Projects Underway

Collegiate varsity eSports are a relatively new phenomenon; as such, systematic investigations of the culture of eSports teams, the benefits of bringing eSports to campuses, and the players themselves are scarce. In this two-part study, we hope to fill the void by exploring the first SUNY team to join the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE). In part one, we will examine the biopsychosocial health profile of eSports athletes (including physiological, emotional, and social measures of health, and academic performance) at baseline, immediately post-competition, and at the end of the season. In part two, we will explore the culture of varsity eSports using qualitative methods, focusing on the students' experiences as engaged campus citizens. As a growing number of campuses target this population of students for recruitment and retention, it will be essential to understand their health and academic needs, and the ways that eSports better connects them to campus life. The implications for knowledge translation are discussed.