UNF welcomes collegiate esports leaders for 2026 NACE National Convention

The University of North Florida will welcome collegiate esports leaders from across the United States and Canada to campus on July 29-31 as it hosts the 2026 National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) National Convention.

The annual event, held at UNF's Adam W. Herbert University Center, serves as NACE's premier gathering for varsity esports administrators, directors, industry partners and other leaders dedicated to advancing collegiate esports.

The convention will bring together more than 200 registrants to the First Coast, including member institutions and industry partners, for three days of professional development, educational sessions, networking opportunities, awards programming and NACE's annual business meeting. This year's event will feature a new student track designed to increase student engagement in collegiate esports leadership.

The convention comes during a period of significant growth for UNF Esports. Since opening earlier this year, the program has hosted both high school and collegiate tournaments. Earlier this month, the program welcomed popular digital creators Woody & Kleiny to The Flight Deck Esports & Innovation Arena during their 39-day livestream journey across the U.S. In August, UNF Varsity Overwatch head coach and player Justin Tuazon is scheduled to play for the Philippines national team in the Overwatch World Cup.

The program recently earned national recognition with a nomination for NACE Emerging Program of the Year. In addition, UNF Esports Program Manager Tom Screech received a nomination for NACE Emerging Director of the Year, marking his seventh national nomination. Winners will be announced during the convention's awards ceremony on July 30.

"It's incredible to receive these nominations as a fledgling program," Screech said, noting this is the first time a new program has hosted the NACE National Convention.

Chris Petrello, associate vice president of campus technology services, said these honors reflect the rapid progress made by the university's esports program and its growing reputation within the collegiate gaming community.

"These nominations are a direct reflection of the tireless, collaborative framework executed by our administration, technology infrastructure divisions, and student leadership to build something world-class from the ground up," said Petrello. "It indicates that the national collegiate landscape is closely monitoring the blueprint we are establishing here at UNF and they recognize the caliber of our execution."

As the official host institution, UNF will showcase The Flight Deck, which opened earlier this year inside the John A. Delaney Student Union. The state-of-the-art facility serves as the home of UNF Esports and provides space for competitive gaming, tournaments, student engagement and academic innovation. Since its opening, the space has welcomed more than 3,000 visitors.

UNF Esports leadership is eager to showcase the program's growth and introduce visitors to the university's expanding esports ecosystem.

"We are excited to show the collegiate esports community what we have built in such a short time," said Claire Campo, UNF Esports assistant program manager. "Hosting esports leaders from around the country allows us to demonstrate the strength of our program, foster new partnerships, and showcase all that UNF has to offer."

Campo said hosting the NACE Convention reinforces to current and prospective students that UNF is committed to esports by bringing industry leaders to campus and exposing students to the many opportunities available within the esports industry.

NACE leadership is equally enthusiastic about bringing the convention to Jacksonville.

"I'm ecstatic for our membership to experience UNF and the City of Jacksonville's commitment to Varsity esports, as we will integrate the new UNF Flight Deck esports space into the convention footprint," Riley Long, NACE's executive director, stated in a press release announcing the convention.

UNF Esports is committed to connecting students' passion for gaming with career pathways in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, as well as game development, esports management and broadcasting.

The program officially launches its varsity competition efforts this fall with the Overwatch team competing in multiple leagues and expanded streaming and event programming. Hosting the NACE National Convention represents another institutional milestone as UNF continues establishing itself as a rising force in collegiate esports.

Learn more about UNF Esports and the 2026 NACE National Convention.