Overwatch and Rocket League Dominate National Field as All Four Northwood Teams Finish on the Podium
Northwood Esports brought home two national trophies after an outstanding showing at the PlayVS College League (PCL) Grand Finals. The competition took place December 12th–14th in Akron, Ohio, where the program was represented in every competitive title at the event.
A Championship Weekend on the National Stage
Northwood Teams Rise Under the Pressure of the PlayVS Grand Finals
Northwood Overwatch and Northwood Rocket League each claimed the Fall 2025 PCL Championship, sweeping through the tournament with dominant performances. Both teams dropped only one game across multiple series and went undefeated during championship finals play. Overwatch secured its title with a victory over Fisher College of Boston, while Rocket League defeated George Mason University to bring home the second national trophy.
“Coming into the tournament, we definitely knew that in both Rocket League and Overwatch, we were the strongest teams there. Throughout the entire tournament, our players were confident in their abilities and knew that nobody had a chance against them. This confidence especially came through during the finals, where the teams were able to bring us two of the four trophies home.”
Aden Frosch, Northwood Esports Communications Director
The PCL Grand Finals featured the top eight teams in each title, selected from PlayVS’s Premier Division, which includes 32 collegiate programs per game. Among all qualifying schools, Northwood was the most represented, fielding teams in Overwatch, Rocket League, Valorant, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
From Opening Matches to the Podium
Defining Performances Across Multiple Esports Titles
Northwood Valorant finished as PCL runners-up, while Northwood Smash Bros. placed third overall, earning podium finishes in increasingly competitive fields:
“With both collegiate Valorant and collegiate Smash Bros. becoming more competitive, there was definitely a higher bar represented at the PCL Grand Finals,” said Northwood Esports Coach Jacob R. Jacob. “While second and third place are not our ideal placement, we still ended the PCL season strong with podium finishes. With players graduating from these rosters, including Michael ‘Dark3st’ Herrera, we’re looking to bring in some serious firepower for the spring.”
Members of Northwood’s victorious Overwatch roster included Ryan “Painkiller” Cooper, Braiden “Braiden” McNay, Julian “Rokit” Pizana, Rocco “Kronik” Iaccobacci, Joseph “Lep” Cambriani, Christopher “Cjay” Smith, Diego “Vega” Moran, and Adam “Debit” Moutrane. The Northwood Rocket League championship roster consisted of Stephen “HockE” Hoelbinger, Gwilym “Creamz” Muir, and Kadin “Zineel” Zineelabidine.
The Northwood Valorant team, which earned PCL runner-up honors, featured Michael “Dark3st” Herrera, Anthony “Toozy” De Leon, Hunter “Furbsa” McMillan, Ramiro “Vyx” Ortiz, Benjamin “Benjii” Park, and Haven “Haven” Healy.
The Northwood Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, which placed third, included Tyler “Frostbyte” Amos, Jackson “Kople” Wallace, Jessie “JeJaJeJa” Valdez-Vallejo, Logan “SpringyL” Neubecker, Peter “Malachite” Villareal, Samuel “Dabuz” Buzby, and Luis “Lui$” Oceguera.
One of the Top Places for Esports Education
Program Growth and National Reputation in Collegiate Esports
Northwood University has rapidly emerged as one of the nation’s premier collegiate esports programs, earning two world championships and more than 30 national titles across multiple titles while competing against more than 500 colleges and universities nationwide. Student-athletes train and compete in a state-of-the-art esports arena designed to support high-level performance and development. The PCL Grand Finals marked the conclusion of the Fall 2025 season for Northwood Esports. Competition will resume in mid-February as teams prepare for spring league play.
Visit the esports website to connect with coaches, schedule a visit to the Northwood Esports Arena, and learn more about Northwood University’s esports management degree, which promotes experiential knowledge through internships and practical experiences in the esports industry while combining elements from various technological and digital disciplines to give students a well-rounded and marketable degree.
