It was an outstanding season for two separate groups of gamers, defeating the competition in video games all season. In just the third season since Waynesburg University Athletics recognized Esports, the Overwatch and Rocket League teams became the first national champions on campus since the football team in 1966. 

Waynesburg’s Overwatch season finished this past May, just before the conclusion of the 2025 spring semester, with the team finishing their NECC Division IX National Championship Season with a 23-1 record. 

For two months straight, nobody could touch them. An 18-match winning streak to begin the season was capped off by victories against multiple DI and DII Universities, most notably, beating Murray State, 2-0, on Jan. 31 and North Carolina Wilmington, 3-0, on Feb. 11. Waynesburg University Overwatch’s luck ran out just momentarily on April 3, when they fell 3-1 to Roger Williams. 

“I knew this team was good. Our goal was to make the playoffs,” head coach Tim Nielsen said. “I wanted to schedule a tough opponent for our players to play against. I felt we could’ve gone undefeated but that loss crushed them. We as a group rallied behind ourselves and went to work on our weaknesses. I don’t think we would’ve won the championship without losing that match earlier in the season.” 

Even battling adversity, the Yellow Jackets didn’t back down. Waynesburg won the NECC Division IX East Championship on April 10, defeating Mount Union 4-1 in a 5-map series to clinch the title. 

Waynesburg advanced to the National Tournament the following month and entered the 8-team tournament as the No. 2 seed with their sights on glory. On Friday May 2, the Overwatch team scored back-to-back victories over No. 7 seed Saint Vincent College and No. 6 seed Oklahoma City University to propel themselves into the National Championship match against No. 5 seed East Central University. 

East Central gave the Yellow Jackets a fight, beating them in map 1. Waynesburg wouldn’t let up though, winning the next four maps and claiming their first National Championship on campus since 1966. 

“I almost broke into tears when we won the championship,”  Nielsen said. “I was so proud of our team and what we accomplished this season.” 

Waynesburg pulled off an incredible season in Rocket League as well, winning the NECC Division V National Championship. 

The Rocket League team finished the season with a record of 17-5. A seven-game win streak to begin the year set the tone for Waynesburg early on. They stumbled a bit, with a couple two-match losing streaks during the month of March, but the group rebounded well, finishing the semester season on a four-game tear. 

On April 30, they defeated Stevenson, 4-1, to advance to the National Championship against a tough Tarleton State University squad on May 12. The Yellow Jackets won the best of seven series, 4-1, clinching the Esports program’s second NECC National Championship in just four days.