Maryville University Partners with Brandon Sanderson’s Dragonsteel for NACL Summer Split

Maryville University Partners with Brandon Sanderson’s Dragonsteel for NACL Summer Split

Maryville University has announced a groundbreaking partnership with bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and his company, Dragonsteel, for the 2024 North American Challengers League (NACL) Summer Season. The Maryville Esports team will compete under the name Dragonsteel (DSTL) for this split.

Maryville’s League of Legends team, despite being a collegiate program, has demonstrated its ability to compete at the highest level, finishing 2nd in both the regular season and playoffs of the NACL Spring Split. Their new partnership was made possible through connections facilitated by independent content creator Travis Gafford, who linked Sanderson’s team with Maryville after discussions with LCS Commissioner Mark Zimmerman.

This move aligns with Riot Games' broader initiative to connect NACL teams with major brands and personalities, though Riot did not directly broker the deal. Maryville isn’t the only NACL team securing external support—Cincinnati Fear also announced a partnership with Starforge, a creator-led pre-built PC company.

The Summer Split will feature two collegiate teams, Maryville (Dragonsteel) and Winthrop University, showcasing the growing influence of college esports within the competitive League of Legends ecosystem.

Read the full article here: https://collegeesportsnews.org/2024/06/04/maryville-university-partners-with-brandon-sanderson-for-upcoming-nacl-split/

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