What Is NACE?

The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) was founded in 2016 as the first governing body dedicated specifically to varsity collegiate esports in North America. It functions similarly to the NCAA but specifically for esports — setting standards for varsity programs, facilitating inter-school competition, and connecting players with scholarship opportunities at member institutions.

NACE membership means a college or university has made a formal institutional commitment to esports at the varsity level. Member schools have dedicated coaching staff, practice facilities, competitive schedules, and most importantly — scholarship funding specifically earmarked for esports players.

As of 2025, NACE has over 200 member institutions spanning D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and community college programs across the United States and Canada. The scholarship funding collectively available through NACE member schools exceeds $50 million annually.

• Founded 2016 — first varsity collegiate esports governing body
• 200+ member institutions across D1–D3, NAIA, and community colleges
• $50M+ in available scholarship funding across member schools
• Sets standards for varsity programs (coaching, facilities, competition)
• Runs official collegiate esports leagues and championships

NACE vs. NCAA — What's the Difference?

The NCAA does not govern esports. Esports has no NCAA recognition as a varsity sport, which means the traditional NCAA eligibility rules, transfer portal regulations, and scholarship caps that apply to football or basketball do not apply to collegiate esports.

This is actually significant for players. Unlike NCAA sports where scholarship amounts are tightly regulated and eligibility can be lost, NACE operates under its own, more flexible framework. Players can receive both athletic esports scholarships and academic scholarships simultaneously. Transfer rules are less restrictive. And there's no amateurism clause — players can earn money from streaming, content creation, or sponsorships without affecting scholarship eligibility.

The absence of NCAA oversight also means individual schools have more freedom in how they structure their programs, which creates significant variation in what NACE membership actually looks like from school to school.

What Games Does NACE Support?

NACE supports competition across a wide range of titles, though the specific games offered vary by institution. The most universally supported games at NACE member schools are League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League, Overwatch 2, and CS2. Many schools also offer Hearthstone, FIFA/EA Sports FC, Street Fighter, and other titles depending on student interest and coaching availability.

When researching schools, always check what specific games each program supports — not just whether the school has an esports program. A school with a strong League of Legends program may have no Valorant infrastructure at all.

• League of Legends — widest coverage, most developed scholarship ecosystem
• Valorant — fastest growing, increasingly common at NACE schools
• Rocket League — strong scholastic-to-collegiate pipeline
• Overwatch 2 — Tespa/College Championship circuits at many schools
• CS2 — strong at schools with gaming/engineering focus

How to Find NACE Member Schools

The NACE website maintains a list of all member institutions, searchable by state, game, and division. NE Network also indexes verified college esports programs, making it easy to compare programs, view scholarship information, and contact coaching staff directly.

When evaluating NACE schools, look beyond the scholarship dollar amount. Consider the program's competitive record, the quality of coaching staff, the practice facility (dedicated space vs. shared lab), and the academic strength of the school in your intended major. The best esports scholarship is the one attached to a school where you'll thrive academically and competitively.

NACE and the Recruiting Process

NACE coaches recruit actively — attending tournaments, reviewing player profiles, and monitoring leaderboards for standout performers. The recruiting process for collegiate esports works similarly to traditional sports: coaches identify targets, reach out to express interest, host official visits (in-person or virtual), and extend scholarship offers.

The key difference from traditional sports recruiting is that it happens faster and more informally. A single outstanding tournament performance or a well-built player profile can trigger interest from a NACE coach within days. Players who make themselves visible — with complete profiles, verified ranks, and documented tournament history — get contacted far more often than those who don't.

Start building your recruiting profile and making contact with NACE programs by junior year of high school. Some programs recruit players as early as freshman or sophomore year for strong performers.