
“It’s been a personal challenge getting back into this level of competitive form, and without Northwood and its dedicated resources, I don’t think it would have happened as fast,” Cambriani said. “Being around friends in a focused environment helps us all — even if we’re on different teams in the professional Overwatch Champions Series.”
“Northwood Overwatch is such a close-knit family that I didn’t realize how much I loved it until I left for TSM,” Pizana noted. “It feels great to be back, and I’m looking forward to what Joseph and I can accomplish next school year — especially now that we’re teammates again. We plan to be a real force, not just for the remainder of the Overwatch Champions Series season but heading into the next collegiate season.”
Since its inception in 2019, Northwood Esports has built a reputation for developing high-caliber players, with five Overwatch players signing professional contracts over the past five years.
For more information about Northwood Esports, visit https://esports.northwood.edu/ or utilize this inquiry form to connect with the Northwood Esports coaching staff.
