Joshua Young Head Esports Coach | Penn College Wildcats
Joshua Young Head Esports Coach | Penn College Wildcats
The head coach of Pennsylvania College of Technology's esports team, Joshua D. Young, has been elected to the board of directors for the National Association of College Esports (NACE). The election took place during NACE's recent national conference in Harrisburg.
Young is a learning systems administrator at Penn College and the founding coach of its esports program. He expressed enthusiasm for his new role, stating, "It is the enthusiasm of our student-athletes this past year that motivated me to be part of the landscape that will structure collegiate esports." He believes Penn College is well-suited for developing a top-tier esports program and sees involvement with NACE as beneficial to this goal.
Founded in 2016 with six members, NACE now includes nearly 150 colleges and universities. It serves as the governing body for collegiate esports competitions.
Esports involves competitive multiplayer video games often watched by spectators. According to Newzoo, a market research firm, global revenues from esports reached approximately $906 million in 2018, marking a 38.2% increase from the previous year.
Colleges and universities play a significant role in the growth of esports due to students' interest in gaming. Competitions featuring college students have even been aired on ESPN.
John D. Vandevere, director of athletics at Penn College, praised Young's appointment: "In this new growing landscape of esports, it's great to see Josh and Penn College at the forefront with his appointment to the NACE board." Vandevere anticipates positive impacts on campus life and student engagement through esports.
Young will serve a three-year term on NACE's 10-person board. Penn College launched its esports competition last spring with about 60 students across various majors competing internally for tournament spots.
For the upcoming season, Young plans for Penn College teams to compete in Overwatch, League of Legends, Hearthstone, Rocket League, and iRacing. He aims "to elevate this program to compete with the top-level teams in NACE."
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