UTC esports coordinator Chase Daffron—a December 2024 graduate—is also a business analyst in the University’s IT department and an MBA student. Photo by Ray Soldano.
The competition is fierce, the stakes are high and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is all in.
UTC is leveling up its commitment to esports, transforming what was once a club activity into a structured, competitive program with institutional support, scholarship opportunities and a dedicated gaming facility.
With a new home in Maclellan Gym, a growing roster of student-athletes and strategic efforts to position itself among the top collegiate esports programs in the Southeast, the University is making a strong play in the booming esports industry.
UTC’s esports program has been overseen by the Office of Information Technology since July 2024, a transition that Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Tony Parsley says was necessary for growth.
“We took over the program with the hopes of really elevating it, moving it out of the club scene and into a more official, varsity-like structure,” said Parsley, a two-time UTC alum and longtime University staff member. “A lot of universities have dedicated esports programs competing at a national level. Our goal is to position UTC as one of the top programs in the Southeast.”
UTC’s esports teams include both varsity and academy squads, he said, with varsity players earning scholarships to competitively participate in Call of Duty, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Valorant.
More than 60 students currently participate in the program, with numbers expected to rise as interest grows and new games are added to the lineup.
Parsley said that the esports program “is about more than just gaming.” It’s a valuable tool for recruitment, retention and professional development.
“We’re not just trying to build a strong esports program—we’re building a community,” he said. “The students who participate in esports form meaningful connections, stay engaged with campus life and develop skills that go far beyond the screen.”
The Esports Complex’s new home in Maclellan Gym. Photo by Tony Parsley.
A significant milestone for the program was the relocation of UTC’s Esports Complex to Room 201 in Maclellan Gym—the former home of the Math Plaza (which moved to Lupton Hall near the Department of Mathematics). The new esports space is outfitted with 25 high-performance gaming systems featuring top-tier graphics cards, powerful processors, professional-grade gaming peripherals and monitors built for competitive play.
The upgrades, Parsley said, have provided students with an elite environment for competitive play, team training and casual gaming. Beyond enhancing the student experience, he explained that relocating esports to Maclellan Gym was a strategic move that aligns with the University’s broader goals.
“We wanted to create a dedicated space that could serve both competitive and recreational gaming while also supporting academic initiatives,” he said. “We worked with faculty to incorporate gaming-related coursework into the space—and it’s been a great way to further integrate esports into UTC’s campus culture.”
The facility is open to all students, providing both a competitive arena for team practices and a social hub for casual gamers.
At the heart of UTC’s esports program is Chase Daffron—a December 2024 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in management: business analytics. Now a business analyst in UTC’s Information Technology department, he also serves as the University’s esports coordinator while pursuing his MBA.
Known by his gamertag “ReDChase,” Daffron has been instrumental in shaping UTC’s approach to competitive gaming since transferring to the institution from Concord University in West Virginia.
In 2023, Daffron was a second-team College Call of Duty Southeast Region team selection.
“My role is to manage the teams, recruit new players and build a strong community where every team operates as part of a unified program,” said Daffron, a native of McKenzie, Tennessee. “We’re creating an environment where students don’t just play—they learn, collaborate and grow their personal brands through streaming and content creation.”
Daffron said that the esports program holds its students to high academic standards.
“Our goal is to maintain a program-wide GPA above 3.0, proving that our student-athletes are excelling in the classroom as well as in competition,” he said.
Members of the UTC esports program include Brady McGrath (Rocket League) and Maggie Boggs (Valorant). Esports Media Day photos by Ray Soldano.
UTC is also fostering a sense of camaraderie among its teams. While players specialize in different games, the program is structured to encourage collaboration—with students supporting one another through tournaments, training sessions and content production.
Among those student contributors is Brady McGrath, a junior computer engineering major from Spring Hill, Tennessee.
A member of UTC’s Rocket League team, McGrath (gamertag “steelstreak”) first joined the program on a whim his freshman year and has since taken on leadership roles as team captain and coordinator.
“I came in not expecting to do any esports,” he said, “but once I joined, it became something I could be proud of—something fun that I could do for my school.”
Balancing academics, an internship and esports is no small feat, McGrath said, “but it’s worth it.”
“It’s definitely a challenge, but over time I’ve figured it out,” he said. “With the new facility in Maclellan Gym, there’s more of a community now than ever before. You walk in and you see people playing, people streaming, people just hanging out. It’s created an energy that brings us all together.”
That energy is something Nate Baynes, also from Spring Hill and a junior majoring in the Department of Health and Human Performance’s sport, outdoor recreation and tourism program, helps broadcast to the world.
Baynes isn’t on a competitive team, but he plays a pivotal role in livestreaming UTC’s Rocket League matches through the platform Twitch.
“I do all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” he explained. “I help get the game from their PCs to their fans’ screens—so families and friends who aren’t here can still be part of the experience.”
Baynes said he found his passion for esports broadcasting after attending a Rocket League event in Boston. What started as a personal interest evolved into a key piece of UTC’s esports success and a professional path—as he now broadcasts for semi-professional organizations.
“My dream is to do this for a living,” he said. “Whether it’s esports or traditional sports, I want to uplift the viewer experience and make people feel like they’re part of something exciting.”
Added Daffron, “Nate’s a very influential piece in why we’ve been able to have the success we’ve had this year growing the esports program.”
Mallori Crocker, a sophomore communication major from Bowling Green, Kentucky, also works behind the scenes—but her focus is production.
As the team’s go-to for content creation, Crocker handles everything from filming and editing videos to managing graphics and running social media.
“I don’t play video games much—I’m more of a Sims person,” she said with a laugh. “But I love the energy here.
“When they asked me to take over production, I jumped at the chance. It lets me do what I love while learning something new every day.”
Crocker said events like the recent esports media day—where team members gather for photos and promotional content—give the program visibility and camaraderie.
“It’s more than just games,” she said. “We’re telling stories, building a brand and making sure people know what UTC esports is all about.”
For Maggie Boggs, a Chattanooga native majoring in business finance and minoring in computer science, UTC’s esports program was the community she had been searching for.
Boggs (gamertag “magsrex”) captains the Valorant B team and helps coordinate matches and scrimmages.
“I’ve played Valorant for years, but I really wanted a gamer community here on campus,” she said. “This gave me that and more.”
Boggs said the gamer experience hasn’t always been smooth, noting that esports is still a male-dominated space. But the UTC community, she stressed, has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Last semester, I was the only girl on the team,” Boggs said. “Now it’s about 50/50, and I’ve felt nothing but support from the people here.”
She encourages other women to give the program a shot.
“If you like gaming, don’t let anything stop you,” Boggs said. “Even if you’re not on a team, there’s still a place for you here.”
Esport team members gathered at Maclellan Gym for Media Day on March 20. Photo by Mallori Crocker.
UTC is further strengthening the connection between gaming and academics with the launch of a new minor in fall 2025 titled Narrative Design—Writing for Video Games.
Housed in the Department of English, the minor—led by Associate Professor Sarah Einstein—will prepare students for careers in game writing, narrative design and digital storytelling by building creative and technical skills for the gaming industry and related fields.
The minor, Parsley said, is part of UTC’s broader effort to prepare students for careers in the gaming industry and interactive media—offering a direct academic tie-in to the esports program.
With the program growing at a rapid pace, both Daffron and Parsley hope to attract more sponsorships, increase scholarship funding and elevate UTC’s national presence in collegiate esports.
“I truly believe we have the potential to be the best collegiate esports program in the Southeast,” Daffron said. “We’re growing faster than ever and—with the right support—we can build something really special here at UTC.”
“Esports is bringing students together, helping them develop critical skills and opening doors to new opportunities,” Parsley said. “This is just the beginning.”
Learn more
UTC student Chase Daffron recognized as one of the best in College ‘Call of Duty’
Esports photo gallery (photos by Ray Soldano, Mallori Crocker and Tony Parsley)
Parker Whiting (gamertag shinobi). Photo by Ray Soldano.
