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The University of Arkansas at Monticello Esports League of Legends team will take on High Point University on Monday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the championship match of the PlayVS College League Ranked Central Division.

The UAM Esports League of Legends team was seeded second in the single-elimination playoffs, earning a first-round bye after a 7-1 regular season record. The team defeated Grace Christian University in the semifinals on April 13, earning a place in the finals on Monday.

This appearance marks the second consecutive spring season that the UAM Esports League of Legends team has advanced to the division championship.

Alexsavior Ayala, team captain and a junior double majoring in chemistry and biochemistry from Warren, Arkansas, began playing League of Legends as a high school sophomore on the Warren High School Esports team. Ayala was instrumental in forming the UAM Esports League of Legends team in 2024. The title had not previously been offered at UAM, but UAM Esports welcomed Ayala to field a team.

The UAM Esports League of Legends team has competed for two years, and Ayala emphasized the value of spending time with others working toward a common goal. “There is something special about sticking with the same people and growing as a team.”

Current team members include Ayala; Jordan Berryman, a senior majoring in computer information systems with a concentration in programming from Hamburg, Arkansas; Kersean Amir Hollis, a freshman majoring in nursing from Monticello, Arkansas; Jimmy Lee Luster III, a freshman majoring in psychology from Thornton, Arkansas; and Alexander Wargo, a sophomore double majoring in computer information systems with a concentration in cybersecurity and mathematics with a data science option from Warren, Arkansas.

Bryan Fendley, director of UAM Esports, said winning at the college level starts with developing students and supporting them the right way. “Our players at UAM are balancing class, practice and competition every week,” Fendley said. “We put a big emphasis on communication, leadership and handling pressure because that’s what it takes to win. When students are supported in the classroom and in competition, you end up with a program that succeeds both on the scoreboard and academically.”

The championship match will be livestreamed on UAM Esports’ Twitch channel on Monday night. Follow the Weevil Esports Facebook page for updates on the team and links to its livestreamed matches.

For more information on UAM Esports, contact Bryan Fendley at fendley@uamont.edu or 870-460-1036.