Herkimer College Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ESports Team Wins NJCAA Invitational in Inaugural Year of Competition

HERKIMER, NY—In its first year of NJCAA competition, the Herkimer College Call of Duty: Modern Warfare esports team capped off its undefeated season by winning the national championship invitational on Monday, April 26 over Irvine Valley College (CA).

The team, composed of Christian Mandia and Jayden Vargas, went a perfect 9-0 in its Call of Duty matches for the year.

Mandia, a freshman from Utica, NY, and Vargas, a freshman from the Bronx, defeated the No. 1 seed from the University of South Carolina-Sumter by a score of 4-0 in the semifinal matchup on Monday before beating Irvine Valley in the championship match 4-1 later that evening.

The team was coached by Herkimer staff members Joshua Lanza and Frank Drapalski. 

“To say that Frank and I are proud of them is an understatement at this point,” said Coach Lanza. “It is no doubt that all the hours of practice, the hard work and dedication they have put into the team came into play on Monday night.”