Former Philadelphia Fusion main support Elijah “Elk” Gallagher is heading to Harrisburg University.
We won a Nat’l Championship & Best Esports Program, and we’ve got a stacked coaching staff of former pros – now we’re taking our team to the next level!
We're thrilled to welcome @Elk to the Storm, as the first University in the world to recruit a player from the pro scene! pic.twitter.com/u1NEuriaq7
— HU Storm ⚡️ (@HUStormEsports) December 21, 2019
Harrisburg University is the first college to sign a professional player to their esports team. This news comes the day after Nerd Street Gamers announced their partnership with Harrisburg University to launch an esports degree program. Over the past two years, Harrisburg has made a name for themselves as one of the top collegiate esports teams in the country. Elk is not the first main support to join the HU team. Former main support player, Joe “Joemeister” Gramano became Harrisburg’s head coach after retiring from professional play last year. He led the Storm to their first Collegiate Overwatch National Championship earlier this fall. With Elk now playing for the team, HU is looking to get their second championship title next year while also promoting their new degree program.
Harrisburg University is not the first school to launch an esports degree program. In 2018, Ohio State University launched the first esports degree of its kind. With more schools looking to start esport degree programs, this could be an alternative path for many Tier 2/Tier 3 Overwatch players to consider. The path to pro is a difficult one. Getting an education in esports while playing for a university team is a great way to gain more experience and further progress in the future of this industry.
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