For the second time in its 4-year history at Southeastern Illinois College, the Falcons Faction of Gamers varsity esports team has brought home a NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports) division championship. The first division championship was won during the Fall 2022 semester competing in Call of Duty: Vanguard in the NACE Varsity Plus East 3 division. Since then, the team has made it to the Call of Duty playoffs multiple times in both NACE and the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference), finishing 2nd in NACE and 3rd in ECAC during the Fall 2023 season (Call of Duty: MWII) and 2nd in NACE during the Spring 2024 season (Call of Duty: MWIII). However, the coveted championship title eluded them, until the night of April 9th when the undefeated Falcons bested the Tornadoes from Talladega College to win the NACE Varsity Plus West-Central division championship for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Head coach Jason Fitzgerald praised the efforts and dedication of his assistant coach and former team captain, Brandon Holloman, and those of his team members saying “Brandon has a knowledge of Call of Duty gameplay greater than anyone I know, and by sharing that with our team, they were able to end our spring season as division champions. The team members took that knowledge and applied it during countless practices and scrims throughout the season, getting better with each match they played. I am very proud of this team and the accomplishments they have achieved.” He went on to provide his opinion on how important it is for SIC to offer a competitive esports program for students, stating that it provides an opportunity for extracurricular activities for those who may not excel in traditional college sports or other competitive programs.

As a member of NACE and ECAC, the team competes against colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada, 2-year and 4-year, public and private.

Currently the SIC Falcons Faction of Gamers are competing in Call of Duty titles, but with enough student interest there are opportunities to compete in other titles such as Valorant, Apex legends, Rocket League, Overwatch, and more. Now that the competition season is over, the team will be holding open tryouts/recruitment events in the coming weeks on campus; keep an eye on the team Instagram and Facebook accounts for coming details. A limited number of scholarships are available to qualified students. Interested individuals can reach out to the coach via a Recruit Me form on the team webpage (sic.edu/esports) or by emailing esports@sic.edu.