Delaware’s Esports Scene Expands With Inaugural Scholastic Tournament
Esports is gaining momentum in Delaware, with the Delaware Department of Education (DE DOE) launching an Educational Esports Program and the Delaware Scholastic Esports League (DSEL) for K-12 students. Wilmington University is fueling this growth through its esports team and undergraduate Esports Certificate.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament
On March 22, WilmU’s Brandywine Campus hosted the first-ever DSEL Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) Tournament, bringing together more than 40 high school competitors from Brandywine, Delcastle Technical, A.I. DuPont, Cab Calloway and William Penn High Schools for an exciting, daylong event.
The tournament featured two phases: a morning group stage to determine the Top 16, followed by an intense double-elimination bracket in the afternoon. Standout players included Yavier “Hop” Dorantez-Granado (William Penn), Erik Garber (Cab Calloway), Natan “lumity” Levin (Brandywine), Amaury Mable (William Penn) and Josiah Richards-Haile (Delcastle), all of whom dominated their early rounds.
In the afternoon, great talent was on display as the top SSBU players in the state competed in front of friends and family on the main stage in WilmU’s Varsalona Hall. Several tie-breaker rounds took place during the lunch break.
“I’m a little nervous,” said Dane “Bean” Heck (Brandywine) before his final tie-breaker match. “This is do or die.” Heck would go on to take the 16th slot in the afternoon’s tournament.
Brandywine’s Levin Earns the Trophy
The final showdown saw Levin and Vince “Krafty” Smith (William Penn) face off in a dramatic Grand Final. Smith forced a bracket reset, but Levin’s strategic switch back to his main character, Ganondorf, secured his victory. He was crowned DSEL’s inaugural Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Champion.
“This has been one of the craziest tournaments I’ve ever played in,” Levin reflected, hoisting his trophy amid cheers from teammates. “You guys have surprised me in ways that I couldn’t have imagined.”
WilmU’s Esports Offerings
With esports continuing to grow in Delaware, such events showcase the skill, strategy and community that competitive gaming fosters among students. You can view highlights of the DSEL Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament on the WilmU Esports Twitch Channel.
Players compete head-to-head on the main stage in Varsalona Hall. 
Students compete in the Wilmington University Esports Lab to finish their placement matches of the inaugural Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament for the Delaware Scholastic Esports League. 
Natan “lumity” Levin, center, hoists the DSEL Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament winner’s trophy alongside his Brandywine High School classmates.
Learn more about WilmU’s 100% online Esports Certificate program — the only one of its kind in Delaware. The 18-credit certificate program incorporates the disciplines of business, technology, entrepreneurship and digital media. Students who complete this certificate will be prepared to understand and participate in the global expansion of esports and can apply all 18 credits to WilmU’s A.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies degree program.
