UAlbany Esports Takes National Stage at Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup

Josh Pressano and Kenta Lange stand in front of the game stage in their UAlbany Esports jerseys at the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup.
UAlbany Esports players Josh Pressano (left) and Kenta Lange at the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup.

By Mike Nolan

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 13, 2025) — Kenta "qaaa" Lange of the UAlbany Esports team competed on the national stage earlier this month at the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup in Arlington, Texas.  

In 2024, Collegiate Sports Management Group partnered with Capcom, a major Japanese video game company, to launch the inaugural College Street Fighter tour. Students from every college and university across the country were eligible to participate.  

The tour challenged students to compete remotely over the last two semesters in Street Fighter 6 qualifier events, a fighting game developed and published by Capcom.  

Lange, a junior computer science major, was among 12 Street Fighter players who were selected from the qualifiers for the 2025 Collegiate Esports Commissioner's Cup. The weekend-long event brought together top collegiate esports players to compete in Street Fighter 6, along with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, and Valorant  

Lange finished third at the event, taking home bragging rights and a $3,500 cash prize.

“This was Kenta’s first in-person tournament ever,” said Director of UAlbany Esports John Macone. “I was thrilled to watch him compete and take home a top prize. Having one of our players at this event really gets our name out there. It shows we’re ready for the national level.”

“I’ve been playing Street Fighter 6 since its release and have made a lot of progress adapting to the game and understanding it,” said Lange, who is a native of Japan. “Making this tournament was a very big step for me.” 

The main stage at the Esports Stadium Arlington lit up in pink and blue lights.
Esports Stadium Arlington, a 100,000-square-foot venue, is among the largest esports facilities in the country.

The Collegiate Esports Commissioner's Cup is widely considered the largest collegiate esports festival in North America. This year’s tournament featured 320 teams, 185 schools, and 1,500 of the nation's best esports athletes.

It is hosted at Esports Stadium Arlington, a 100,000-square-foot venue that is among the largest esports facilities in the country. The space has a capacity for 2,500 seated spectators. Thousands more tune in to events hosted there through live streams.

Lange was cheered on by Macone and UAlbany Esports teammate Josh Pressano, who also competes in Street Fighter 6.

“At first, I was nervous competing in front of so many people. But once I got used to the tournament environment, it was a lot of fun,” said Lange. “It was also great knowing I had so much support, from John and Josh, who joined me there, along with the rest of our UAlbany Esports team watching the live stream from home.”

Lange says he plans to continue with UAlbany Esports next year and hopefully compete at the Collegiate Esports Commissioner's Cup again, along with other regional and national events. 

While he considers video games a hobby for now, he’s not ruling out a career in the industry.

“I’m still exploring a bunch of different areas like game design and generative artificial intelligence,” said Lange. “I also would like to participate in more tournaments like this to see where my esports career takes me. I’m buying a PlayStation 5 with my winnings and will keep honing my skills.”

Last fall, UAlbany opened a 4,000-square-foot arena to meet the growing needs of UAlbany Esports, which is among the country’s largest collegiate competitive video gaming programs.  

The arena is open during the semester for competitive team practices and matches, as well as general student use between 5 and 10 p.m. daily.