On his way to the championship game, he defeated Kirtland Community College 3-2 and Lake Michigan College 3-0. He then comfortably handled SLCC to win NICC’s second Hearthstone National Championship in two years.
Call of Duty (COD) 2v2 (D1), Mario Kart 1v1 (D1 and D3) and Hearthstone (D1) are representing NICC in the postseason, with six different student-athletes competing to keep their seasons alive.
"Our student-athletes did a great job during the fall semester and have set an amazing precedent for semesters to come, achieving an overall department grade point average of 3.30,” Athletic Director Nick Weinmeister said.
Student-athletes arrived at Northeast Iowa Community College’s (NICC) campus in the middle of August, and this was the official start for Cougar athletics programs.
The team of J.T. Lucius and Konner Allendorf finished their regular season with a 10-1 record, putting them at the top of the standings and locked into a playoff spot.
He knew he wanted to make a difference in others’ lives, and that’s what led him to his current profession and coaching eighth-grade football. Once he saw the opening at NICC, he knew it was a good fit.
“Seeing so many NICC students named to Academic All-Region Teams is truly amazing and highlights a core value of our program," Head Esports Coach Verrick Foust said.
“Education is a top priority for the Esports team,” Head Esports Coach Verrick Foust said. “All my students understand that academics always come first, and achieving success in their respective majors is our ultimate goal.”
Not only did Cigrand bring Esports their first championship, he will forever be known as the first Cougar National Championship-winning athlete.
Led by Mason Cigrand and Timothy Swenka, the Cougars won three of their five matches this week.
NICC is building its athletics capacity to include baseball, softball, men's and women's cross country and dance, in addition to the College's growing sports shooting and esports teams.
The Northeast Iowa Community College Cougars recently named their next Esports coach. Verrick Foust, current Information Security Officer at NICC, will lead the Cougars in the coming seasons.
Northeast Iowa Community College has been developing athletic programs over the last few years in hopes of growing its student population. On May 1, the College officially hired Nick Weinmeister to fill the athletic director position.