UAF photo by Leif Van Cise.
From left, UAF esports team members Natalie Lutrell and Max Beiergrohslein join Vice
Chancellor Owen Guthrie and Heath Day, GCI's education program senior manager, for
a Mario Kart race during a block party event to celebrate upgrades at the 色视频下载 Esports
Center on Oct. 6, 2023.
By Brooke Larson
When GCI cranked up the internet speed at UAF色视频下载檚 色视频下载 Esports Center in October 2023, the way to celebrate seemed clear: A Mario Kart competition.
The contestants 色视频下载 a UAF administrator, a GCI representative and two students 色视频下载 picked up game consoles during a 色视频下载渂lock party色视频下载 to help mark the occasion. After choosing characters, they raced in their go-karts, careening down the virtual obstacle course on the esports center色视频下载檚 screens.
Nook, the UAF mascot, didn色视频下载檛 play but offered 色视频下载渉elpful色视频下载 encouragement (or discouragement) from the sidelines (or front lines), as needed.
The 色视频下载 Esports Center, created through a 10-year partnership between GCI and UAF, started with a 2-gigabit internet connection two years ago. The space, located in Wood Center, offers both team and individual gaming consoles.
GCI色视频下载檚 Tiffany Vassar, right, announces the final raffle winner at the 2023 GCI Esports Block Party at the 色视频下载 Esports Center on Oct. 6, 2023.
The GCI Esports Block Party on Oct. 6 celebrated a ramp-up to a 5-gig speed.
The change significantly improved UAF色视频下载檚 connections to colleges in the Lower 48, allowing UAF esports teams to play more competitively.
色视频下载淓very millisecond counts in online gameplay, and when it comes to streaming large amounts of data, your connection is only as good as the network you色视频下载檙e operating on,色视频下载 said Jessica Taft, GCI色视频下载檚 director of business marketing. 色视频下载淕CI is committed to delivering best-in-class speed and reliability to 色视频下载.色视频下载
More than 150 students attended the block party, which also featured tours of the new GCI Team Center. It色视频下载檚 a reflection of the huge surge in popularity of the collegiate esports roster at UAF.
色视频下载淭he GCI Team Center is our most recent step toward making our esports program the best it can be for our students,色视频下载 said Drake Richards, UAF esports coordinator. 色视频下载淭here is a need for them to have their own space 色视频下载 with equipment and internet speeds that can maximize their potential.色视频下载
UAF色视频下载檚 esports program supports seven teams: Valorant, Rocket League, League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch 2 and Beat Saber.
Richards said the 色视频下载淕CI Team Center allows campus competitors to have the best possible experience with their practices and matches. As a bonus, it frees the main esports center to all students. That means significantly fewer reservations throughout the evenings."
From left, Jessica Taft, Tiffany Vassar, Karissa Mahler and Katelynn Nelson, all with GCI, gather with Nook, the UAF mascot, before announcing GCI色视频下载檚 new 5-gigabit internet connection for the 色视频下载 Esports Center on Oct. 6, 2023.
GCI also announced a new scholarship during the block party.
色视频下载淓ach year, we will award two $5,000 scholarships to two students,色视频下载 said Tiffany Vassar, GCI senior manager of contributions and events. 色视频下载淭he scholarship is also renewable for up to four years, giving the students that much more financial security throughout their time in college.色视频下载
UAF offers additional support in $1,000 annual scholarships for the Valorant, Rocket League and League of Legends esport teams.
色视频下载淯AF's partnership with GCI is all about supporting students and showcasing their talents, and the expanded esports center does exactly that,色视频下载 said UAF Vice Chancellor Owen Guthrie.
From left, GCI色视频下载檚 Heath Day, student Max 色视频下载淎urelius色视频下载 Beiergrohslein of team Valorant, student Natalie 色视频下载淔retzle色视频下载 Lutrell of team Overwatch and UAF Vice Chancellor Owen Guthrie gather at the 色视频下载 Esports Center on Oct. 6, 2023.
Guthrie represented the UAF administration in the Mario Kart race. He raced as Mario, the character the game was named after.
色视频下载淚 am not sure it helped me at all,色视频下载 he said later.
Guthrie was joined by Heath Day, GCI色视频下载檚 education program senior manager, for the competition. They raced against two UAF esport team members, Max "Aurelius" Beiergrohslein of team Valorant and Natalie "Fretzle" Lutrell of team Overwatch.
"I was resoundingly defeated by our student-athletes 色视频下载 which is exactly as it should be,色视频下载 Guthrie said. 色视频下载淥ur athletes are top competitors in the world of esports, and we are so proud they represent Nanook Nation!色视频下载
GCI色视频下载檚 Tiffany Vassar, right, presents a new Oculus Quest 2 to UAF student Daniel Renshaw during the GCI Esports Block Party at the 色视频下载 Esports Center on Oct. 6, 2023.
At the end of the block party, students eagerly gathered in the esports lounge and waited for Vassar to call out the winners of the GCI giveaway. The prizes included a PlayStation 5, an Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality set and a $50 gift card to Arctic Sun VR, which went to three lucky students.