Three Cougar esports teams prepare for playoffs

The spring regular season is hitting its finish line, but the action is just beginning for three Cougar teams as they charge into the playoffs next week.

Call of Duty (COD) 2v2 (D1), Mario Kart 1v1 (D1 and D3) and Hearthstone (D1) are representing NICC in the postseason, with six different student-athletes competing to keep their seasons alive.

Call of Duty: The Veteran Duo Returns

For the second consecutive season, the duo of J.T. Lucius and Konner Allendorf have returned to the Call of Duty playoffs. After a dominant 10-1 run in the fall ended in a tough postseason exit, the pair faced a more challenging spring. However, their 10-6 record was more than enough to secure a spot and another shot at the championship.

"Our COD team did a great job last postseason," Head Coach Verrick Foust said, "but they just needed a little more practice. This time around, you can see that they play much more in sync. Taking that loss in the fall made them even more motivated to win this season."

Mario Kart: Speeding Toward the Finish

Two Mario Kart 1v1 teams remain in the hunt for a title. Dakota Hamann is representing the Cougars at the D1 level, while Samuel Stephenson competes at the D3 level. Both athletes have been competitive every time they have picked up their controllers since January; Hamann secured an 8-6 record, while Stephenson finished strong at 4-1.

"At the beginning of the season, I didn't know if I could get to the playoffs," Hamann said. "Accomplishing this means that I've really worked hard into learning about the game."

Hearthstone: Carrying the Legacy

The final qualifying title is Hearthstone, led by Kaden Nehl. His impressive 6-1 record comfortably earned him a spot in the D1 playoffs. Nehl has some big shoes to fill as the College's Mason Cigrand previously claimed the NJCAAE National Championship in 2024.

"Our program has nearly doubled in a year, growing from roughly 15 students to 30," Foust said. "In that same timeframe, we went from sending just one game to the playoffs to three. This really shows the amount of hard work my students and I have put in over the last year to improve in every aspect and truly build out the college's esports program."

All of the teams start their postseason runs next Tuesday night. You can catch all the action live on the official NICC Twitch channel: www.twitch.tv/nicces