Baylor and Waco Host TexSEF and CECC Championship Events, Welcoming 4,000-plus Student Gamers
Baylor, Waco to serve as America’s Esports Capital for weekend competitions
WACO, Texas — Less than a year into competition as a varsity sports program, Baylor Esports and the Waco community take the national stage, simultaneously hosting the Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup (CECC) and the Texas Scholastic Esports Federation (TexSEF) Undisputed State Championships, May 1-3 across campus and downtown venues.
“Hosting these events on our campus and in our city reflects the growth of the industry and the opportunity in front of our institution,” said Adam Stanley, Baylor’s director of esports and head coach. “It’s another step in establishing our place in a rapidly evolving space with tremendous potential, while also giving us the chance to showcase all that Waco and Baylor have to offer as a destination and partners in this growth.”
CECC’s May Madness competition is hosted by the Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) in partnership with ESportsU and Esports Foundry, with competitions taking place May 1-3 at the Waco Convention Center. For more information on tickets, schedule and streaming for the collegiate competitions, visit https://www.collegiatesmg.com/cecctexas2026.
Baylor’s top-ranked Rocket League varsity team will compete in the CECC bracket alongside Valorant, Overwatch and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Each title features 20-plus teams, all competing in a quest for a national title.
Baylor will host the TexSEF competition May 1-2 at the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center, welcoming high school students from across the state to campus. Valorant and Overwatch 2 finals will take place on the CECC stage at the Waco Convention Center, with the high school competitors getting their moment in the spotlight. For more information on tickets, schedule and streaming for the high school competition, visit https://www.texsef.org/Undisputed26.
Marking the monumental, record-breaking moment for scholastic esports, Baylor will host a Thursday Night Lights kickoff event at McLane Stadium at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Both the CECC and TexSEF competitors will gather to enjoy games, food and fellowship, taking a moment to celebrate the joint efforts to grow the scholastic gaming community.
Across both events, an estimated 11,000 guests will descend on the community, creating a national hub for esports with Baylor and Waco at the center.
While the local events will draw tremendous attention, the eyes of the collegiate Rocket League community will quickly turn to the Collegiate Rocket League (CRL) Spring 2026 Championship, running virtually May 2-3.
Baylor is in the final six teams competing for a national title, joined by Maryville, Northwood, West Virginia, Winthrop and Fisher College.
Baylor will face Winthrop to open competition in the quarterfinals, with the winner advancing in the upper bracket to face Maryville.
For more information on brackets, schedules and streaming, visit https://liquipedia.net/rocketleague/Collegiate_Rocket_League/2026/Spring.
ABOUT BAYLOR ESPORTS
Baylor Esports was formally established in 2025 with the hiring of Adam Stanley as the program’s first director and varsity coach. For the inaugural 2025-2026 season, Baylor is sponsoring a three-person Rocket League team, with professional gamers Colby “hockser” James, Andrew “Andy” Nolan and Kadin “Zineel” Zineelabidine already making waves in the global esports community. The varsity competition program enhances a longstanding gaming culture within the campus community, joining Oso Esports, Baylor’s gaming club that was established in 2017. Baylor Esports continues to build partnerships with Oso to form the Baylor Esports Academy – similar to professional soccer academies – to train and elevate student-athletes for future varsity rosters in expanded gaming competitions. Learn more about Baylor Esports at baylor.edu/esports.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.
ABOUT CSMG
Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) is an integrated sports, entertainment, and media company committed to advancing traditional sports and esports. The company has expertise in Media Rights, Analytics, Licensing, Sponsorship Sales, Brand Building, Original Content, and Event Production. We empower sports properties, brands, and video game publishers to succeed at the crossroads of tech, sports, entertainment, and video games. Through innovation, efficiency and execution, CSMG has created transformative opportunities, driving growth in traditional sports while unifying and elevating the scholastic esports ecosystem. To learn more, visit us at https://collegiatesmg.com/.
ABOUT TexSEF
The Texas Scholastic Esports Federation, founded in 2019 (TexSEF), is a teacher-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit esports organization serving Texas schools. Their mission is to make esports an accessible, inclusive, and equitable path to college, career, and military readiness for all Texas students. TexSEF offers a variety of programs and services to support schools and students in pursuing esports excellence.