DaSean Wade Neclos, Jr from North Carolina A&T and Kiara Davis from Tennessee State Take Home Madden NFL Tournament Titles
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on February 12, 2024 The National Football League crowned its newest champions during the fourth annual EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 24 x HBCU Tournament which was revealed tonight during its highlight show on the NFL’s official YouTube channel. DaSean Wade Neclos, Jr from North Carolina A&T University captured the men’s bracket, while Kiara Davis from Tennessee State University won the first-ever women’s bracket during the competition held during the week leading up to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando. In total, eight HBCU students punched their tickets through men’s and women’s open qualifiers and video submissions to Orlando to compete at the EA Studio and participate in an “experienceship” with the NFL to learn about the business side of sports and gaming throughout the week. “This is my third appearance in this tournament which has included two trips to the Super Bowl and now the Pro Bowl Games, so this has been an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Neclos, who represented the Buffalo Bills in his 28-22 win and became a back-to-back winner of the tournament. “I hope to see more HBCU students participate in the coming years, because these experiences are unforgettable, and it’s so great to have the NFL behind them.” “Winning was an amazing feeling and was a great opportunity for me as a Black female, but honestly, Tennessee State University is the real winner,” said Davis, who played as the Pittsburgh Steelers in her 21-13 victory. “This win proves esports can be a powerful platform for HBCUs, and that’s just the beginning for Tennessee State University’s H.E.A.T (Highly Exclusive Academic esports Team).” NFL Legend, lecturer and esports coach Ahman Green, ESPN commentator and HBCU graduate Tiffany Greene, and NFL Legend DeSean Jackson hosted the tournament which featured prizes and support from official partners of the NFL, including Igloo, G-III, New Era, Sporticulture, Rico, Zippo, SOAR (Prime Brands Group), Microsoft, Dream Seat and Fan Creations. The tournament concluded with the NFL Showmatch with Neclos and Jackson (the DeSeans) playing as the Eagles and defeating Davis and Green, representing the Chiefs, with a final score of 51-37. “Opportunities like this shine a big light on HBCUs and the great thing about light is it reveals truth. The truth is HBCUs are still incredibly valuable, said Tiffany Greene. “The NFL recognizes that and continues to pour into this rich base of talent through unique events like this. The vision to expand this tournament to include women and show the possibilities beyond gaming is a reflection of forward thinking.” In addition to competing, the students participated in the NFL experienceship, including job shadowing with NFL executives, meeting EA executives behind the popular Madden NFL video game franchises, touring Camping World Stadium, attending a special Disney on the Yard activation, and interacting with NFL players at the Pro Bowl Games events. “This year’s HBCU students truly represented our vision for this program as part of the NFL's commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in both traditional sports and esports,” said Ed Kiang, vice president of video gaming for the NFL. “Everyone involved from EA to all of our partners worked hard to deliver a memorable experience for the students, and we hope we have inspired them to pursue their careers with passion leveraging gaming as a springboard to achieve them.” Madden NFL 24 HBCU Student Finalists included Dametri Hill (Fort Valley State University), DeSean Wade Neclos, Jr (North Carolina A&T University), and Alon Anwoju (Albany State University) in the men’s bracket, Tennessee State University’s Egypt Garrett and Kiara Davis in the women’s bracket, and Florida A&M University’s Taylor Adams, Ernest Walker, and Germaine Bozeman as the video applicant finalists. The NFL partnered with Rally Cry, a gaming technology company that builds inclusive gaming experiences for players of all ages and skill levels, who managed the marketing, qualifiers, registration, tournament execution and broadcast. For more information about the Madden NFL 24 x HBCU Tournament, visit https://hbcutournament.nfl.com/. # # # About the NFL HBCU Initiative In May 2016, the NFL launched Strength of HBCUs, Impacting Pro Football Since 1948 in partnership with two prominent HBCU athletic conferences — the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The initiative has since expanded to also include other conferences and schools to recognize and strengthen its relationships with HBCUs across the country. Through these relationships, the NFL has developed several HBCU-focused programs to educate and connect students to careers in football administration and the sports industry at large. About Electronic Arts Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. In fiscal year 2023, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.4 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FC™, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news. EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS FC, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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