KENOSHA, Wis. — Rey Trejo, a senior studying computer science from Mount Prospect, Illinois, is a Rainbow Six Siege (R6) player for Carthage Esports. Trejo has competed in National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) matches, where strategic team compositions and disciplined movement are of the utmost importance.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a 5v5 tactical shooter developed and published by Ubisoft on Dec. 1, 2015. Teams alternate between attacking and defending bomb sites. Rounds can be won either by planting, defusing the bomb, or eliminating the opposing team. Success relies heavily on precise gunplay, environmental destruction, and coordinated teamwork. There are 77 playable operators, including 38 options each for offensive and defensive roles. These operators are also grouped according to their gameplay roles and team responsibilities.

Attacker subcategories include Entry Fraggers, Flex, Flank Watch, Hard Breachers, Vertical, and Support.

Entry Fraggers prioritize speed and are deployed to secure early kills or disrupt the enemy's setup. Flexes are versatile and can switch between supporting teammates and engaging directly, depending on the round's needs. Flank Watchers monitor rear routes and trap areas to stop defenders from sneaking behind the attacking team. Hard Breachers carry gadgets to break through reinforced walls and hatches, which are essential for creating primary entry points into the bomb site. Vertical operators utilize explosives, breaching hammers, or under-barrel shotguns to demolish non-reinforced walls, floors, and ceilings. Supports enhance team strategies by gathering intel, denying defender utility, and managing the defuser.

Defender subcategories include Anchors, Anti-Projectile, Deep Roamers, Shallow Roamers/Lurkers, and Trap/Utility Denial.

Anchors stay on or near the objective site to hold down angles and prevent plants. Anti-Projectile operators prevent incoming grenades or reinforce layout structures during the prep phase. Deep Roamers hunt for early picks and waste the attacking side's time far away from the site. Shallow Roamers/Lurkers hold map control in adjacent rooms near the site to ambush or delay pushes. Trap/Utility Denial operators place hazards or electronic blocks to slow down movement and punish reckless rushing.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Trejo was not heavily invested in video games, opting to play them occasionally. However, when the pandemic shut down everyone's daily routines, Trejo turned to video games and played them more frequently. Eventually, he discovered Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege through one of his close friends and Xbox Game Pass. At this time, R6 had been in the spotlight for five years, undergoing massive seasonal updates as Ubisoft aimed to balance the game.

Ubisoft's hit shooter was added to Xbox Game Pass in October 2020, a monthly subscription service from Microsoft that gives consumers unlimited access to a large library of video games for one flat fee. In 2020, players interested in R6 could play it through the $9.99-per-month base console plan or the $14.99-per-month Ultimate plan. During the difficult years of COVID-19, Trejo continued pursuing his education at Prospect High School.

Thanks to a friend he made during the pandemic, Trejo found a new ambition: to become a competitive R6 player. He started with Carthage R6 in the Fall 2025 NECC competition. Later, he joined a T3 (Tier 3) esports team that competes in an amateur or hobby-level league. This tier sits below the top-tier professional (T1) and semi-professional (T2) circuits. T3 teams and players are typically part-time competitors who participate in open community tournaments, local online cups, and entry-level qualifiers.

A few weeks before the Fall 2025 NECC season began, Director Robert Xiong and then-R6 head coach Wesley Kutzke were determined to field a complete roster. They had returning pieces such as then-sophomore Samuel Bergamo (Scorp), then-sophomore Chris Vallee (Typhoon), and then-junior Jalyn Green (Astro). With Trejo joining as a junior, Kutzke and Xiong were one player short until Major Andrews (Major) joined as a sophomore.

Despite limited practice time before Fall 2025, each member committed to putting their best foot forward. Trejo became a secondary caller and entry player. He was responsible for assisting with the team's strategy and counter-strategizing on the fly during matches. To counter enemies, Trejo identified gaps, trends, and weaknesses that his team could exploit. As an entry player, he was the first point of contact, taking opening engagements to set up pushes and trying to win gunfights early for a man advantage or spacing.

Under Coach Wes' leadership and contributions from all players, including Trejo, Carthage R6 finished the Fall 2025 regular season with a 4-3 overall record and an 8-6 map record. These statistics placed the Firebirds fourth in Division IV's West Central B Stage and clinched a playoff berth. Their most important win came on Nov. 5, 2025, vs. Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Green. At the time, Trejo and his teammates were 3-3 and held fourth place. Across both maps, Trejo finished with 22 kills, five deaths, and eight assists, helping Carthage R6 defeat ATU Green, 2-0. Although Carthage R6 lost as the No. 8 seed to No. 1 University of Houston Red on Nov. 12, 2025, that loss does not tell the full story of a team that improved each week significantly by listening to each other's callouts and building strong team chemistry.

As he enters his senior year, Trejo hopes to continue his R6 career with Carthage Esports and consistently support his teammates through the highs and lows of competition. We are grateful for his contributions to the program so far, and we look forward to seeing him return to Carthage R6 as the team looks to retool its roster once more.

Carthage Esports is currently in season with WEC competition and will resume regularly scheduled livestreams starting Tuesday, Sept. 29, to kick off the Fall 2026 NECC season and the 2026-27 competitive year.

Follow @carthageesports on all social media platforms to stay updated on content involving the upcoming Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 seasons. Follow our Twitch channel to be notified when broadcasts go live. Lastly, be on the lookout for recaps on the Carthage Athletics – Esports page once the Fall 2026 season begins.