OCU Opens E-Sports Stadium On Campus, Holds First-Ever Team Tryout

It's the new craze in competitive college sports: eSports or Gaming. 

Universities in the metro are now stockpiling an arsenal of athletes ready to do battle.

Oklahoma City University announced the start of the program in the spring and has now built an eSports stadium on campus.

Read Related Story: Oklahoma City University To Start E-Sports Gaming Team

That’s where teams of gamers can compete alongside and against other schools.

“You are not moving around. You aren't throwing a ball, but it is a lot of skill, a lot of hand eye coordination and a lot of thinking and planning,” said OCU student Katie McGaha.

McGaha took part in the school’s first ever eSports tryout held this past weekend.

“It was a little scary,” says McGaha, who will be an alternative on the team which begins playing tournaments in about a week.

“Just like you would look for recruiting for a quarterback or half-back on the football team, we will be looking for specific types players and offering them scholarships,” said OCU eSports Director Jeff Price.

Those scholarships will be awarded next fall.

Right now, there are about nine players on the varsity lineup at OCU, which plans to build another eSports Stadium on campus.

Meanwhile, more schools are hitting start on their own eSports programs.

The University of Central Oklahoma has plans to build an eSports stadium in the next year.