MVC Rodeo
Continues to Impress
The Missouri Valley College rodeo teams ended last season with a fourth place men’s finish at the College National Finals Rodeo, and a No. 21 finish for the women’s team. Both are staying near the top of the Ozark Region midway through the 2023-24 competition season. The season kicked off with another successful Viking Stampede Rodeo in September, as the Viking cowboys took first overall, while the cowgirls placed fourth. Entering the winter break, the men’s rodeo team is well on its way to an eighth-straight region title, after capturing first place in four of the five rodeos contested. The cowboys hold a commanding lead atop of the standings. The Vikings have earned 3,610 points, followed by Northwest Mississippi with 2,055 points. Senior Ty Pope (Waverly, Kan.), a 2022
National champion in bareback riding and two-time All-American, sits on top of the Ozark Region standings in the all-around, bareback riding and saddle bronc riding competitions. Bareback U continues to live up to its name, with the top five bareback riders in the region, including 2023 All-American Sophomore Kooper Heimburg (San Tan Valley, Ariz.). Additionally, the men’s team leads the national standings, and Pope is the top all-around cowboy in the NIRA. The women’s team is fifth overall in the region, and is led by Senior Betsy Roemer (Jonesboro, Ark.)
who is second in the goat tying standings. The rodeo season continues with the spring
competitions starting up in late-March, and lasting through late-April. The College National Finals Rodeo takes place June 9-15 in Casper, Wyo.
eSports Team Representing Valley Well
The Missouri Valley College eSports program produced one of the most successful years in the history of the athletic department. Competing in the MVC eSports Arena, the program won three separate National championships spread out throughout the year. The titles came in three different game disciplines. Beginning in December of 2022 the Call of Duty: Vanguard team captured the first national championship after winning the NACE Starleague Open Plus Division II title. After advancing through a deep tournament field, the Vikings swept Chadron State (Neb.) in the best-of-five championship series. Leading the team was Isaac Molina who finished the championship with 87 eliminations, followed by 80 eliminations from Randy Wright III. The second title came in April, as the CS:GO squad made their way through the tournament and won
the NACE Starleague Open Plus Division title. The team swept the best-of-three series against Purdue (Ind.), led by Lucas Andrade Camargo, who totaled 59 eliminations in the two games. The winning continued in December, with the third championship, won by the Rocket League team. The Vikings captured the NACE Starleague Open Plus Division by advancing through a full tournament field, eventually topping Bowling Green (Ky.) in the best-of- seven championship series, 4-2 in games won. The National title clinching game six victory featured a 4-3 overtime win, helped by two goals each from Colton Herrin and Dominic Hoskin. To continue the success, the Rocket League team will compete for the first-ever Heart of America Athletic Conference championship.
32 Viking Views | 2023
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