The 2023-24 scholastic year has officially concluded with HSEL Nationals 2024 presented by Oakley®. Today, we shine the spotlight on our award finalists and winners for Honor Roll, MVP, and Coach of the Year.
High School Esports League Honor Roll
HSEL Honor Roll, brought to you by the Blueprint LMS & Gaming Concepts, recognizes students for outstanding academic and extracurricular achievement in addition to celebrating the positive impact they have made in their community. On top of the $500 scholarship for being a finalist, the honor roll winner will receive an additional $1,500, a total of $2,000 in scholarship, thanks to the Videogames and Esports foundation. The finalists, their announcement videos, and winner are listed below:
Braydon Campbell, Stearns Sr. High, ME
Eduardo Murillo Reyes, SOAR High, CA
Haylie Simpkins, Interlachen Sr. High, FL
David Truesdell, Little Falls City School, NY
Caleb Dyer, QI Roberts Sr. High, FL
Haylie's nominators describe her as a "pillar of leadership" and have commended her for her ability to "unite the team" on top of consistent academic success. This Fall, Haylie will begin her studies as a Biology major at the University of Florida. Congratulations, Haylie!
Intel HSEL Most Valuable Player
The Intel® & High School Esports League Most Valuable player is someone who makes their presence known in the server and through their own talents and pushes their teammates to new heights. Finalists were considered based on their personal and teams' successes over the 2023-24 school year. The MVP winner receives a $1,500 scholarship through the Videogames and Esports Foundation to help them in their future academic pursuits. The finalists and winner are listed below:
Andrew O, Plano West, TX
Chase Hackell, Redlands Sr. High, CA
Isaiah Spangler, Prosper High, TX
Maxwell Kendall, Washington Connections Academy, WA
Caleb Griner, Herriman High, UT
From Redlands Esports coach Nicholas Klausner: "Chase is a model student and leader for his team...in every sense of the word" and that "as a senior, he will be missed sorely next year, however whichever university team he decides to join next year will certainly have a rising star." We couldn't agree more; congratulations, Chase!
High School Esports League Coach of the Year
HSEL Coach of the Year nominations may be made by anyone – students, parents, administrators, and other coaches! Similarly to the student awards, Coach of the Year nominees were considered upon both the school's esports performances as well as the coach's leadership/mentorship skills, relationships with students, and contributions to both the school and greater esports communities. The finalists, their announcement videos, and winner are listed below:
Colt Berry, Stafford High, Texas
Christopher Cantrell, QI Roberts Senior High, FL
Amy Doyle, Ayer-Shirley Regional, MA
Jaden Gorham, Hebron High, TX
Victoria VanProoyen, MI Connections Academy
Jaden's students had nothing but praise for their chemistry teacher-turned-esports coach saying "the environment he builds with everyone in the program truly creates a safe space for us to be ourselves." Coach Gorham has also made a point of providing opportunities for girls who want to compete, with one student mentioning they are "part of the Lady Valorant program, and being one of eleven girls in such a huge program is somewhat daunting. However, Mr. Gorham has fostered an incredibly positive environment in which we [the girls on Lady Valorant] all feel safe and comfortable, which allows me to compete in my interests.." Congratulations, Jaden!
Previous High School Esports League Coach of the Year recipients:
2022-23: Tim Fields, Quartz Hill High School, CA
2021-22: Brandon Trieu, Mira Mesa High School, CA
Generation Esports is proud to work with Intel to power scholastic gaming.
