"I had been playing Rocket League for a few years and had some friends who also played it. The four of us [myself, Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), Dante Herrera (RogueTek) and David Johnson (DivineOG)] started an esports club at our high school [Waukesha South]. I was content with being the 'sub' on our roster since the other three were much better than me at the time, and my other commitments did not give me much time to play Rocket League."

— Menzer on how he got started with esports at Waukesha South High School

Despite his outside commitments, Menzer became a valuable reserve, willing to step up if Gilchrist, Herrera or Johnson could not make a scheduled match. After initially becoming a club, the Waukesha South Blackshirts Rocket League team joined the Wisconsin High School Esports Association (WIHSEA) in March 2022. The WIHSEA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that promotes scholastic esports through community development, advocacy, equitable participation and interscholastic competition to enrich the educational experience.

Upon joining the WIHSEA, the Blackshirts made an immediate impact during their Spring 2022 and Winter 2023 Rocket League seasons. Menzer was part of a squad that won back-to-back divisional titles in the WIHSEA, one of the few teams to accomplish the feat, let alone in a single video game.

In Spring 2022, Waukesha South earned an 8-0 overall record and a 24-0 game record. Over eight weeks, they never surrendered a single series or "game" within a series, securing the No. 1 seed throughout the Division One playoffs. The Blackshirts defeated Washington Park (Racine) and Bay Port in the opening rounds.

On May 14, 2022, Gilchrist, Herrera, Johnson and Menzer competed in the Spring 2022 WIHSEA State Championship Event at Northcentral Technical College, reaching both the semifinals and grand final. The Blackshirts made quick work of Superior in the semifinals. However, Oak Creek forced a seven-game series that pushed Waukesha South to a new level. When the dust settled, Gilchrist, Herrera, Johnson and Menzer were crowned Spring 2022 Division One champions after a gritty 4-3 series victory.

For Winter 2023, Waukesha South achieved another 8-0 overall record alongside a 24-2 game record. With these results, the Blackshirts reclaimed Division One's No. 1 playoff seed. The team's postseason run began with a first-round bye, followed by a quarterfinal win over Kettle Moraine to clinch a spot in the state championship. On March 18, 2023, Gilchrist, Herrera, Johnson and Menzer competed in the Winter 2023 WIHSEA State Championship Event at UW-River Falls. There, they defeated William Horlick (Racine) in the semifinal and swept Oak Creek 4-0 in the grand final.

Although Menzer had limited playing time and served primarily as a backup, he earned two medals, underscoring his role on the Waukesha South Blackshirts Rocket League team, which he helped establish with Gilchrist, Herrera and Johnson. As his high school journey neared completion, Menzer kept an eye out for colleges that interested him.

"Although I did not have much competitive experience in high school, I was open to exploring esports in a collegiate setting. Ultimately, I came to Carthage because I was offered a Presidential Scholarship. I did NOT come to Carthage for esports. However, seeing how much my friends enjoyed it through watching them play competitively in high school, and my own love for Rocket League … I decided to pursue esports in college. That being said, I am so glad that I joined Carthage Esports. The program itself has only grown and gotten better with every year, and it is truly unlike any group or organization I have ever been a part of."

— Menzer on why he chose Carthage as his college and how he inevitably joined its Esports program

Since joining Carthage Esports in 2023, Menzer has served in a more notable role. As a freshman, he partnered with then-seniors Aidan O'Neil (Deq) and Easton Herbon (WestOff) on Rocket League White. During Fall 2023 NECC, they achieved a 5-2 overall record with a 13-5 game record, earning second place in the Challengers Division – Heartland A Stage. Unfortunately, Herbon, O'Neil and Menzer were sent home in the first round of Heartland's playoff bracket, falling 3-0 on Nov. 17, 2023.

For Spring 2024, the trio remained in the Challengers Division but competed in the Midwest A Stage. Their result was a 3-4 overall record and a 14-15 game record, which narrowly missed the cut for postseason qualification.

Throughout the 2024-25 competitive year, Menzer formed chemistry with then-senior Andrew Marron (Tax Evader) and then-sophomore Timothy Fendrick (Hvstl) on Rocket League White. In Fall 2024 NECC, the team competed in the Division V – East A Stage, finishing 3-4 overall with a 13-13 game record. They earned a fourth-place ranking and qualified for the postseason. Despite their best efforts against a 7-0 Wright State team, this iteration of Rocket League White lost in the first round on Nov. 14, 2024.

However, the Fall 2024 WEC campaign presented a polar opposite trajectory. In Division II's regular season, Fendrick, Marron and Menzer went 6-5 overall with a 24-15 game record. Thanks to their performance, they earned the No. 7 seed for the Finals LAN. During their lower-bracket run, Rocket League White defeated UW-Milwaukee White, 4-1; Milwaukee School of Engineering Red, 4-2, the team that entered the tournament with a 9-1 overall record and the No. 1 seed; and UW-Milwaukee Gold, 4-2, which finished 9-2 overall and held the No. 2 seed.

Due to unexpected forfeits by UW-Superior and UW-Madison, Rocket League White faced Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) in a best-of-seven championship series on Dec. 8, 2024. With a decisive 4-1 victory, Fendrick, Marron and Menzer walked out of Waukesha County Technical College as the Fall 2024 Division II WEC champions.

This was the first championship Carthage Esports won as a whole during the 2024-25 competitive year. Menzer earned State MVP honors for his contribution to Rocket League White. Menzer noted, "LAN is all about who shows up, who has the ice, and who wants it more." Given their lower-bracket run, Rocket League White reached new heights.

In Spring 2025 NECC, Menzer teamed with Marron and then-freshman Kaliek Wade (Akko), who swapped places with Fendrick. This time, Rocket League White competed in Division IV – Central A, went 3-4 overall with an 11-14 game record and finished sixth. Due to their sub-.500 record, they missed the playoffs.

For the 2025-26 competitive year, Menzer teamed with then-senior Tanner Lee (Flare) and then-junior Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), his Waukesha South teammate, on Rocket League Black. In Fall 2025 NECC, the trio secured the No. 1 seed throughout the Division IV Midwest playoffs after a 6-0, 24-1 regular-season performance. In postseason play, they defeated No. 8 Rocket League White in the quarterfinals, lost to No. 4 Minnesota State in the semifinals and secured third place with a 4-1 win over No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan.

In Fall 2025 WEC, Rocket League Black ended with a 4-2 overall record and a 15-11 game record, earning 12th place in the regular season. On Nov. 15, 2025, Gilchrist, Lee and Menzer went 4-0 overall with a 12-2 record in Group B of the Southeast Regional LAN's group stage. The following day, Rocket League Black participated in a playoff bracket as the No. 2 seed. They defeated Milwaukee Area Technical College Stormers, 3-0, and Rocket League White, 3-2. However, they were stopped by Rocket League Red, losing 4-0.

Rocket League Black then qualified for state through an LCQ, sweeping the Lakeland Muskies 4-0 while conceding only one goal. At state, Gilchrist, Lee and Menzer finished seventh after a 4-1 loss to UW-Stout Blue Devils on Dec. 7, 2025.

For the Spring 2026 NECC campaign, Gilchrist, Lee and Menzer reached Division III – Midwest status. In the regular season, Rocket League Black finished 7-0 overall with a 28-10 game record, earning first place in Midwest B's standings and the No. 2 seed in postseason action. Although they reached the Division III Midwest Championship match, they suffered a 4-0 loss to No. 1 Indiana Tech B. However, the second-place finish complemented Fall 2025's third-place finish well.

Finally, Menzer teamed up with Gilchrist and Lee for the Spring 2026 MCRL season. On April 26, Rocket League Black competed in MCRL's Season Three Division One LAN as the No. 7 seed at the Carthage Esports Arena. They started with a 4-2 loss in the upper bracket against UW-Milwaukee, forcing Menzer and the team to fight through the lower bracket to reach the grand final.

Rocket League Black then defeated No. 6 Milwaukee School of Engineering, 4-0; No. 7 UW-Stout, 4-1; and UW-Milwaukee, 4-0, in the lower bracket. However, Rocket League Black suffered a heartbreaking 4-2 loss to Northern Illinois University (NIU) Red. Although they took Games One and Two, NIU Red won the next four games of the best-of-seven series. The silver lining was another third-place finish for Rocket League Black.

Throughout his Carthage Esports career so far, Menzer is a one-time WEC State Champion and one-time WEC State MVP. In the NECC, Menzer has accumulated 91 goals, 61 assists, 292 shots, 117 saves and 102 demolitions on 31% shooting. In the WEC, Menzer has produced 72 goals, 76 assists, 257 shots, 111 saves and 95 demolitions on 28% shooting. Lastly, in MCRL, Menzer recorded 36 goals, 27 assists, 164 shots, 91 saves and 110 demolitions on 21% shooting.

"My collegiate Rocket League journey has been very fun. Although it is only a game, the amount of memories and friends I have made through it is truly amazing. I've played with so many different people and players on various Carthage teams. Despite never being super passionate about Rocket League, I can see how much this game matters to the people around me."

— Menzer on what has shaped his perspective regarding Rocket League and esports as a whole

As Menzer begins his senior year, he will join the Carthage Rocket League Black roster alongside Gilchrist, Wade and newcomer Cosmic. With familiar faces and a new teammate, Menzer is ready for the challenge and aims to achieve greater success in the 2026-27 competitive year.

Carthage Esports is currently in the offseason and will resume regularly scheduled livestreams in late September and early October to kick off the Fall 2026 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.