PlayVS teams up with Army National Guard to show students how competitive gaming can translate to rewarding careers. Provided by PR Newswire Apr 7, 2026, 5:00:00 AM PlayVS teams up with Army National Guard to show students how competitive gaming can translate to rewarding careers PR Newswire LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2026. LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - PlayVS, the leading high school esports platform in North America, today announced a strategic partnership with the Army National Guard focused on expanding access to scholastic esports while educating students on related career opportunities available through the Army National Guard. The collaboration is designed to strengthen community engagement and connect student athletes with pathways that emphasize leadership, teamwork, and local service. "Partnering with the Army National Guard furthers our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for students beyond high school," said Jon Chapman, CEO at PlayVS. "This partnership allows us to expand access to organized scholastic esports while connecting student athletes with pathways that emphasize local service, career growth, and community impact." As part of the partnership, the National Guard will support access to the PlayVS platform for schools in West Virginia, Florida, and Massachusetts during the upcoming esports seasons. Participating schools will compete in organized online competition starting this spring season. In addition to online play, PlayVS and the National Guard will host a series of in-person gaming events at select high schools and colleges. These local activations will bring together student athletes for both competitive and recreational experiences while providing opportunities to engage directly with local Army National Guard recruiters to learn about how their unique skillsets align with rewarding career opportunities. Events are planned across all three participating states throughout the next two esports seasons. The series will launch its first two stops in Boston, Massachusetts, and Miami, Florida, in May, celebrating local students as they wrap up the academic school year. "Competitive gaming requires a passion for technology and a unique aptitude for teamwork, communication, and problem-solving under pressure," said Staff Sergeant Eugene Williams, Marketing Data Analyst. "These are the same key qualifications of a host of rewarding careers available in the National Guard in high-demand areas like cyber, engineering, intelligence, networking, and more. Our partnership with PlayVS aims to introduce students to unique opportunities to apply their skills to rewarding careers that allow them to build the futures they're looking for while making a significant impact in their local communities." The partnership also includes Army National Guard sponsorship of PlayVS State Championships in Florida and Massachusetts, supporting the culmination of each fall and spring season and celebrating the achievements of top high school esports teams. By combining competitive gaming with local engagement and educational outreach, PlayVS and the National Guard aim to create meaningful, community-driven experiences that resonate with today's students while highlighting opportunities for growth, leadership, and localized service. Media Contact: [email protected] About the Army National Guard (ARNG): With a presence in 54 states and territories, the Army National Guard is a unique component of the U.S. Army where Soldiers support communities in their home state by responding to domestic emergencies and at the federal level as standby support for Active Duty Soldiers. Army National Guard Soldiers have the flexibility to serve part-time across medical, aviation, law enforcement, transportation, and engineering fields and beyond, while also pursuing their personal and professional goals through a civilian career or higher education. For more information on the opportunities in the National Guard, visit NationalGuard.com. About PlayVS PlayVS is North America's leading esports and gaming platform, helping students unlock the many benefits of competitive gaming for students at every level. It offers a comprehensive community where players, coaches, educators, and parents come together to compete, connect, and grow. With the launch of the PlayVS College League (PCL) and the acquisitions of Generation Esports, Playfly College Esports and Vanta Esports, PlayVS now provides the most comprehensive pathway in scholastic esports, from middle school through college. PlayVS is the official esports partner of the NFHS Network, the Special Olympics, and 40+ state and regional organizations across the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit playvs.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/playvs-teams-up-with-army-national-guard-to-show-students-how-competitive-gaming-can-translate-to-rewarding-careers-302735121.html SOURCE PlayVS The articles, information, and content displayed on this webpage may include materials prepared and provided by third parties. Such third-party content is offered for informational purposes only and is not endorsed, reviewed, or verified by Morningstar. Morningstar makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any third-party content displayed on this site. The views and opinions expressed in third-party content are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Morningstar, its affiliates, or employees. Morningstar is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or delays in this content, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Users are advised to exercise their own judgment and seek independent financial advice before making any decisions based on such content. The third-party providers of this content are not affiliated with Morningstar, and their inclusion on this site does not imply any form of partnership, agency, or endorsement.

PlayVS, a scholastic and collegiate gaming platform, has launched PlayVS Recruit, a recruitment platform connecting high school esports competitors with college programmes. The service is embedded within PlayVS's competition infrastructure, providing colleges access to verified students across over 6,000 partner schools. Colleges joining the 2026-2027 PlayVS College League receive foundational access to Recruit, with options to expand reach through additional tiers. The platform is also available to non-member institutions. Since its February beta launch, over 50 colleges have joined, including Syracuse University and Quinnipiac University. The platform is free for students and aims to democratise college recruitment by creating pathways based on gaming experience rather than ability to pay. Beyond esports, it helps institutions identify students with digital skills in data analytics, broadcast production and strategic leadership.

PlayVS launches PlayVS Recruit, giving colleges direct access to verified High School gaming talent. The platform connects colleges with verified student competitors across thousands of schools, creating a new pipeline for recruitment through gaming. Los Angeles, CA - March 31, 2026 - PlayVS, the most comprehensive scholastic and collegiate gaming and esports platform, today announced the official launch of PlayVS Recruit, a new recruitment platform designed to transform how colleges and universities identify and connect with students who want to leverage their passion for gaming to advance their higher education opportunities. PlayVS Recruit utilizes the company's K-12 and collegiate gaming ecosystem to create a direct, opt-in recruitment pipeline, connecting high school competitors with collegiate esports programs and admissions offices. Embedded within PlayVS's competition infrastructure, Recruit transforms the PlayVS College League (PCL) into a scalable recruitment network, enabling colleges to identify esports talent and students pursuing high-growth fields such as communications, computer science, engineering, and digital media. Colleges that become 2026-2027 PlayVS College League (PCL) members will receive foundational access to PlayVS Recruit, including an initial set of qualified student leads as a core member benefit. Programs can expand their reach at any time through additional Recruit tiers, enabling engagement with a broader pool of verified, recruitable students. The platform is also available to non-PCL institutions seeking direct access to high school talent. "PlayVS is building the most powerful competitive gaming platform in the market, extending far beyond leagues and titles," said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS. "Recruit enables direct connections between students and universities that support matriculation, spark interest in high-growth careers, and unlock opportunity at scale. We're building a new pathway from competition to campus to career." Benefits For High School Students Recruit democratizes college recruitment by providing high school students an easy and free way to connect with college opportunities based on their gaming and esports experience, rather than their ability to pay for access. It transforms gaming from a recreational activity into a clear, trusted pathway to higher education, while giving high school programs tangible proof points that turn teams into direct pipelines for collegiate advancement at no administrative cost. Benefits For Colleges & Universities Recruit gives colleges and universities access to tens of thousands of verified high schoolers across more than 6,000 PlayVS partner schools, with real-time performance data and competitive history. Targeted recruiting campaigns enable programs to filter prospects by game title and experience, driving high-intent connections and higher conversion than traditional recruiting platforms. Since its beta launch in February, more than fifty colleges and universities have joined the platform, including Alvernia University, Fisher College, Michigan Tech University, Quinnipiac University, Southern University and A&M College, Syracuse University, and University of Akron. The platform is already driving early recruitment results for the upcoming school year, with students like Brandon Tukua of California and Hector Tinajero of New Mexico earning esports scholarships and committing to Fisher College. "Having the opportunity to continue competing at the next level means a lot to me," said Brandon. "PlayVS Recruit helped me connect with programs like Fisher College and made the process feel real and achievable. Earning an esports scholarship and committing to a school where I can keep competing is something I've worked toward for a long time, and I'm grateful for the opportunity." "Earning an esports scholarship and committing to Fisher College is a huge step for me and something I've been working toward for a long time," said Hector. "I'm excited to compete at the next level while continuing to grow as both a player and a student. PlayVS helped make that opportunity possible." "PlayVS Recruit has made the recruiting process incredibly seamless for us, allowing us to connect with students who are already competing at a high level," said Aaron Colaiacomo, Assistant Director of Esports at Fisher College. "Our focus is on attracting exceptional technical talent alongside students who help grow our program, and the platform has already enabled us to identify highly promising student-athletes who align with both our academic goals and competitive vision. We're especially excited to welcome Brandon and Hector to the Fisher family this fall." Beyond competitive esports, Recruit helps institutions identify students with in-demand digital skills, including data analytics through match statistics and recorded gameplay review, broadcast and media production through live streaming, and strategic leadership developed through team coordination and competitive planning. About PlayVS PlayVS is North America's leading scholastic and collegiate gaming platform, helping students unlock the educational, social, and personal benefits of competitive gaming. The company brings together students, coaches, educators, and schools through structured, education-aligned competition across K-12 and college. Launched in 2025, the PlayVS College League (PCL) builds on PlayVS's scholastic foundation by extending structured competition into higher education. PlayVS is the official esports partner of the NFHS Network, the Special Olympics, and more than 40 state and regional organizations across the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit playvs.com. Media Contact: [email protected] Get in the game.