Marquette University will launch a varsity esports program this fall, making the school the first among major conference NCAA Division I schools to offer such a program through its athletic department. “Marquette has been closely watching the development of esports, both as a global trend and as an integral part of the future of the BIG EAST Conference,” said Bill Scholl, vice president and director of athletics at Marquette. Along with the growing popularity of esports, its wide appeal across a variety of academic disciplines makes it a good fit for Marquette. Marquette plans to hire a coach, host tryouts, hold regular practices and participate in a full schedule of intercollegiate tournaments and competitions. That facility, the school said, will be available for use by student groups when not being utilized by the varsity program.

Source: Forbes February 01, 2019 05:03 UTC