Herkimer College esports joins ECAC this fall

HERKIMER, N.Y. — Herkimer College will join the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) for esports this fall, joining 53 other SUNY colleges in the conference, the college announced Friday. Launched in 2017, the ECAC esports enhances the experience for student athletes, allowing them to participate in intercollegiate athletics. The organization sponsors championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments, and other competitions across the northeast. Joining the ECAC gives Herkimer’s team increased opportunities to compete and succeed nationally, per the school’s announcement. With its current standing at the top of the leaderboards in New York, Herkimer will claim a berth in the national championships. “I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to coach my team in multiple leagues this season,” Herkimer College Esports Head Coach Josh Lanza said in the press release. “The partnership between SUNY and the ECAC will lead to matches against schools that Herkimer would never normally play against, and I welcome the opportunity to showcase our skills to an even broader audience. Expect big things from the Herkimer Generals esports team this season!” Herkimer was the second SUNY school to have an esports team. The successful program claimed a National Junior College Athletics Association Esports national championship in Call of Duty: Gunfight in 2021. Last fall, the college launched an esports management associate degree, becoming the first junior college in the SUNY system to offer an esports degree. The college also opened an esports facility last year with 13 gaming PCs along with PlayStation 5s and Nintendo Switches along with gaming desks and chairs. The esports management degree is one of more than 40 degree and certificate programs offered at Herkimer County Community College, the school noted.