Drew Boehm remembers the day he heard UT Dallas was launching an esports program in fall 2018.
It was the moment that pushed him to pursue a career in collegiate esports.
“During college, I was really into gaming,” said Boehm, who joined the UT Dallas esports program as head coach in February. “It has always been an important part of my life, and I really enjoyed being involved in a gaming club in college. When I saw UT Dallas announce, ‘Esports is here,’ within the hour, I was Googling collegiate esports and trying to figure out how I could get involved. I knew I wanted to work in esports in a university setting.”
UT Dallas’ championship program boasts a pair of national titles in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and recently was ranked in the Top 10 varsity esports programs of 2022 by Best Colleges.
Boehm brings experience from head coaching positions at the University of Saint Mary and UT Arlington, where he launched the varsity esports program.
Engaging Comets outside of the program also is important, Boehm said. The Division of Student Affairs is exploring the possibility of creating a new public gaming space in the Student Union open to all students.
“We want to bring home those big titles, but we also want to engage the average student at UT Dallas,” Boehm said. “The more interaction between our players and the general student population, the better.”
–Brittany Magelssen
