The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) is a nonprofit membership association organized by and on behalf of our member institutions.
What is NACE?
The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) is a nonprofit membership association organized by and on behalf of our member institutions. Together, our members are developing the structure and tools needed to advance collegiate esports in the varsity space. We are collaborating to lay the groundwork in areas such as: Eligibility, Path to Graduation, and Competition & Scholarships. NACE is the only association of varsity esports programs at colleges and universities across the U.S.
This is the Beginning.
NACE officially formed on July 28, 2016 at the first ever Collegiate Esports Summit held in Kansas City, MO. At that time only seven colleges and universities had varsity esports programs. Since then a rapidly growing number of institutions have launched varsity programming, with a current count of 45 institutions. As of January 2017, over 90% of all varsity esports programs in the U.S. are members of NACE with an ever increasing number of schools exploring esports.
Member Schools
Who are we?
Our leadership rests with our Board of Directors, administrators elected from our member institutions.
Board of Directors:
Jay Prescott
Grand View University
Joshua Clary
Brescia University
Bryan Curtis
Columbia College
John Yehling
Missouri Baptist University
Kurt Melcher
Robert Morris University
Eric VanHoose
University of Pikeville
Dave Gillespie
Midland University
Matt Thompson
Kansas Wesleyan University
Competition Council:
Patricia Todd
Western Kentucky University
Alex Walsh
Kansas Wesleyan University
Jarrett Fleming
Maryville University
Kyle Klinker
Indiana Tech
Ben Briner
Lourdes University
Andrew Reddington
Illinois Wesleyan University
NACE Team:
Michael Brooks
Executive Director
Leigh Schenck
Vice President Product Development
Scott Harold
Vice President Information Technology
Layne Shirley
Competition Coordinator
