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The University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) Esports team finished second nationally and won the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) championship for the Marvel Rivals game in the fall.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ's performance on the national stage came in the virtual National Esports Collegiate Conference, and the PBC event was held in Florence, South Carolina.

Team members included Brayden Bryant, Branyan Daniel, Simon Kuester, Bryce Reed, Tyler Summers, and Matthew Vue.

Nathaniel Hehl, Â鶹ÊÓƵ Esports coach, said the team produced its strong results despite going up against schools that recruit students specifically for Esports.

"I couldn't be prouder of the team with what they accomplished with so little time to prepare," Hehl said.

Daniel, a junior from McDonough, Georgia, pursuing a degree in finance, has been on a few Â鶹ÊÓƵ Esports teams since 2024. He said the camaraderie and success of this fall's team have been meaningful.

"It's super gratifying," Daniel said. "It feels great to have our hard work pay off."

Kuester, a senior from Cumming, Georgia, pursuing a degree in cybersecurity, has participated on multiple Â鶹ÊÓƵ Esports teams since 2023. He said the latest results paired with Â鶹ÊÓƵ's fall 2024 Halo national title and second-place national finish in the spring 2025 Local Area Network event at the NECC are building a larger narrative.

"It helps put us on the map," Kuester said.