Phoenix Esports Capture ECAC Apex National Title

LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland Esports Apex team secures the first ECAC National Championship in the program's first semester of collegiate Apex.

The Cumberland Esports Apex team consisting of Zachary Plemons, Riley Alden, Charlie Buckner II, and Maple Atwood, found themselves National Champions after four maps to secure the ECAC Apex Fall National Championship.

To determine a winner of a series, a team must obtain a 50 point threshold and must earn a first place finish in the following game to be crowned the champions.

The Phoenix entered the tournament as the number two seed, right behind the previous champions, University of Southern Mississippi. Going into map one, everything was going according to the gameplan for the Phoenix, as they found themselves earning 28 points and a first place finish on the map E-District.

Entering map two of Worlds Edge, the Phoenix continued the momentum and was able to secure 12 more points and a fifth place finish to increase their point threshold to 40. The University of Southern Mississippi, was able to find a first place finish while earning 36 points for the Golden Eagles to surpass the Phoenix on the leaderboard going into map three.

Entering map three of storm point, both the Phoenix and the Golden Eagles needed 10 and six points to secure the 50 point threshold. Throughout the course of the map, the Phoenix struggled early on but were able to secure a seventh place finish earning 12 points to surpass the 50 point threshold, while the Golden Eagles earned 30 points to also surpass the threshold, making upcoming map four match point, if either the Phoenix or Golden Eagles win the map that would crown either team the champions.

The Phoenix had the eye on the prize, as they reached the top five teams remaining. As the final circle was coming to a close, the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles got knocked out at fourth place, leaving only the Phoenix able to fight for first place. Cumberland and the Minnesota State University Mavericks were the final two teams remaining. The Phoenix grouped together and were able to knock out the Mavericks, crowning Cumberland the 2025 Fall ECAC Apex National Champions!

"This is such a surreal moment for the players and the team," head coach Spencer Claypool said. "This was our first semester competing in Collegiate Apex and we were able to be crowned national champs."

This is the first ECAC Apex Championship and the fourth National Championship the team has won since the program was created in 2021.

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Players Mentioned

Maple Atwood: 6' 2"; Freshman

Riley Alden: 6' 10"; Freshman

Charlie Buckner: Freshman

Zachary Plemons: 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Maple Atwood
: 6' 2"; Freshman

Riley Alden
: 6' 10"; Freshman

Charlie Buckner
: Freshman

Zachary Plemons
: 5' 9"; Freshman