Maryville University’s League of Legends (LoL) team took first place at the 2024 North American Challengers League (NACL) after a history-making season. The team went 9-0 in the regular season – the first team to do so – and continued their historic winning streak by going undefeated in the finals and the NACL.   

Maryville University is the first collegiate team to promote into – and win – a Tier 2 League of Legends competition, according to Dan Clerke, director of esports. “We’re the first collegiate program to ever win this league.” 

Jordan Ousley, esports creative director at Maryville University, echoed Clerke’s excitement. “It’s unusual for a collegiate team to advance like this. The teams we’re competing against are full-time, salaried, professional players,” he explained. “But we’re doing it. Our commitment to making ‘path to pro’ a reality helped build our brand at Maryville and show our players they don’t have to give up going to college or postponing their degrees to compete at the highest level.”  

The team, competing under the name “Dragonsteel,” will head to São Paulo, Brazil next for the 2024 Americas Challengers where teams from North America, Brazil and Latin America face-off. The tournament aims to offer new opportunities for players to grow professionally – a key pillar of Maryville’s Esports program. 

“The biggest thing we’ve tried to show at Maryville University is that college can be a path to the professional league,” Ousley said. “We make it so our players can compete at the highest level while balancing a workload and finishing a degree.” 

Clerke acknowledged the importance of this achievement not only for his players, but also for Maryville University. “This is huge for Maryville University because now we can represent the University on a world stage. We hope to bring back the trophy not only for Maryville, but for North America,” Clerke said. 

Even after breaking records and making history, Ousley said the Maryville Esports team is laser-focused on continuing to shape the future of esports at the collegiate and professional level. “We’re going to keep setting the bar higher and higher.” 

Maryville University begins play in São Paulo for 2024 America’s Challengers this week. 

About Maryville University

Founded in 1872, Maryville University is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of more than 9,000 students. Maryville offers over 90 degrees at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels, as well as several certificates that align with the undergraduate and graduate education levels. Maryville is recognized as the third fastest-growing private university in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education, serving students from 50 states and 56 countries. More than 17,000 Maryville alumni work and live in the St. Louis region.