Southern University to compete for first Division II esports national title

In a historic moment for Southern University and historically Black colleges and universities, Coby Robinson, a sophomore computer science major from Crystal Springs, Mississippi, has advanced to the Eastern College Athletic Conference EA Sports College Football National Championship. The milestone marks the first time an HBCU will compete for a Division II championship in collegiate e-sports.

Robinson’s path to the finals showcased resilience. After dropping the first game of a best-of-three series to Indiana University East, Robinson won the final two games to clinch the series.

“This is a monumental moment not just for Southern University, but for the entire HBCU landscape,” said Christopher Turner, director and head coach of the Southern University Esports Digital Gaming Ecosystem. “Watching Coby battle back after being down a game and win on an overtime field goal shows the grit and composure our students possess. This is HBCU history in the making.”

The national championship is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. featuring No. 2 Southern University and No. 1 Bellarmine University. The championship game will be streamed live on Twitch at twitch.tv/subr_esports. 

A watch party will be held at the Esports Innovation Lab in the Southern University Student Union. The Southern University community is encouraged to attend.