Staten Island, NY | Esports are back, and the team is growing, going from participation in two games this past fall, to seven games spread across two different leagues and expanding from PC to PS4 and XBox One as well.  To get you caught on all things Esports and what's on tap from week to week check out Weekly Previews every Monday, followed by Weekly Reviews every Friday.  We start with Week One this week and CSI's official entry into the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) and their platform of games.  Check out this week's preview below:
 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021

SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE | Nintendo Switch

League Play:	ECAC - Week 1
Time	8:00 PM
Matchup:	College of Staten Island (0-0) vs. Lycoming Navy (0-0)
Live Stream:	CSI Twitch
All-Time Series	First Meeting
Notes:	This is CSI's first-ever match in the game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate although CSI Intramurals has held many internal tournaments in the past.  They face off against Lycoming College, who have both a Navy and Gold team (CSI is playing Navy).  Lycoming competed this past fall in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and finished with a 5-2 overall record.  In the ECAC, opponents are drawn in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate each weekend, dependent on wins and losses from the week prior.  Teams with the best win-loss record by the end of the regular season, which extends eight weeks, will qualify for the playoffs which begin in early-April.  SSBU is played in 3v3 format and in a best-of-three scenario.

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

VALORANT | PC

League Play:	ECAC - Week 1
Time	8:00 PM
Matchup:	College of Staten Island (0-0) vs. RPI 2 (0-0)
Live Stream:	CSI Twitch
All-Time Series	First Meeting
Notes:	No strangers to Valorant, CSI won the ECC Championship this past fall in the game, going undefeated, finishing 8-0 during the regular season before takng the playoffs as well and a 3-0 win over St. Joseph's (LI) in the Final.  On Tuesday, they face an RPI team that has two entries in Valorant each week.  CSI plays RPI 2, a team that finished 3-4 in Valorant this past fall.  Matchups are announced week to week depending on how teams fare.  Valorant is 5v5 where teams play a best of three series.

 

NBA2K | PS4 & XBOX1

League Play:	ECAC - Week 1
Time	8:00 PM
Matchup:	PS4: CSI C (0-0) vs. CSI D (0-0)  |  XBOX1: CSI X (0-0) vs. Florida State 2 (0-0)
Live Stream:	CSI C vs. CSI D Stream | CSI X vs. FSU Stream
All-Time Series	First Meetings
Notes:	CSI throws its hat in the sports gaming ring with its first go-around in NBA2K.  Games are played 1v1 format and CSI has three individuals who will play, two on the PS4, and one on the XBox One.  The two PS4 players, Christopher Velasquez (C) and Daniel Shostak (D) will actually go head-to-head to start the season.  Meanwhile, CSI's lone XBox player, Shabarii Noiis, will be going against the No. 2 player from Florida State University.  Whoever wins a best-of-three wins the match (five-minute matches).

   

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021

OVERWATCH | PC

League Play:	ECAC - Week 1
Time	8:00 PM
Matchup:	College of Staten Island (0-0) vs. Bryant University (0-0)
Live Stream:	CSI Twitch
All-Time Series	First Meeting
Notes:	Overwatch is another game that CSI has familiarity with, as they debuted the game in the fall of 2020 as part of ECC play.  CSI went 6-2 in Overwatch in the fall against their conference-foes, and made the four-team playoff, losing a heartbreaker to Molloy, 3-1.  On Wednesday, they take their Overwatch talents into the ECAC for the first time and will take on Bryant University in what is the first of an eight-week regular season that leads to playoffs for teams with the best win-loss records.  Bryant went 2-4 in Overwatch this past fall in ECAC play.  CSI will learn of their opponents from week-to-week, dependent on matchup results from the week prior.  Teams play 6v6 in Overwatch and follow a best-of-five scenario.

 

ROCKET LEAGUE | Crossplay

League Play:	ECAC - Week 1
Time	8:00 PM
Matchup:	College of Staten Island (0-0) vs. Fordham University (0-0)
Live Stream:	CSI Twitch
All-Time Series	First Meeting
Notes:	CSI will have its Rocket League debut on Wednesday as part of ECAC play.  They also play Rocket League within the ECC, and will debut there in a couple of weeks.  CSI's squad will stay similar in both leagues but may change a bit day-to-day.  On this day, CSI takes on Fordham and its the first of eight regular-season meetings that CSI will play in the ECAC.  Rocket League is played as a 3v3, best-of-five series.

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021

MADDEN 21 | PS4

League Play:	ECAC - Week 1
Time	8:00 PM
Matchup:	CSI D (0-0) vs. Bellarmine (0-0)  |  CSI G (0-0) vs. S. Connecticut State (0-0)
Live Stream:	CSI G: CSI Twitch | CSI D: CSI Twitch
All-Time Series	First Meetings
Notes:	Madden 21 makes its CSI debut late in the week on Thursday.  Madden 21 is played 1v1, and CSI has two players competing.  The CSI D team is played by Daniel Shostek and he will take on Bellarmine University, who make their debut as well (player TBA).  The CSI G team is played by Gregg Jensen, and he will take on Richard Williams from Southern Connecticut State University.  Matchups are drawn week-to-week.  Winners must win a best-of-three series, with five minute quarters (no accelerated clock).