Marvel Rivals, a 6v6 team-based hero shooter, is a game that some might say rose from the ashes of Overwatch 2. When fans and players of the game began to lose faith, especially since the change from Overwatch to Overwatch 2, the thought of a new, polished game like Marvel Rivals was that of a dream-come-true!
This long-awaited game was released on December 6th, 2024, by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games. As a free-to-play third-person shooter, it quickly piqued the interest of millions of players across the globe, especially those in the University of New Haven's Overwatch 2 teams.
Head Coach of the UNH's Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Rocket League teams, Bryson "BrysonG" Gundry, quickly took advantage of the new game's rising popularity and a brand new opportunity: The NECC Marvel Rivals Tournament.
Seeing the potential for the up-and-coming game, the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) decided to organize a tournament for any and all member schools to take part in. Teams would be allowed two chances to qualify for the finals of the event, formatted by a bracket with over 100 teams in each qualifier. With less than one month to prepare for the first qualifiers, Coach Gundry quickly began organizing.
Less than 24 hours after the NECC announcement, tryouts and trials were already being organized. Over 25 students at UNH, both new and veteran members of the esports program, signed up for the tryouts. All the overwhelming talent made having a 6-man roster a very difficult decision. In the end, the final lineup for UNH's Marvel Rivals team contained nine members.
As Pictured (Left to Right, Top to Bottom): Dylan Novicio (Shelton, CT/Emmett O'Brien Technical High School), Christopher Iacobucci (Stratford, CT/Stratford High School), Hassan Jannan (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah High School), Skyler Johnson (Honolulu, HI/Creighton University), Prince Patel (North Grosvenordale, CT/Tourtellotte Memorial High School), Connor Monclova (E Northport, NY/John Glenn High School), Joshua Raynor (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow High School), Ali Ibrahim Ak Al-Mohanadi (Al Kharaitiyat, Qatar/Ibn Taymiyyah Independent Secondary School for Boys), Nicholas Lever (North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex High School)
Ali Ibrahim "Sorrow" Ak Al-Mohanadi is a member of the Varsity Overwatch 2 team at UNH as a substitute DPS player, and his skills there transferred over to his abilities as a Duelist in Marvel Rivals. Al-Mohanadi primarily plays Hela, Namor, and Black Widow, and is currently ranked Eternity, one of the top 1% ranked players on PC. He was drawn to the game due to his connection to Marvel, having been a huge fan of the movies since he was a kid.
"Having Bryson is really fun, and we all knew each other from the Overwatch roster, so we are already comfortable with each other. And it was nice to include some JV guys and play with them."
Christopher "Blackout_402" Iacobucci is a fellow DPS substitute for the Varsity Overwatch 2 team; however plays the Vanguard role for the Rivals team, primarily playing Magneto and being ranked Eternity. Iacobucci is a freshman at UNH but has quickly adapted to the culture of the school and the program, providing a calm and passionate drive for gaming. He hopes that in the future, the Marvel Rivals team stays together and the game thrives as much as possible.
"I feel very good and honored to be on a team with such good players, and in the creation of a team. I've always joined teams or when the team has been created for years, so it feels nice to be a part of something new."
Hassan "GoodGuyBappo" Jannan was on the Junior Varsity Overwatch 2 team in the Fall of 2024, however, he transitioned to the Super Smash Bros team for the Spring 2025 semester. As a Magik main, Jannan loves being in the frontline and having as much fun as possible with his character and his team. He is currently ranked Celestial 3 and is looking to climb even further as the game progresses.
"It's better than Overwatch."
Skyler "SKYLARKMAN" Johnson is a current graduate student at UNH and a starting player on the Varsity Overwatch 2 lineup. Although he plays support for Overwatch, Johnson will play a mix of Strategist and Duelist for the Rivals team, enjoying playing Luna Snow and the occasional Spider-Man. He is an Eternity-ranked player with a passion for the game, referring to it as "a breath of fresh air," excited to learn more and more.
"I don't know if there will be leagues guaranteed next semester, but even with the fact that we were a ragtag team, we have a lot of passion and can put a lot of time in. I am very happy with the team, everyone has a lot of drive and motivation. Everyone is constructive, and I hope to start a legacy, but if not, I'm happy to have played with friends."
Nicholas "BigWarrior" Lever is one of the starting members on the Varsity Overwatch 2 lineup with a Top 500 title following in his stead. As one of the best Tank players in North America in only his first year of college, Lever quickly adapted to the playstyle of Marvel Rivals, most often playing Captain America or The Thing. His passion for both Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals will take him far in the world of esports, and we look forward to seeing where he goes.
Connor "Monclover" Monclova plays similar roles for both Varsity Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals, choosing to play Strategist for his new team. Playing a variety of heroes such as Luna Snow, Invisible Woman, Rocket Raccoon, and Magneto, Monclova is enjoying climbing up the ranks and being able to play as so many of the iconic characters he grew up watching and reading about.
"I really enjoy it, I did something similar for a team in high school. It's fun to form ideas for how you're going to play it with a new team."
Dylan "Dyne" Novicio is a current freshman at UNH, but has quickly made a name for himself with the program. Whether it is tearing up backlines as a member of the Junior Varsity Overwatch 2 team or having impeccable aim during In-House tournaments, he is a force to be reckoned with. Novicio primarily plays Bucky Barnes for the Rivals team, but is working towards learning more heroes alongside his team.
Prince "Night" Patel plays a variety of characters for the Marvel Rivals team, flexing between every role. Similarly to his role on the Varsity Overwatch 2 team, Patel primarily plays the Duelist role, loving Black Panther and hating Punisher. He is currently ranked Celestial 1 and is hoping to continue being able to play alongside his team, honored for being able to start the legacy of Marvel Rivals for UNH.
"My team won't let me play Jeff the Shark (they don't trust the Jeff)."
Joshua "Jraynor196" Raynor is a longtime member of UNH's Esports program and the Varsity Overwatch 2 team, flexing between roles for his team. For Marvel Rivals, Raynor is primarily a Vanguard player, enjoying heroes like Dr. Strange and Magneto. Despite being one of the only members on the team who isn't a sophomore or freshman, he loves the dynamic and group that they have together and is excited to keep growing together.
"I hate Jeff."
UNH's Marvel Rivals team competed in both the open qualifiers for the NECC tournament, unfortunately, not qualifying for the Finals. In Qualifier 1, the team came in 3rd place, losing to California State University - Sacramento and the University of Houston. In Qualifier 2, the team once again came in 3rd place, losing to St. John's University and the University of Nevada - Las Vegas.
Our team gave it their all for those many hours of back-to-back games and never lost hope in their potential and skill. Despite not qualifying, they still are extremely motivated towards getting better, both individually and as a team, and are excited to see what collegiate opportunities occur next year with the game.
Coach Gundry is extremely proud of the team, never losing faith in them, and is excited to see just how far these passionate student-athletes can go. We had the pleasure to interview him in depth to get some of his thoughts about the team, coaching for a new game, and what the future possibilities look like to him.
Q: Could you introduce yourself for anyone who may not know who you are and what your position at UNH is?
Coach Gundry: "Hello everyone! For those unaware, my name is Bryson and I have been coaching at UNH for a few years now! I currently am one of the Head Coaches alongside Speedrush, and I coach Rocket League, Call of Duty, Apex Legends and recently took upon Marvel Rivals as it just came out."
Q: How would you describe yourself as a coach? What do you think are the most important characteristics to have, especially when working with collegiate players?
Coach Gundry: "I would describe myself as a people person above all. One of my favorite words, and one I use so much inside my coaching, is perspective. I truly believe we are all unique in our perspectives, and oftentimes we need to take a step back and look not only how others think - but also how they got to that point. I truly want my students to become better people and adults through esports, as so many characteristics (communication, teamwork, etc.) are applicable to the real world."
Q: Can you explain a bit about where the process for deciding to create a team for this new game came from?
Coach Gundry: "Honestly this game was a bit different than our other titles, as we didn't have a ton of time and notice with the leagues we participate in. As it just came out, it was a game that I got extreme interest in, so as soon as I heard NECC wanted to host a league, I jumped all in!"
Q: How does it feel coaching for a brand new game in terms of creating team compositions, practicing maps, planning strategies?
Coach Gundry: "It honestly feels great, as there are so many different perspectives to look at - both from the player and from the game. It really is unique with how dynamic the game plays, and how many different team comps, strats, etc. we can create. It has been a breath of fresh air overall for myself as well, as I have been doing games like Rocket League for so long!"
Q: How do you go about approaching coaching for such a large roster while the game is 6 v 6?
Coach Gundry: "As stated in a previous answer, this is one of those unique games that does allow us to expand our typical roster past roster size of the game, since it is so dynamic. For example, we have players that specialize in certain heroes - and that can then fit into specific team compositions and even into specific maps. It can be a double edged sword, as there are a lot of voices and opinions to be had, and players with the hunger to play."
Q: How did this team come together? Trials? Selected members?
Coach Gundry: "Single day tryouts as we were time crunched with tournament start - inhouse style."
Q: How does it feel working with this team, especially with such a large roster, both in and out of game?
Coach Gundry: "It has been a blessing! These students are truly awesome, they come with a hunger and desire to improve and compete. These are things you really can't teach a lot of the time."
Q: In game, with players coming from a very similar hero-shooter game, how do you feel the transition has been in terms of learning roles and characters?
Coach Gundry: "Honestly pretty seamlessly, they have been easily able to transfer skills to (and honestly teach me at the same time) this game and its intricate flow."
Q: Out of game, what are the guys like? Do you find that they already get along well together due to mostly being teammates on the OW team? Even with the blending of Varsity and JV?
Coach Gundry: "They are quite the group of strong personalities! Again, they have really been a blast to get to know and coach, they are a group with a lot of energy and strong opinions. This truly does help the team grow and improve, as many students don't have that fire within them. They do get along well, and I believe a lot in part of that has to do with their experiences together playing Overwatch (both Varsity and JV). As always with teams and families, there are differing opinions and occasional bickering, but that is all a part of the process for us to improve as people."
Q: What is your opinion on the current state of play in Rivals?
Coach Gundry: "I think the current state of this game is pretty great, all things considered. This is an extremely new game, as we are just about to go into Season 2. With that, there is a ton of polish that will come over time with the game. The dev team has already done a stand up job with updates as the game has progressed."
Q: Regarding game development, it has a pretty openly active dev squad in terms of communication with the player base about updates, issues, and future character release. How does that make you feel about working with the game?
Coach Gundry: "It is such a breath of fresh air when developers are this active with communication with their game. I have been playing competitive games for well over a decade, and I have seen and been a part of the absolute worst companies that create these competitive games. It is so exciting to see a change in the scene, and that change can be made."
Q: How do you feel about the game content in terms of mechanical play, character variability, and team composition viability.
Coach Gundry: "It is easily one of the most advanced in terms of all things mechanical. With characters and team compositions, I have not seen anything as impressive since League of Legends. I also think the character design and compositions within that game are also top notch. Marvel Rivals has taken that to another level in my opinion, as each character truly feels so unique and holds a purpose within the game."
Q: How do you feel about the future of Marvel Rivals in terms of competitive play? Do you hope to see the integration of the game into an official league?
Coach Gundry: "I think it will easily blow up into a Tier 1 esport. The numbers on the game still look amazing and esports organizations are already fully signing rosters. I sure hope they do implement it into an official league, and I think they will!"
Q: Is there anything else you want to add or say about the future of the game/team/league/etc?
Coach Gundry: "Nothing other than I look forward to the success of the team and this game!"
It's evident through his words that Coach Gundry's enthusiasm for the game burns just as bright as the players. With several years of coaching experience under his belt and a tactical yet compassionate approach, the possibilities for this team to grow and reach new heights seems like a guarantee. This is the beginning of a new legacy for UNH, a family built within the reignited passion of players and coach alike, with high hopes and the drive to make them happen.
There are already new opportunities on the horizon to prove their might such as the Connecticut Esports Showcase hosted by Sacred Heart University happening April 1st through the 13th. We are so excited to see where this team will go, and we wish them the best of luck with their endeavours.
