Entering college can feel daunting. You’re lucky if your high school friends will be going to the same college as you. For gamers, esports and gaming clubs became a great way to socialize and draw talent from different fields. 

“A new friend is a new connection. I grew up always feeling alone.” Jinel Gamboa shared. “Esports became a bridge to new opportunities.”

Jinel is the NU Wizard’s Circle’s Esports Director turned MLBB Manager for the NU Bulldogs under the NU Athletics for UAAP Esports. No stranger to community development, Jinel already had experience cultivating MLBB talent in Oriental Mindoro, her hometown. 

She together with JC Magno and Sofia Quinones, the President and Esports Director of the Wizard’s Circle, respectively were scouted by NU Athletics to be the team managers.

The National University is one of the more progressive campuses when it comes to esports in education. The university is the first to sign a system-wide partnership with AcadArena to facilitate the growth of esports across their campuses nationwide.

In the recently concluded Alliance Games Nationals, Wizard’s Circle’s League of Legends team secured their first ever National championship. 

NU Athletics hosted the Nationalian Friendship Games last 2023, a tournament across all NU campuses. Standouts of the MLBB tournament joined the NU Main Campus’ UAAP roster. 

All eyes are on the NU Bulldogs for the next few years especially with the recent announcement of their 20-campus goal by 2028. They’ll be able to attract and discover talent nationwide just as they are able to scout talent like Jinel from Mindoro.

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