EUGENE, Ore. – The Bushnell Esports program is preparing for its fourth season by bringing in eight members to represent the 2021-22 recruiting class.

Third-year Director of Esports, Miles Adkisson, has continued to oversee major growth in the program, which included the Fortnite team taking fifth place in the NACE national championship last season. This year's newcomers include additions to the League of Legends, Valorant, Overwatch and Fortnite rosters.

Adkisson spoke about what he expects each recruit to contribute to the culture and success of the program.
 
Justin Ault
Junior / Hacienda Heights, Calif. / Cypress College / League of Legends

Ault is a Secondary Teacher Education major who spent the last two and a half years at Cypress College before signing with the Beacons. He was a swimmer and played water polo in high school. Ault joins the team with a Diamond II ranking. Adkisson said, "Not only does Justin come to our program with a high rank in game, he also ranks high in character and will be a great fit for the culture we have within our program. His leadership will be crucial to our continued success in League this year."
 
Jacob Corser
Junior / Rockaway Beach, Ore. / Southwestern Oregon Community College / League of Legends

Corser also joins the deep League roster after spending a year at both Southwestern Oregon and Rogue CC. He currently works for a start-up managed service provider based out of NYC. "I am really excited to see our League roster continue to grow and I look forward to watching them compete this year," said Adkisson. "I am even more excited to watch Jacob grow as a player on that team. Jacob should have a very bright future here at Bushnell."
 
Benny Flores Jr.
Freshman / Fircrest, Wash.  / Tacoma Community College / Valorant

Flores Jr. graduated from Sheldon HS where he played basketball and baseball for the Fighting Irish. He hopes to run a Christian Sports Camp in the future. Flores Jr. is the son of Bushnell women's soccer head coach, Benny Flores. "I am beyond thrilled to have Benny as a Beacon and know that his skill set will fit nicely with our team," said Adkisson. "He will provide an immediate boost to our Valorant roster that has already seen some early success. I look forward to watching Benny and the Valorant team make some noise at the national level this year."
 
Aaron May
Sophomore / Salem, Ore. / Chemeketa Community College / Overwatch

May, a future financial analyst, joins the Overwatch roster after spending a year at Chemeketa CC. Adkisson said, "We love when participants from Satellite Gaming join our squad. Aaron is an all-around great gamer and will make our Overwatch team better. I am so excited to see him continue to grow over these next four years."
 
Brett Olmstead
Freshman / Eugene, Ore. / Homeschool / Overwatch, Fortnite

Olmstead is a local product with high career aspirations. As a psychology major, Olmstead wants to be a mental health counselor before becoming a youth pastor later in life. "It's awesome finding talent in your own backyard," said Adkisson. "I am excited to welcome Brett and see him grow both as a gamer and a person. He is an extremely hard worker which should result in an upward trajectory in game."
 
Julian Sierra
Freshman / Bridgeport, Conn. / Housatonic Community College / League of Legends

Sierra joins the Beacons with aspirations of working in sports or Esports in the future. He graduated from Central HS before his time at Housatonic CC. Adkisson spoke highly of Sierra: "One of the coolest things when it comes to Esports is that ALL can participate and be successful. Julian is a perfect example. He suffers from muscular dystrophy which is a genetic disease that causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle. Despite his condition, Julian has secured a platinum 4 rank in the game of League. Julian's story is truly inspiring, and we could not be more excited to welcome him to our community."
 
David Sollid
Freshman / Reedley, Calif. / Reedley HS / Fortnite

Sollid joins the nationally ranked Fortnite team and looks to be an immediate contributor. Academically, he is preparing for a career in technology by studying computer science and software engineering.  Adkisson said, "After finishing fifth in the nation last season, it was critical that we found a solid duo partner for Pekzyyy in order to take that next step. David brings a very tough mentality to our roster and is someone we expect to have an immediate impact on the team."

Landon Tuchardt
Freshman / Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln SW HS / Overwatch

Tuchardt, a first-year student, joins the Overwatch roster with a Master's ranking. "We are super pumped to have Landon join our squad," said Adkisson. "He is a late addition but will provide much needed depth on our Overwatch roster. We look forward to welcoming Landon to the Bushnell family."

The regular season for Overwatch, Rocket League and Valorant begins on September 7.