Opinion and Editorials

What happens when Mountaineers take soccer to the virtual field and throw cars into the mix? Soccer balls, speeding cars and the drive to win were a big part of Wednesday night, March 31. WVU students went head-to-head in an online Rocket League tournament, competing for the title of champion as part of a WVU Intramural eSports special event. Four teams of three faced off in a short bracket to make it to the championship game, where only one prevailed. It was a night of excitement, fun and teamwork.

With the Spring season just around the corner, club sports sign-ups are beginning!

With the Fall semester drawing to a close, many students are anxiously looking ahead to the new opportunities awaiting them in the Spring. Whether this includes a challenging course load, a new job, or an expanding circle of friends; a new semester is the prime time for positive change. A good way for students to get involved is by joining a club or intramural sports. These organizations have a manageable time commitment and enable students to maintain an active lifestyle and meet other students with similar interests. Club sports also provide a positive social atmosphere, as athletes are able to make friends with similar hobbies, and can thrive under the encouragement of a team environment.

A battle of wits, tasking, and being the better imposter: the competition was fierce during the WVU Among Us eSports Tournament.

WVU Campus Recreation will be offering the return of Intramural Sports this spring. These activities are a great way to stay active and social, all while staying safe.

4v4 volleyball will be available for registration on January 19th on the WVU Campus Rec website. Gameplay will begin on Monday, February 1st, with games taking place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This will continue for the duration of a 3 week season, followed by 2 weeks of playoffs. Although the number of players may be limited, this enables more intense gameplay, as players now have to cover a larger amount of court, and have increased communication with their teammates.

eSports gamers are able to compete without masks or social distancing, thanks to Zoom.

The eSports Tournaments at WVU are not your typical Intramural Sports events. Instead of competing on the Evansdale Rec Fields, participants compete virtually, in a series of tournaments conducted on various gaming consoles. Participants’ keen use of strategy and teamwork, combined with quick reflexes and sharp hand-eye coordination, leads to intense, nail-biting matchups. eSports has been able to continue throughout the pandemic, and engagement is higher than ever. The mission of eSports is to “reach a niche group of students on campus who are looking for a group of people with similar interests,” according to Graduate Assistant for Competitive Sports, Emily Murphy.

The Mountaineer forward’s look to continue to their chill season

Following their long departure from the ice, the Lady Mountaineers enter their final stretch of games to end their inaugural season. The club has not played a game since December 8th, when they matched up against Loyola University. In their last match, the Lady’s matched up against the Greyhounds in a home match; in which they lost 1-6. The Mountaineers are currently on a three game skid losing two in a row to Loyola University, and one match against Villanova University. Even though the club is going through a little of an offensive struggle, they’ve managed to still stay relevant in the regular season standings. Currently, the Mountaineers are third in the Division ii South region; sitting only below University of Maryland, and Loyola University. If the Lady Mountaineers manage to end the season winning out, then they’ll be able to end it with a 6-7 record, finishing third in the standings of their inaugural season.

WVU's first home game in history.

On the tenth of April, West Virginia University Recreation Center announced an addition to their club sports program, which involved adding a first ever Women’s Ice Hockey club. The individuals were able to turn their dreams of becoming a club into a reality.