About Grand View Esports

Esport Players

Grand View University Esports became a sanctioned program and sport in August 2017. Grand View was the first higher education institute in Iowa to introduce a varsity program as well as the offering of esports scholarships.

Grand View’s program continues to exponentially grow in players and titles offered! We compete in League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, Fortnite, Valorant and Super Smash. In addition, we field Junior Varsity teams where roster sizes demand.

Gaming Photo

Yes, we have REAL seasons just like other sports. To give you a correlation, we can be compared to traditional sports in that the Fall semester can be viewed as our “developmental period” or what spring sports call “fall ball” prior to Varsity Seasons that happen in the Spring Semester. The fall is about tryouts, team organization and cohesiveness, various leagues and scrimmages and live tournaments whenever possible to compete and prepare.

Team Huddle

More Than Video Games

If you think Esports is only about playing video games, you are in for a surprise! Our team takes pride not only in game success, but ACADEMICS. We conduct team study tables, team workouts, and focus on giving back to our campus and community. GV Esports hosts after-school groups in the Des Moines area where our team serves as mentors and have established a volunteer coaching program with the E.T. Meredith Jr. Club of Boys and Girls Club of Iowa. In addition, we offer summer and holiday camps for students to visit our campus and learn from our talented players and staff.

We have a variety of player ranks. We focus on recruiting talented individuals who desire to work hard and maximize their skills. If you are interested in joining our Grand View Esports team, please visit our recruiting page and complete our Recruiting Form.

Follow Us on Social Media

Twitter- @GVUEsports
Facebook- @GVUEsports
Instagram- @gvu_esports
Twitch- www.twitch.tv/heartesports

Frequently Asked Questions

What games are offered? What ranks or requirements are there to be considered?

Grand View Esports Game Offerings & Scholarships

Varsity is the showcasing of the highest form of the competitive aspect of the program. Highest scholarship amounts for highest level of game play. This also includes staff, resources, travel and operating budget.

Supported titles are titles that may not have as big of a competitive or collegiate foundation in regards to the impact that the Varsity titles do. If the skill of a team ever becomes good enough, the recruitment ever big enough, or the collegiate foundation ever vast enough, a supported title could get upgraded to a varsity title. Less staff and resources and limited to no travel.

The other half of supported titles is the Junior Varsity section of the varsity titles. These are the sections that deal with the most player growth and development as the goal of a successful junior varsity program is to replace their varsity counterparts that graduate. Therefore the metric of success for these players is improvement. These teams still compete, not at a national level, but at a state or community level. The success of these teams will foster the strength of the state and the community external connections.

*Titles are subject to change based on demand/publisher/collegiate changes

See our Recruit Page for rank requirements and scholarship offerings!
How can I join?

Fill out our recruitment form so we can get to know you and your participation interests.

Grand View Esports is an established collegiate esports program in Des Moines, Iowa. We are proud to offer Varsity, JV/Supported teams & Club esports. We also provide opportunities for students interested in non-gaming roles such as player staff, analysts, content, production, shoutcasting, events and more!

We strive to be a home away from home as students pursue their degree while providing the best gaming environment for competitive, leisure, community and career pathways.  

Tryouts

Open tryouts are held in the first 2 weeks of the fall semester for all campus communities. Spring tryouts are on a case-by-case basis. Transfer students are welcome at spring semester when applicable. Complete a recruitment form and email gvesports@grandview.edu if interest in joining mid-year.
What scholarships are available?

Grand View awards scholarships to Esports players on a case-by-case basis. Esports Scholarship amounts are based on the level of team you are participating (Varsity, Junior Varsity, other areas of esports). Esports scholarships are in addition to academic and institutional aid.

Scholarships range from $2,000 to $28,000 per year and added upon acceptance.

All players will receive academic aid based on established criteria shown here.

Scholarships are currently not awarded to leisure/club players.

We also offer scholarships for student assistant coaches, team analysts, production, content creation, social media and more! Do not hesitate to share your interest as we want to include and create a well-rounded program for all! 
What are the benefits of participating in Grand View Esports?
  • HyperX Official Gaming Peripherals Sponsor of Grand View Esports
  • 1,800 sq. ft. exclusive Esports only gaming facility
  • 40 OMEN by HP gaming stations
  • Custom Esports desks and chairs
  • Coaching, analysis and review of gameplay
  • State of the art broadcast facility
  • LAN participation and travel
  • National competition, seasons and leagues
  • Community of passionate gamers