The following is a press release provided to InvenGlobal and has been published verbatim.

Harrisburg University Storm took home the top honor of “Best Collegiate Esports Program” during the Tempest Awards Gala in Las Vegas, NV. The Pennsylvania powerhouse beat out other collegiate esports programs like Maryville University, UC Irvine, UC Berkley and University of Utah.

Harrisburg University is one of the first schools to create a varsity esports team and remains their only varsity team sport on campus, offering full-tuition scholarships. Since their inception, they have continually performed at the top level and, in May of this year, took home the championship title at the inaugural ESPN Collegiate Esports Championships in Houston, TX beating out fellow nominees Maryville University and The University of Utah.

"I have been around the professional esports space for a while, as both a player and a coach,” said Chad Smeltz, Esports Program Director. “I have yet to see a group of players work as hard as these students have and continue to prove why they are the best collegiate esports team out there.”

The Tempest Awards acknowledges the esports industry’s most innovative companies and executives, with categories that span production, marketing, talent, and technology. Judged by key members of the esports community, these awards serve as North America’s top honors for the brands, the teams, the leagues, the players and the business leaders driving the competitive gaming industry today.

The winners were announced during the live awards gala on September 11 at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas, NV. "It is an honor to be recognized as a top performer in the collegiate esports space," said Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) President, Eric Darr. "The team continues to perform and showcase their talent and this acknowledgment is proof that we are paving the way for collegiate esports."