News
General Voyage LA Magazine
Check Out Mark Deppe’s Story
Feb. 3, 2026
In-depth interview with UC Irvine Esports director Mark Deppe.
League of LegendsValorant Riot Games
2025 CLOL and CVAL Fall Warmup Tournament Recap
Dec. 11, 2025
That’s a wrap! As of November 9th, 2025, the CLOL & CVAL Fall Warmup has come to an end! Throughout the course of this month-long tournament, over 2,000 students from more than 300 universities across North America and Canada faced off in weekly matches to sharpen their skills and earn exclusive prizes along the way.
General What Matters to Me and Why
What Matters to Me and Why: Mark Deppe
Nov. 17, 2025
This edition of What Matters to me and Why features Mark Deppe, Esports Program Director. Mark led the creation of the award-winning esports program at the University of California, Irvine.
Valorant Evil Geniuses
Evil Geniuses Announce Thunderobot as Presenting Partner for Inaugural Genius League SoCal LAN
Nov. 3, 2025
Evil Geniuses (EG), North America’s premier esports organization, today announced a title partnership with Thunderobot, the leading gaming hardware manufacturer, for the Genius League SoCal LAN presented by Thunderobot. The event will take place on November 15, 2025, at Evil Geniuses’ headquarters in Los Angeles.
League of LegendsValorant UC Irvine News
Dynamic duo
General UC Irvine Podcast
UCI Podcast: UC Irvine’s esports dynasty
Sept. 20, 2024
Mark Deppe talks about his successful program and new teams of superstar gamers
General Los Angeles Times
IOC faces challenges as it pushes to add Olympic esports
June 17, 2024
Now that the Olympics have inched closer to adding esports — video games — to the traditional menu of actual running and swimming, officials face a delicate balance.
League of Legends New York Times
With League of Legends world finals approaching, more colleges are welcoming esports
Nov. 17, 2023
Mark Deppe, who helped create a powerhouse esports program at UC Irvine, said his school recognized the power of counterprogramming when he launched the program there in 2016.
General UC Irvine News
Online esports symposium set for Oct. 19
Oct. 11, 2023
Free conference will cover player health and business outlook.
General ITS4Ed Podcast
eSports on the rise at LAUSD and beyond
June 30, 2023
Joining this session are educators and pioneers who are revolutionizing classrooms, campuses, and beyond with the incredible potential of eSports.
General UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education
Instructor Spotlight: Mark Deppe, Esports Management
May 19, 2023
Mark earned an MBA from Cal State Fullerton and is the founding director of UCI Esports, leading the effort to create the award-winning program in 2016.
General Spectrum News
UCI creating legacy as an esports powerhouse
April 19, 2023
The esports industry is rapidly growing, and it’s now finding its place on college campuses.
General NBC News
The best TVs for gaming, according to experts
March 3, 2023
Experts shed insight on smart TVs that will provide today’s gamers the best play-by-play action.
General Los Angeles Times
California’s Esports Powerhouse Isn’t USC or UCLA. It’s UC Irvine
Nov. 1, 2022
In-depth feature on UC Irvine’s dominance in collegiate esports, including tryouts for Overwatch and teams in League of Legends and Valorant.
General TheStreet
Eighties Arcade Icon Claims Top Video Game Spot in Survey
Sept. 8, 2022
A recent survey identified America’s most popular online video game.
Valorant UC Irvine News
UCI Esports announces fall addition of Valorant team
July 25, 2022
First-person hero shooter game is third title supported by 5-year-old program.
General Tech & Learning
Esports, Equity, and Innovation Explored at the Tech & Learning Leadership Summit in California
April 8, 2022
Tech & Learning’s Leadership Summit covered a wide variety of topics, from esports to data privacy, and recognized the winners of the California Tech & Learning Innovative Leader Awards.
General UC Irvine News
UCI becomes founding member of collegiate esports leadership group
Feb. 17, 2022
Chancellor Howard Gillman to head organization’s President’s Council.
General New University
UCI Esports Kicks Off the 2021-22 School Year
Oct. 25, 2021
UCI Esports hosted their fifth anniversary kickoff for the 2021 school year, and had their biggest turnout EVER!
General UC Irvine News
Oakley® to be official eyewear provider for UCI’s esports athletes
May 28, 2021
Partnership is program’s first major sponsorship from outside gaming industry.
General KTLA 5
Esports program at local college is helping churn out pro-gamers
May 13, 2021
Emma Fyffe from VENN joined 5 Live to talk about the latest in pop culture and video game news.
General UC Irvine News
UCI, UCLA and UC Berkeley team up to organize esports holiday tournament
Nov. 23, 2020
UC-wide competition is intended to boost student engagement, foster community.
General California Herald
Esports Professor Jimmy Baratta Shows Us How to Make it in the Industry
Oct. 24, 2020
The gaming industry is the biggest phenomena sweeping the world today. The beauty of gaming is that it brings vastly different people together.
General NBC News
Do esports have camera operators? Sort of, but they get yelled at more
Aug. 8, 2020
There are no players on a field, the cameras are digital and the slow-motion replays may feature an armor-clad ape attacking a hamster in a mechanical suit.
General UC Irvine News
What’s next: The future of esports
June 10, 2020
Online viewership of competitive video gaming is up, but social distancing and tighter budgets will present challenges.
General EdTech
COVID Is Not Stopping Esports
June 3, 2020
With distance learning isolating college students across the nation, esports can renew a sense of competition and camaraderie — and drive student enrollment.
General University Business
Dramatic changes likely for campus esports arenas
May 14, 2020
Before the Covid-19 pandemic halted almost all campus activities in March, many colleges and universities were taking precautions to ensure the health and safety of students and faculty.
General UC Irvine News
UCI Esports receives $50,000 gift from top video game streamer Pokimane
Feb. 13, 2020
Donation will establish program’s first endowment for student scholarships.
General UC Irvine News
UCI Esports teams with GameChanger Charity, Amazon Web Services for Giving Tuesday
Nov. 25, 2019
‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ tournament Dec. 3 will benefit hospitalized children, teens.
General New University
UCI Hosts Second Annual ESports Gamer Conference
Nov. 4, 2019
UCI hosted its second annual Esports Conference that took place on Oct. 10 and 11. The event was a celebration of the players and administrators who have focused their efforts on sharing what makes their community unique and special.
General UC Irvine News
Donation from gamer funds new scholarship esports team for ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’
Aug. 8, 2019
All current UCI students are eligible to try out for the pilot crew in October at the Esports Arena.
General UC Irvine News
Outdated gaming equipment gets new life
July 9, 2019
UCI Esports donates original arena PCs to informatics department, research labs and student clubs.
League of Legends UC Irvine Podcast
UCI Podcast: Special esports episode available
May 23, 2019
A new episode of the UCI Podcast is available for listening. The guests are Mark Deppe, director of UCI Esports, and Avi Behar, a player on UCI’s five-member League of Legends team.
League of Legends UC Irvine News
UCI Esports to star in ESPN2 series in run-up to League of Legends College Championship
May 20, 2019
UCI’s esports team, winners of the 2018 League of Legends College Championship, are the subject of an ESPN2 documentary series.
League of Legends ESPN
Good Game: UC Irvine
May 16, 2019
Documentary following UC Irvine’s League of Legends team’s journey to the 2019 College LoL Championship.
General New University
UCI Hosts Esports Conference
Oct. 21, 2018
UCI hosted their inaugural Esports conference and festival at the Student Center on Oct. 11 and 12. Festivities were held on the Student Terrace outside the Esports Arena, and presentations by notable Esport figures were organized in the student ballrooms.
League of Legends UC Irvine News
UCI’s esports team wins national title in League of Legends College Championship
June 12, 2018
UCI defeated Columbia College to win the 2018 League of Legends College Championship on June 10. The second-seeded Anteaters beat their fifth-seeded rivals 3-0 in the tournament final held at Riot Games’ North American League of Legends Championship Series Arena in Los Angeles.
General New University
UCI Esports Reaction to World of Warcraft Player Imprisonment After Online Attack on Blizzard Servers
May 22, 2018
The Blizzard case has impacted UCI’s gaming community, home to some of the largest gaming clubs in the nation. 72 percent of undergraduate students identified as gamers in a 2015 survey, and in the same year, College Magazine ranked UCI as the #1 school for gamers in North America.
General UC Irvine News
UCI Dream Eaters climb to round of eight in Heroes of the Dorm collegiate esports tourney
April 18, 2018
The UCI Dream Eaters continue to devour opponents’ hopes and dreams in Blizzard Entertainment’s Heroes of the Dorm collegiate tournament.
General UC Irvine News
Bucking trend of upsets, UCI Dream Eaters advance in Heroes of the Dorm tournament
April 10, 2018
After upsets for many prominent teams in Blizzard Entertainment’s Heroes of the Dorm collegiate tournament, the top-ranked UCI Dream Eaters survived the pressure to take down team Crimson Gaming from the University of Utah last week.
General UC Irvine News
UCI team is No. 1 in Heroes of the Dorm tourney
March 28, 2018
UCI is fielding a team of computer gamers to compete in this year’s Heroes of the Dorm tournament, starting today.
General UC Irvine News
UCI esports team will compete in Fiesta Bowl
Feb. 14, 2018
Players and coaches representing UCI’s top-ranked Overwatch team are fired up for their trip this weekend to the Fiesta Bowl Overwatch Collegiate National Championship on the campus of Arizona State University.
General ESPN
UC Irvine to offer Overwatch scholarship program
July 5, 2017
University of California Irvine (UCI) will begin offering an Overwatch-based scholarship come Fall 2017.
General New University
eSports Arena Takes Campus Gaming to the Next Level
May 30, 2017
The UCI eSports Arena, although quiet about the progress it has made in developing competitive gaming on college campuses, has made impressive strides this year in promoting UCI competitors to high positions in the gaming world.
General New University
Update on UCI’s eSports Program
Feb. 21, 2017
After its grand opening at the beginning of fall quarter 2016, UCI’s eSports program has been focusing on expanding its impact on campus and increasing the benefits of the popular eSports arena, advantages of the offered scholarships and the newfound support and validation of the gaming community.
General UC Tech News
UCI eSports: The Next Frontier in Inter-Collegiate Competitive Gaming
Jan. 12, 2017
UC Irvine was already a leader in eSports, with a highly decorated team at the top of the NACC League of Legends, when College Magazine ranked it the number one school for gamers in 2015. Now UCI is the first public university in the nation to support eSports through scholarships.
General UC Irvine Magazine
A Bold New Sports Franchise
January 2017
Seeing video games as the next frontier in college athletics, UCI launches player scholarships and a first-of-its-kind arena.
General UC Irvine
UCI Esports Video Feature
Oct. 10, 2016
Short video on UC Irvine’s esports launch, tied to a news feature on scholarships and the arena.
General New University
eSports Arena Attracts Unnecessary Student Criticism
Oct. 4, 2016
At the opening ceremony of UC Irvine’s new eSports Arena, Thomas Parham, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, revealed that whenever he was asked why UCI was building such an arena, he would simply reply, “Why not?”
General New University
UCI Opens First University eSports Arena
Sept. 27, 2016
More than one thousand students attended the official opening of UC Irvine’s new eSports arena last Friday.
General UC Irvine News
Let the gaming begin!
Sept. 26, 2016
UCI’s groundbreaking eSports arena opens with much fanfare.
General UberFacts
World’s First Public University Esports Arena
Sept. 19, 2016
The world’s first esports arena at a public university is opening its doors this September at UC Irvine.
General Major League Gaming
University of California, Irvine is Opening the first Public eSports Arena!
Sept. 15, 2016
The University of California, Irvine announced completion of a 3,500-square-foot collegiate esports arena.
General Engadget
UC Irvine debuts the first public college esports arena in the US
Sept. 14, 2016
‘Esports is the future of competition. Period,’ UCI’s acting director of esports Mark Deppe says.
General New University
eSports: President Jesse Wang Responds to Controversy
May 17, 2016
The New U sat down with Jesse Wang, president of The Association of Gamers, to learn more.
General New University
What Do You Think About UC Irvine’s New eSports program?
April 19, 2016
UC Irvine finalized plans last month for a collegiate eSports program which will be implemented this fall.
General New University
UCI eSports Program Finalizes Details, Discusses Logistics
April 19, 2016
UC Irvine finalized plans last month for a collegiate eSports program which will be implemented this fall.
General ABC7 Eyewitness News
UC Irvine to launch competitive video game team, give scholarships
April 7, 2016
The University of California, Irvine launched the first competitive team of video gamers at the college level.
League of Legends ESPN
UC Irvine launches esports arena
March 30, 2016
UC Irvine announced the launch of an official e-sports initiative with the backing of Riot Games and iBuyPower. At the program’s center is a 3,500-square-foot facility with a stage for competitions, 80 personal computers and a live broadcasting studio.
League of Legends Bleacher Report
University of California, Irvine, to Offer ‘League of Legends’ Scholarship
March 30, 2016
The University of California, Irvine, announced Wednesday that it will become the first public institution to offer scholarships to students who compete in the popular e-sports game League of Legends.
League of Legends Riot Games
UC Irvine Announces Scholarship Program
March 30, 2016
Today, the University of California, Irvine announced that it will be launching a full-scale esports scholarship program this Fall – a first of its kind for a public research university.
League of Legends Polygon
University of California, Irvine announces a League of Legends scholarship
March 30, 2016
UC Irvine will be the first public, state-run school to officially support esports.
General UC Irvine News
UCI to launch first-of-its-kind official e-sports initiative in the fall
March 30, 2016
Specially equipped gaming, competition site to be built at Student Center.
General UC Irvine News
Taking gaming to a new level
March 30, 2016
UCI’s eSports initiative will boast collegiate team, arena, scholarships.
