KENOSHA, Wis. — After an incredible 2025-26 competitive year, the Carthage Esports program and its student-athletes return to rekindle enthusiasm as the fifth competitive year since 2022 officially begins. As the lights in the Esports Arena are switched on and the PC stations churn graphical shaders, it means one thing: The Fall 2026 NECC season is upon us.

Starting tonight, Carthage Esports will compete in the Fall 2026 National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) across multiple video game titles, including Marvel Rivals (off-stream), Overwatch (on-stream), Rocket League (off-stream), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (on-stream), Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege (on-stream), and Valorant (off-stream).

In particular, for our weekly Twitch livestreams, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will air on Tuesdays starting tonight (Sept. 29), Rainbow Six on Wednesdays starting Sept. 30, and Overwatch on Fridays starting Oct. 2.
For off-stream competition, Valorant matches will be held on Mondays, followed by Marvel Rivals on Tuesdays starting tonight (Sept. 29), and Rocket League on Wednesdays starting Wednesday, Sept. 30.

2026-27 NECC Documentation Updates

NECC's Director of Conference Operations, Tyler Beck, announced on Friday, Aug. 28, that a few documentation updates were published for the 2026-27 competitive year.
First, Beck introduced an improved Resource Hub, which "includes calendar links, game rulebooks, policy documents, guides, and other important NECC resources and links. Most of the documents in here have also been updated for the 2026-2027 season!" (Beck – NECC Discord Announcements).

Simply put, easier league navigation will make things seamless for NECC staff, collegiate coaches, players, and even spectators who want to understand what goes into building an esports organization that upholds the integrity of competition.

Next, the NECC Competition Handbook has been cemented as the "primary reference for how the NECC operates. It covers league-wide information like eligibility, season structure, scheduling, and rescheduling, competition procedures, and all other applicable policies that apply to all NECC titles" (Beck – NECC Discord Announcements).
In addition to the main handbook, game-specific rulebooks are now "primarily focused on game-night operations, and will contain the information teams and players need to know about how their matches should be conducted, with game-specific procedures, settings, and requirements" (Beck — NECC Discord Announcements).
Within the NECC's Discord server, registered coaches and players will see their game-specific rulebook hyperlinked.

2026-27 NECC Rule Changes

Alongside strategic document updates to make the competitive experience more seamless, Beck announced important rule changes for Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and even 2027 Nationals.
First, roster changes are being tweaked. According to Beck, "Each team must roster a minimum of one additional Player beyond the required team size for each title. Only individuals assigned the "Player" role in LeagueOS count toward these roster requirements. Teams may roster a maximum of one fewer than twice the required starting team size (2x - 1) for the applicable title. Minimum and maximum roster sizes are outlined in the Competition Handbook" (Beck – Discord Announcements).

Continuing, Beck states, "The soft roster lock deadline is the end of registration. Hard roster lock is the original scheduled start time of a team's first official regular-season match. After soft lock, teams can add players with NECC approval. After this, only emergency players are allowed to be added with approval." This updated language will help teams easily follow procedures for sudden roster changes and/or ensure the policy's integrity is not breached.
Secondly, the guidelines for team coaching have been revised:
"Individuals serving as a coach during official competition must be listed on the team's official roster. Coaches who are not listed on the official roster may not occupy in-game coach slots or participate as an official coach during a match. The Coach role does not grant competition eligibility. Coaches who intend to compete as a player must also be assigned the Player role" (Beck – Discord Announcements).

Like roster updates, the NECC emphasizes to coaches the importance of registering and joining their team's LeagueOS roster, as well as acquiring the required roles to fulfill their responsibilities and participate if there are not enough eligible players.

The final rule change involves Nationals Points. For those unfamiliar, the NECC conducts a National Championship tournament for each of its nine divisions following the Fall and Spring semesters. This event serves as the final act for collegiate esports programs across North America. It identifies the official season champions across various gaming titles and skill tiers within each division.
Beck outlines part one by stressing,
"Teams that play in the Fall semester are required to play in the Spring semester to keep their nationals points and qualifications" (Beck – Discord Announcements).
Part two states, "At least sixty percent (60%) of the players on the Spring roster must have been rostered on the same team during the Fall season. If fewer than sixty percent (60%) of the players on the Spring roster were rostered on the same team during the Fall season, the Spring roster will be considered a new team for Nationals eligibility" (Beck – Discord Announcements).

The updates to the documents and rule changes primarily aim to protect NECC's competitive integrity, ensuring fairness and equitable distribution of National Championship spots without loopholes.

Carthage Esports' Fall 2026 NECC Team Previews

As previously mentioned, Carthage Esports will compete in the following video game titles for the Fall 2026 NECC season: Marvel Rivals, Overwatch, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, and Valorant. For these team previews, they will be listed in the order of competition date.

Valorant – Off-Stream on Mondays – Started Sept. 28

To begin the overview, we have Valorant, which includes senior captain Sergio Musaitef (Gio), senior Aiden Hecht (Hecht), second-year University of New Haven transfer Charlie Post (Opt1mal), and second-year UW-Parkside transfer Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish), junior Ryan Rivera (Righreanden), alongside freshman additions Thomas Holmes (Ryoo), Angel Lopez, Joaquin Rodriguez (Trust), and Brayden Vandewalle (Aerodynamic).

Valorant is a 5v5 tactical, hero-based shooter developed by Riot Games that emphasizes precise gunplay and the strategic use of abilities available to all in-game agents. There is only one competitive game mode, which challenges teams to switch between attacking and defending bomb sites. On attack, the objective is to plant a bomb (the spike), while defenders aim to defuse the plant.
Since Carthage Valorant did not compete in the Fall 2025 NECC season, we will focus on their accomplishments from the Spring 2026 NECC season.
In Spring 2026 NECC, Hecht, Musaitef, Post, Sullivan, and Rivera overachieved in the Division VI – Midwest A Stage. At the conclusion of the regular season, Carthage Valorant finished 5-1 overall and 11-3 on the map. In the end, they were awarded the No. 3 seed in the Division VI – Midwest Playoffs, as Minot State Red owned a head-to-head tiebreaker, and Drury University became the only team to reach 6-0 across both Midwest Stages.

Carthage Valorant's playoff run began with a 2-0 quarterfinal sweep against No. 6 Governors State University (GSU) Jaguars on Monday, March 23. Next, they took on No. 1 Drury University Panthers and won 2-0 in semifinal action on Monday, March 30. Following this upset, Carthage Valorant prepared for its grand final opponent, which turned out to be the No. 5 seed Cornell College Rams after they surprisingly defeated No. 2 Minot State Red in the other semifinal. Carthage Valorant's crowning moment came in the Division VI Midwest Championship on Monday, April 13. In all, the Firebirds swept the Rams 3-0 to bring home their second consecutive Spring NECC title, dating back to April 7, 2025, when they achieved a 3-2 comeback win vs. Robert Morris University to claim the Spring 2025 NECC Division VII Championship.

As the Fall 2026 NECC season approaches, Carthage Valorant is eager to continue its successful run in a league where it has previously excelled and is prepared for new challenges. Once again, Carthage Valorant will be off-stream and will return to Twitch in the Spring 2027 NECC season.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Streamed on Tuesdays – Starting Sept. 29

Next is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, featuring junior captain Shannon Pasters (MintMelee), junior Rylee Preston (Ender14), alongside freshman additions Angel Lopez (CH3CKM8) and Gianna Wiley (ATH33NA). It is worth noting that senior Alex Chuluunbat (ParaMedx) will resume captain duties when available to compete, as he currently has an academic scheduling conflict.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a crossover platform fighting game for the Nintendo Switch, developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd., led by Masahiro Sakurai. The goal is not to drain an enemy's health bar but to knock them outside the stage boundaries. As fighters take damage, their percentage increases, making them easier to launch farther away with heavier attacks.

The game's roster includes a plethora of Nintendo-related franchises, including Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong, Fire Emblem, Kirby, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Splatoon, Star Fox, and Super Mario. Additionally, third-party representation comes from franchises such as Banjo & Kazooie, Bayonetta, Castlevania, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Mega Man, Metal Gear, Pac-Man, Persona, Sonic, and Street Fighter.

Within NECC competition, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate begins with a "Crew Battle" format. Crew Battles are team competitions in which two groups of players face off in a series of one-on-one matches. When a player loses, they switch with a teammate, while the winner stays in and may face a new opponent from the other team. The match continues until one team loses all of its stocks. Each team consists of four players, each with three stocks, for a total of 12. In a best-of-three format, this process is repeated for each set.

In the Fall 2025 NECC season, Chuluunbat, Pasters, and Preston played alongside then-senior captain Connor Grubisic (Spacefood). Grubisic graduated from Carthage College this past May. We are grateful for his contributions to our program and wish him the best of luck with everything going forward. That said, Carthage Smash competed in the Division III – Midwest B Stage. As the regular season concluded, they finished 3-4 overall and 6-9 in games. However, these records placed them fifth, preventing Carthage Smash from reaching the Division III Midwest playoffs.

Despite a doubleheader loss on Nov. 4, 2025, against Illinois State University Red and Illinois College, respectively, Carthage Smash achieved notable wins, including a 2-1 victory in Week Two against CCIW rival Carroll University Pioneers. In that match, Chuluunbat defeated Carroll player Mystic—who had only one stock—in the final fight, securing the series.

As a whole, Carthage Smash is excited to compete once again in the NECC. The team hopes to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since Fall 2023.

Marvel Rivals – Off-Stream on Tuesdays – Starting Sept. 29

Following Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, we have the Marvel Rivals team. It includes senior Ethan Anderson (Snowstorm); junior Adam Hollis (Hollister09); and freshmen Jacob Cooper (Void), Jonathan Jasek (JJPower), Hayden Nelson (Hazzick), Matthew Santiago (Lumen), Michael Santiago (Vader), Anna Westbrook (BambeeBirdie), and Emma Westbrook (NekroKatze).

Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play, third-person, 6v6 team-oriented hero shooter developed by NetEase Games and Marvel Games. Players select renowned Marvel heroes and villains to engage in fast-paced, dynamic matches.

For what it's worth, Marvel Rivals performed well in last week's NECC Placement matches. This preseason window is specifically designed for the NECC to assign teams to divisions that best match their skill level. In particular, the Firebirds competed against Texas Tech University Club Scarlett and the University of Southern Mississippi Varsity Gold in best-of-three matches on Tuesday, Sept. 22. In the end, Carthage earned a 2-1 series win against Texas Tech and a 2-0 sweep against Southern Mississippi.

Carthage Esports is thrilled to welcome Marvel Rivals into our family of video game titles for the Fall 2026 NECC season.

Rainbow Six Siege – Streamed on Wednesdays – Starting Sept. 30

Then, we have the newest addition to the Fall 2026 NECC slate, Rainbow Six Siege. This new iteration was formed on Thursday, Sept. 17. The R6 roster features junior captain Chris Vallee (Typhoon) and senior Rey Trejo (Paltry), alongside freshman additions Braden Haske (IamShrimp12), Connor Phelps (TheEliteRanger), and Aidan Tosch (Sircat).

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.

During the Fall 2025 NECC season, Carthage R6 had then-head coach Wesley Kutzke, then-junior Rey Trejo (Paltry), then-junior Jayln Green (Astro), then-sophomore captain Samuel Bergamo (Scorp), then-sophomore Chris Vallee (Typhoon), and then-sophomore Major Andrews (Major). They competed in Division IV's West Central B Stage. Here, the team finished 4-3 overall with an 8-6 map record. These statistics were good enough for fourth place in the conference standings and a playoff berth.

Carthage R6's most crucial victory came against Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Green in Week Seven on Nov. 5, 2025. At the time, they possessed a 3-3 overall record and held fourth place in Division IV – West Central B. Trejo, in particular, had a marvelous performance, finishing with 22 kills, five deaths, and eight assists, helping the team defeat ATU Green, 2-0. Although Carthage R6 suffered a Division IV Central quarterfinal loss as a No. 8 seed against No. 1 University of Houston Red on Nov. 12, 2025, the loss is not story-defining. Throughout the Fall 2025 season, Carthage R6 sought to improve each week significantly by listening to each other's callouts and building strong team chemistry.

Trejo reports that "R6 can be a game of many lows and few highs. However, joining and playing for Carthage R6 was much more fun than everyday ranked." He continued reflecting on last season by stating, "My only regret is not joining in sooner, and I am hopeful to have at least one more competitive season at Carthage." Luckily for the returning Trejo, his wish is granted, and he gets to do it alongside his pre-existing teammate Vallee and a new freshman trio. We are thrilled to have Carthage R6 back and wish them the best of luck.

Rocket League Red – Off-Stream on Wednesdays – Starting Sept. 30

Transitioning, we have Carthage Rocket League (RL) Red, a sophomore trio of Kyle Branski (xray), Owen Perry (Kor), and Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17, aka ThePrimReaper).
Rocket League is a free-to-play vehicular soccer video game developed by Psyonix and owned by Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite. Often described as "soccer with rocket-powered cars," players use acrobatic vehicles to hit a giant ball into the opposing team's net within a strict five-minute time limit. Within NECC competition, matches are held in a best-of-five or best-of-seven format depending on division.

In Fall 2025 NECC, Branski and Perry competed alongside then-senior captain Alex Vaile, who graduated from Carthage College in May. Vaile is recognized as one of the most decorated players to have ever joined Carthage Esports. We are grateful for his contributions to our program and wish him the best of luck going forward.

This iteration of RL Red competed in the Division II – West Central A Stage. In regular-season action, they finished with a 6-1 overall and 27-9 game record, placed first in their stage, and clinched the No. 1 seed for the Division II West Central playoffs.

Since RL Red played in Division II, their playoff run featured a double-elimination bracket. In the upper-bracket quarterfinals, they defeated No. 8 Huntingdon College, 4-1, on Nov. 12, 2025. Next, the upper-bracket semifinals presented a near-impossible challenge, a 3-0 deficit against No. 5 Grand Canyon University (GCU) Purple. However, RL Red achieved a 4-3 comeback win to send GCU packing on Nov. 13, 2025. In the upper-bracket finals, RL Red suffered a 4-1 loss against No. 2 Davenport University Red on Nov. 19, 2025. Luckily for Branski, Perry, and Vaile, the double-elimination bracket gave them a chance to reach the grand final.

On Dec. 1, 2025, RL Red defeated No. 3 Southeast Oklahoma (SE), 4-3, in a lower-bracket finals match. Thus, No. 2 Davenport University Red became the opponent for the grand final match on Dec. 3, 2025. Unfortunately, the Panthers had the Firebirds' number again and won 4-1 to claim the Division II West Central Championship.

While Branski and Perry have a full year of NECC competition as a team, Prims joins the latest version of RL Red after previously teaming with senior captain TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid) and then-sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko) on RL White during the 2025-26 season.

Buchmann, much like Vaile, is among the most decorated players and influential minds to have ever graced Carthage Esports. We congratulate Buchmann on his graduation from Carthage College and wish him the best of luck going forward.

In Fall 2025, NECC RL White finished its regular season with a 3-3 overall and 13-15 game record, good for fourth place in the Division IV – Midwest A Stage. From here, they were awarded the No. 8 seed. However, their playoff run lasted just one match, as No. 1 RL Black defeated them 4-2 in the quarterfinals on Nov. 12, 2025.

All things considered, the three-headed sophomore monster of Branski, Perry, and Prims is eager to work toward success with the utmost dedication. It will be interesting to see how they perform in the Fall 2026 NECC season.

Rocket League Black – Off-Stream on Wednesdays – Starting Sept. 30

Following the Varsity RL Red team, we have RL Black, otherwise known as JV, featuring the trio of seniors Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr) and Lucas Menzer (Joystik), along with junior Kaliek Wade (Akko).
In the Fall 2025 NECC season, Gilchrist and Menzer teamed with then-senior captain Tanner Lee (Flare) on RL Black, who, like Vaile, graduated from Carthage College this past May. We are extremely proud of Lee's dedication to our program since its launch in 2022. He is one of the most decorated RL players to join Carthage Esports. We wish him the best of luck with everything going forward.
In particular, Gilchrist, Lee, and Menzer were placed in the Division IV – Midwest A Stage. As the regular season progressed, RL Black demonstrated its dominance over its conference rivals. The result was a 6-0 overall and 24-1 game record, which helped them claim the top ranking in Division IV – Midwest A. When playoff seeding commenced, RL Black was awarded the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs.

Unlike its Varsity Red counterpart, RL Black advanced through a single-elimination bracket. For clarification, the NECC administers double-elimination brackets only for Divisions I and II. Therefore, Divisions III to IX playoffs are deemed single-elimination regardless of video game title.

To open their Division IV Midwest playoff run, RL Black faced No. 8 Carthage RL White and secured a 4-2 victory on Nov. 12, 2025. This quarterfinal achievement was defined by RL Black's ability to break a 1-1 stalemate and win three of the next four games within the best-of-seven series. A major highlight was a 6-3 Game Six win in which the team scored five unanswered goals once Menzer broke an early 1-1 tie. Menzer scored three times, Gilchrist twice, and Lee once.

Next, RL Black faced No. 4 Minnesota State (Mankato) Mavericks in the semifinals on Nov. 19, 2025. Unfortunately, Gilchrist, Lee, and Menzer suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Minnesota State Mankato. The series opened with a 3-2 RL Black win as Gilchrist banged in an overtime goal in Game One. The Mavericks took Game Two 5-0. However, Lee performed well in Game Three, scoring three goals and leading his team to a 3-0 win. Black then took Game Four, 5-2, which materialized thanks to everyone contributing a goal after a 2-2 tie was broken. Although RL Black remained competitive down the stretch, the Mavericks found more shot quality as they took Game Five (4-3), Six (5-3), and Seven (3-1).

Although they lost a chance to win a conference championship, an opportunity to earn a bronze banner became available on Dec. 3, 2025. In the Division IV Midwest third-place game, RL Black faced No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan University. Ultimately, a 4-1 win came from the team's passion for having something to remember the season by. Although Indiana Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead in the first game, RL Black then won the following four games. This included a decisive 4-0 victory in Game Two, during which Gilchrist scored twice, followed by Menzer's two goals in a 2-1 victory in Game Three. The team ultimately concluded the series with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game Five after an additional four minutes and 10 seconds.

For Wade, he teamed with then-senior captain TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid) and then-freshman Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17, aka The Prim Reaper) on RL White. In the Fall 2025 NECC season, this trio was also in Division IV – Midwest A. Their end-of-regular-season record was 3-3 overall and 13-15 in games, which placed them fourth in the standings. As a result, RL White was awarded the No. 8 seed in the Division IV Midwest playoffs. In the quarterfinals, Buchmann, Prims, and Wade were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by RL Black on Nov. 12, 2025. One major highlight from RL White's perspective was Prims' game-winning goal, assisted by Wade, which tied the series 1-1. Game Two was tied 2-2 until the tie was broken within a minute of overtime.

When analyzing RL Black, one can infer that the trio of Gilchrist, Menzer, and Wade offers a plethora of determination and experience. Gilchrist and Menzer have competed alongside each other since their junior years at Waukesha South High School. Menzer and Wade teamed up to form two-thirds of a team that captured the Fall 2024 Division II Wisconsin Esports Conference (WEC) State Championship. Lastly, Gilchrist and Wade have faced each other in high-stakes settings, including their Nov. 12, 2025, playoff series in Division IV Midwest. It will be exciting to see how experience guides this team to success.

Overwatch Red – Streamed on Fridays – Starting Oct. 2

Switching video game titles, we have Overwatch (OW) Red, featuring senior captain Mason Stenger, senior Joy Schultz (JumpyWizard), and the junior trio of Billy Flanagan (Chickenfries), Adam Hollis (Hollister09), and Deacon Kirvan (FerociousPig).

Overwatch (OW) is a free-to-play 5v5 team-based shooter where players select a unique hero with special abilities and roles (Tank, DPS, Support) to achieve objectives across game modes such as Control, Escort, Flashpoint, Hybrid, and Push. The gameplay emphasizes team cooperation and strategic planning to succeed in a team-oriented combat environment.

Since the Fall 2025 NECC season, there have been no documented changes to the OW Red roster. In particular, for Fall 2025, Stenger and company competed in the Division IV – Central A Stage. After a seven-week regular season, OW Red finished 6-0 overall and 18-0 in games. With these eye-popping statistics, they finished first in the conference standings and clinched the No. 1 seed in the Division IV Central playoffs.

Flanagan, Hollis, Kirvan, Schultz, and Stenger began their journey against No. 8 Stevenson University Mustangs in a quarterfinal match on Nov. 13, 2025. A 3-0 sweep materialized across these game modes and maps: Control (Ilios; 2-1), Hybrid (King's Row; 2-1), and Escort (Junkertown; 3-2). To continue their path of dominance, OW Red defeated No. 5 Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU), 3-1, on Nov. 21, 2025. The following game modes and maps were played: Control (Ilios; 2-1), Flashpoint (Suravasa; 3-2 loss), Escort (Watchpoint: Gibraltar; 2-1), and Esperanca (Push).

With their efforts, OW Red found themselves in the NECC Division IV Central Championship vs. No. 2 Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) on Dec. 2, 2025. This became the second time in three seasons that a particular iteration of OW Red reached an NECC conference championship match. En route to a 4-1 championship win, the following game modes and maps were completed: Control (Ilios; 2-0), Flashpoint (Suravasa; 3-0), Push (New Queen Street; loss), Escort (Watchpoint: Gibraltar; 2-1), and Control (Lijiang Tower; 2-0). OW Red's success in team fights helped them close out the series and prevent their opponent from ever gaining a true upper hand.

Heading into the Fall 2026 NECC season, OW Red aims to make its third conference championship appearance in four seasons. With Stenger at the helm and no roster changes, the team is poised to generate even more buzz.

Overwatch Black – Streamed on Fridays – Starting Oct. 2

To end our preview, we have OW Black, the JV counterpart of OW Red. The team's roster is comprised of senior captain Ethan Anderson (Snowstorm), juniors Ryan Rivera (Righreanden) and Kaliek Wade (Akko), sophomores Chris Duffey (LitheCash), Alek Miech (Stewie), and Jena Pillman (Jenny), followed by freshman additions Kelvin Hernandez (ZoroFace) and Madison "Morgan" Manning (UhhYeah).

From the Fall 2025 NECC season to now, there have been a couple of roster changes, including the additions of Rivera and Wade, who play different video game titles: Valorant for Rivera and RL for Wade. In particular, for Fall 2025, Anderson led OW Black to a 3-3 overall record and an 11-9 map record in Division IX's Central A Stage. Thus, the team earned fourth place in the conference standings and clinched the No. 7 seed throughout the Division IX Central playoffs. A 2-0 sweep against Northern Illinois University in Week Seven on Nov. 7, 2025, sealed the deal. Although the team underwent a significant roster change late in the season, it rallied behind Wade as he made his debut.

From here, OW Black faced No. 2 Evansville University Aces in the quarterfinals on Nov. 14, 2025. Unfortunately, Anderson and company suffered a 3-1 series loss. The following game modes and maps were completed: Control (Ilios; 2-1 loss), Hybrid (King's Row; 4-3 overtime), Flashpoint (Suravasa; 3-0 loss), Escort (Rialto; 1-0 loss).

Despite the outcome, one major highlight for OW Black came in Map Two, Hybrid on King's Row. With 42 seconds remaining in overtime, the team captured only 72% of the objective point required to unlock a payload. However, on defense, OW Red prevented Evansville from fully capturing the point for roughly one minute. This was a difficult task to achieve considering one bad team fight would have shattered OW Red's chances of forcing a 1-1 series tie at the time.

Despite the short-lived playoff run, OW Black aims for Fall 2026 to be a more cohesive and consistent season, with everyone on the same page and no major roster changes late in the season.
Carthage Esports is currently in season with NECC and WEC competition. We have scheduled Fall 2026 NECC livestreams for Smash Bros. (Tuesdays), Rainbow Six (Wednesdays), and Overwatch (Fridays). This pattern occurs for regular-season matches from the week of Sept. 28 to the week of Nov. 9. We extend our gratitude to those who consistently support the Carthage Esports program.
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 informed when broadcasts go live. Lastly, be on the lookout for recaps on the Carthage Athletics – Esports page as the Fall 2026 NECC and WEC seasons continue.