BUCKHANNON — West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Esports team will host its first tournament this week, welcoming teams from across the country, and one international team, to Upshur County.

The tournament, known as the Buckhanno-pocalypse Rainbow Six Siege LAN (Local Area Network), will run this weekend from Friday through Monday.

“There are not a lot of esports tournaments in West Virginia,” WVWC Esports coach Ethan Hayes said. “This is a chance for someone to come out and see one live.”

Teams have committed from Canada, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The tourney will start with a press day Friday, and tournament action will begin Saturday.

The event will coincide with WVWC’s Prospective Athlete Day on Saturday. “Those visiting campus and the general public are invited to stop by and take in the tournament,” a college press release states.

The tournament is double elimination and action will get underway around 9 a.m. Saturday, with winners playing on Sunday.

The tournament action will be spread across campus in the esport team’s  new facility located in Benedum Hall,  the former space in the English annex and in the third floor social hall of the Benedum Campus Center. 

WVWC was the first college in West Virginia to form a varsity Esports team. Team members play games including Valorant, Apex Legends, Rocket League, Fortnite, League of Legends, Call of Duty, R6: Siege and solo titles.

The idea to host a LAN on-site came after WVWC esports members took part in a tournament last year.

“We went to a LAN last year and my students really wanted to put on a LAN – so this gives them experience and they get to play on campus,” Hayes said, noting the team will use the tourney as a recruitment tool as well.

There is no entry fee for the tournament, but teams are responsible for housing and food costs.

“They will be staying in local hotels and eating in local businesses,” Hayes noted.