National recognition for Niner Esports, UNC Charlotte’s esports club, continues with winning Club of the Year at this year’s Scholars Collegiate Gaming Awards in Las Vegas.
Current club co-presidents Alexis Diamond and Pake Cary, along with community events director Valentin Cannon and former club president and current Niner Esports alumni advisor Jorge Sanchez ’23 accepted the honor at Resorts World Las Vegas.
“Overall we’re just really excited,” said Sanchez. “Thank you to the University, thank you to all our students, we would be nothing without our students. We’re just really happy to be able to bring this back home to them in Charlotte.”
Niner Esports was one of 10 programs nominated in the category, along with Illini Esports (University of Illinois), Triton Gaming (University of California San Diego), Boise State University, UArizona Wildcat Gaming Club (University of Arizona), Coog Esports (University of Houston), CU Gaming (University of Colorado), Gator Gaming (University of Florida), Sooners Esports (Oklahoma University) and Drexel University.
In addition to Club of the Year, Niner Esports was nominated for two other categories, Team of the Year and Local Area Network of the Year. Sanchez, now esports coordinator and talent recruit at Converse University, was nominated for Collegiate Student Leader of the Year.
This is the second Club of the Year victory for Niner Esports within a calendar year. It captured Club of the Year at the EsportsU’s 2023 Collegiate Awards in May.