Video game athletes, college scholarships, and a whole lot of hours in front of a screen—welcome to the future of college sports.
BOISE, Idaho — Boise State Esports just earned a major tournament title with a win at the Power Esports Conference Championship (PEC) in Rocket League. The Broncos add to the already stacked trophy case for one of the premier Esports programs in the nation.
What is Rocket League?
“It’s a physics-based game. Soccer with cars,” said Payton Wilkin, aka “Wayton,” Boise State’s Rocket League coach.
Rocket League is a high-speed video game where strategy, skill, and insane reflexes collide. And Boise State isn’t just playing the game, they’re dominating it.
Meet the 2025 squad
All three members of Boise State’s Rocket League varsity team were recruited to compete at the collegiate level, and they’re some of the best in the country.
Cade Hall, aka “Wuzy,” was a top national recruit coming out of high school in Texas. Hall recently took home the PEC tournament MVP.
Preston Ferrante, known as “PRSTN,” is a key playmaker and strategist. PRSTN is the “quiet” one, according to teammates, locked in on dynamic moves.
Emiliano Flores, or “Durtho,” has been dreaming of this since he was a kid. A natural with a controller in his hand.
“Ever since I was little, I was into esports – before it was popular,” Durtho said.
Winning on the big stage
The Broncos recently clinched a major championship title. For Hall, it was a moment of stepping up.
“It’s time to be great. Sometimes you just have to make a difference,” Hall said.
Boise State’s victory wasn’t luck or just a good day, it was the result of hundreds of hours of training each month, often inside its state-of-the-art esports arena in the heart of downtown Boise.
“This is the best arena I’ve seen anywhere,” PRSTN said. “Great support, great staff – the jerseys are cool too.”
Yes – they are on scholarship
Believe it or not, these players are on legit college scholarships to compete in Rocket League. It’s a world that still surprises many.
“My grandparents don’t even believe it,” PRSTN said. “They’re like, ‘how are video games played at a college?’”
“Serious, legit scholarships,” Durtho added. “Not something small. This is dope. I got my dad involved.”
Durtho even took his father to a live Rocket League event while in high school. Three teenagers won a $1 million prize at the event, helping to prove it was more than just a hobby.
Behind the screens
Rocket League might look simple from the outside, but players describe it as an ultra-competitive mental chess match – in 3D.
“It’s demanding in ways soccer isn’t,” Wilkin said. “Rocket League has a third dimension, the ability to fly, which opens up so many windows for strategy.”
Wilkin, who was recently named PEC Rocket League Coach of the Year, said most people don’t realize the complexity of what these students do.
“I get to oversee the team from a perspective that even players don’t always get to see,” Wilkin said.
Balancing it all
Training for 30–40 hours a week – sometimes up to 100 during school breaks – these athletes still manage to keep up with school, stay active and have lives outside the game.
“In college, you have all the time, but no time,” Durtho said. “You need time for friends, fitness, homework and Rocket League.”
It’s not easy, but for this Boise State Esports squad, it’s worth it.
It’s about more than the game
Beyond the trophies and the screen time, it’s the friendships and memories that make it all worth it for the Broncos.
“They’re like my best friends,” PRSTN said. “It doesn’t feel like a job.”
“Friendships I made online turned into real-life relationships,” Wuzy added. “That’s how I ended up here.”
And thanks to Boise State’s investment in esports, these players are setting themselves up for bright futures – on and off the screen.
“They come for esports, but they leave with a degree, and their school paid for,” coach Wayton said.
Living the dream
So, is Boise State living the dream?
“Yeah,” Durtho said. “Sometimes I have to take a step back and realize how blessed I am to be in this position.”
In a world where digital skill is becoming just as valuable as physical talent, the Boise State Rocket League team is proof that esports isn’t just the future, it’s already here.
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