Adam Stanley

Adam Stanley serves as Baylor’s director of esports, head coach of the varsity team and advisor for Baylor’s club team, Oso Esports. Stanley joined Baylor in May 2025 after a successful tenure at Brewton-Parker College, where he developed the school’s esports program into a national esports powerhouse.  

Under Stanley’s leadership, Brewton-Parker won nine conference championships. Since 2021, Stanley’s teams were the 2022-23 Rocket League Champions of the Georgia Esports League, the 2023-24 Valorant Champions of the Southeastern Esports League and the Spring 2024 Eastern Collegiate Athletics Conference Fortnite (Trios) and Valorant Champions. 

Stanley earned a Master of Divinity degree from Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary before building a career in higher education in student development and esports. He serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Collegiate Esports and the Voice of Intercollegiate Esports.

Here’s more about Stanley’s passion for esports:

How did you get into gaming?

My love of gaming began in high school. I was involved in sports – my family was a sports family – but my best friend had cystic fibrosis that prevented him from doing physical activity. He and I spent time together playing video games. This experience helped me understand the importance of gaming as a way of connection.  

What drives your passion around coaching and developing players for the competitive gaming arena? 

I excelled at gaming and ranked 3^rd in the world at “Halo” in my college years, but my hyperfocus on gaming took a toll on my emotional, physical and spiritual health. I believe today’s new world of esports and competitive gaming culture can be a powerful tool for students to thrive – socially, emotionally, academically, competitively and spiritually. 

Why is it important for Baylor to develop a strong esports program?

• Contribute to student success. It is important to build good habits among players that feed their physical health, academic pursuits, and social interactions. I also want to mentor students and help them become the best version of themselves.
• Engage in research that broadens the understanding and impact of gaming. Baylor has made a commitment to broaden research and impact across the University. The gaming space provides a unique opportunity to better understand the human and technological aspects of gaming.  
• Build a strong community and great examples of well-rounded athletes in esports. Right now, there’s an epidemic of loneliness among adolescents and young adults. I personally believe that esports can be a tremendous counter-cultural tool for connections and relationships among students.
• Support school leaders who want to use gaming in similar ways. There are thousands of educators in the K-12 space who see the value in esports, but many of them do not understand games or the language of games. These educators love their students enough to resource and give their time because they see the importance of it. Baylor has a tremendous opportunity to inspire, guide and provide structure to students and programs eager for direction.
• Lead efforts to build a healthy esports culture nationally. National data tells us that 85% to 88% of adolescents are gamers at some level. We feel a responsibility to the holistic development of our students and to build the structure, discipline, and guardrails to make this a legitimate pathway to college and beyond.

To Contact Adam Stanley:

Email: Adam_Stanley@baylor.edu
Discord: adamstanley