By Cole Hatcher
Ohio Wesleyan University graduate Nevin Horne will return to his alma mater Feb. 27 as director and head coach of the Battling Bishops Esports Program.
Horne, who graduated as OWU’s class president in 2020, most recently helped to design and launch the esports program at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, serving as the Cardinals’ director of esports and intramural coordinator. At Ohio Wesleyan, he will report to Brad Pulcini, Ph.D., dean of student services.
“After an extensive national search, I am happy to welcome Nevin back to Ohio Wesleyan as part of our Student Engagement and Success Division,” Pulcini said. “Nevin was a Business Administration major at OWU and impressed the search committee with both his coaching and administrative skills. He has experience creating esports tournaments and programs as well as mentoring students in athletics and academics. During his first year at Otterbein, Nevin led three teams to the playoffs. He is a great addition to Ohio Wesleyan.”
Under Horne’s leadership, Otterbein won a National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) conference championship in Valorant this fall and was conference runner-up in Overwatch. Previously, Horne served as the assistant esports coach at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he collaborated with the coach to develop a competitive intercollegiate gaming program. Horne led Huntingdon to an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Rivals League Championship.
During his esports career, Horne also served as the Overwatch coach at the University of Houston, Texas, leading the team to a national Top 40 finish, and as the project manager of tournament operations for Generation Esports in Kansas City, Missouri. In that role, he led tournament operations, planning and executing the first in-person high school esports national championship.
“I am excited to return to a place I once called home with the goal of redefining esports and its place at OWU,” said Horne, whose professional involvements include serving as a voting/original member of the Overwatch Collegiate Rankings Association.
“Putting our students on the national stage and giving them the tools to pursue their passions is at the forefront of my mind as I begin to reshape the program,” Horne said.
Ohio Wesleyan launched the Battling Bishops esports program in fall 2021, with full competition beginning the following year. OWU esports athletes compete through the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) in the games Counter Strike 2, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, Smash Bros. Crews, and Valorant.
Learn more about the OWU esports program and follow the team on Discord, YouTube, and Twitch with links available at owu.edu/esports. Learn more about enrolling at Ohio Wesleyan at owu.edu/admission.
Image by Christiana from Pixabay
