Lander Esports Upholds Standards for Players to Foster Personal Growth

“My highest priority is to ensure that you leave Lander ready to take on all of the adventures of adulthood.” This is the goal that Lander Esports head coach Billy Howard places at the top of every new recruit’s paperwork.

For those who don’t know, “esports” is essentially collegiate gaming. The program at Lander started in 2019 and has been led by Howard since 2023. During his tenure, Lander Esports has played in 15 conference championships, winning eight of them, and has qualified for nationals six times. Their highest finished came in the spring, when the Valorant team finished third at NECC Nationals.

The team has also brought home 19 regular season championships over the last three years.

Jacob Wallace, a business administration major with a concentration in accounting, plays on the Valorant team for Lander. Not only has Wallace been able to develop amazing friendships with teammates, but he says that esports provided him with “the opportunity to hone my skills and develop teamwork and communication skills.”

Howard attributes the team’s success to their commitment to standards. Every member has academic, athletic and personal standards that they must continue to meet to participate. His emphasis on these standards has led to an increase in his team’s GPA—with it rising from 2.7 to 3.3 since he began coaching. The discipline required to meet his standards is preparing each member for life after college.

One of the most successful community events held last academic year was the team’s Pack the Stands night. Lander defeated Clemson 3-0 in front of 700 students in a moment of electric school spirit. According to Howard, that level of success “is what we do on a nightly basis, not just in front of a packed Finis Horne Arena. That's our standard.”

For Howard, becoming a better gamer is the least of his concerns. For him, “Learning how to interact and network, communicate effectively, and manage time and responsibilities are all far more important than if someone can click heads or put a virtual ball in a net.” Just like every other Lander athlete, the members of the esports team do it all for the love of the game. This passion and dedication continues to prepare them for future success after graduation.