MENOMONIE – University of Wisconsin-Stout Athletic Director Duey Naatz has announced the hiring of Aaron Froelich as the Blue Devils new Director of Esports and head coach.
Esports is the rapidly growing competitive gaming program for UW-Stout Athletics, winning the Division 1 WCRL (Wisconsin Collegiate Rocket League) Spring 2023 Championship and Spring 2023 NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports) Varsity Plus Valorant Division Championship.
"We are excited about Aaron's enthusiasm for UW-Stout and his excitement and passion for what this challenge holds for him," Naatz said. "His experience in Esports and his background in collegiate baseball make him a great fit for the Blue Devils."
Froelich received a Bachelor of Science Business Administration, Sports Management from Finlandia University.
He has worked as the Director of Esports at Finlandia University from 2022-23 and coached at Gogebic Community College the two years prior. He has coached esports teams to multiple game titles and won two NJCAAE national championships at GCC in 2022.
"I am very excited to lead the program here at Stout," Froelich said. "There is a great history of highly competitive teams within the esports program here, and I look to grow that success in the future. Esports is a very competitive space that demands structure, culture, and leadership. I am grateful for the opportunity to make UW-Stout Esports a premier destination for collegiate esports in Wisconsin."
Those interested in playing esports at UW-Stout may contact Froelich at froelicha@uwstout.edu or Crxis#9718 on Discord.
UW-Stout had the first interscholastic esports team in the UW System beginning in 2020. The university competes in leagues for five games, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. and Valorant, some in the fall and some in the spring. The team also competes in circuit tournaments and select special events. The Blue Devils play from an esports arena in Heritage Hall. This fall, UW-Stout also will be the first in the UW System to offer a minor in esports coaching.
Esports is a fast-growing, billion-dollar industry. It includes competitive, organized, multiplayer online video gaming at nearly 200 universities across the country.
UW-Stout is a member of NACE, a national governing body for games and tournaments.
