Thank you for being part of the 5th Annual CEC Invitational—our largest and most competitive event to date! This year’s tournament would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Valhallan, Ethically Tech, Lenovo, Spectrum Industries, Cheerwine, Concord Trophy, and Cannon School. Your partnership continues to elevate the experience for students, educators, and collegiate programs across the region.

We were thrilled to welcome an outstanding lineup of competitors, representing a wide range of high schools, school districts, and universities.

Participating High Schools & School Districts

• Cannon School

• Ardrey Kell High School

• Central Academy of Technology and Arts (CATA)

• Lexington 1 Alliance

• Next Generation Esports

• Valhallan Esports

Participating Colleges & Universities 

• Clemson University

• Converse University

• James Madison University

• NC State University

• UNC Charlotte

• UNC Greensboro

• UNC Wilmington

• University of Georgia

• University of South Carolina

• University of South Carolina Upstate

• University of Virginia

• William & Mary

• Winthrop University

• Virginia Tech

All schools competed in their respective divisions, delivering two days of phenomenal gameplay and sportsmanship.

Tournament Highlights

• High School – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate:
  Cole “Tibbles” Catalanotto from Lexington 1 Alliance claimed the championship title with an exceptional run through the bracket.

• High School – Mario Kart:
  Ani cruised through the tournament and picked up the Mario Kart 8 championship title.

• College – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate:
  Del “Twitchy!” Lyndon from Winthrop University took home first place, continuing Winthrop’s strong legacy in collegiate Smash.

• High School – Marvel Rivals:
  Ardrey Kell once again dominated the bracket, facing Central Academy of Technology and Arts in an epic finals showdown between two of the top teams in the state.

• High School – Rocket League:
  Lexington 1 Alliance defeated Cannon School 4–1 in a high-energy finals series.

• College – Rocket League:
  The most intense competition came in the Collegiate Rocket League division as some matches were going the full 5 games and into overtime. Surprisingly, Niner Esports came out on top of this savage competition.

• College – Valorant & Overwatch 2:
  Winthrop University brought the heat, showing why they are a dominant force in collegiate esports by taking control of both titles in the first-ever CEC division for college.

Five Years of Growth

The CEC Invitational began in 2021 with just 6 schools competing in 13 matches. This year, the event expanded to more than 20 high schools and colleges, featuring 135 matches over two days—a testament to the growth of esports across the region and the incredible support from our community.

Thank you again to all players, coaches, staff, volunteers, production crews, and our generous sponsors. We’re excited to continue building this event and look forward to an even bigger 6th Annual CEC Invitational in 2027.