The 2025 League of Legends season marked a historic milestone for the Virginia Wesleyan University Esports program, as the Marlins captured both the NACE and ECAC Conference Championships for the first time in program history. Behind disciplined play and consistent teamwork, VWU finished the year with an impressive 16-1 combined record, establishing itself as a top program.

NACE Regular Season
Virginia Wesleyan entered NACE competition with a clear goal: set the tone early and control the regular season. The Marlins did just that, opening the season with five consecutive 2-0 victories, showcasing clean macro play and decisive teamfighting.

VWU opened league play with a 2-0 win over Southern Alberta Institute of Technology on September 16th before following up with another sweep against the University of West Georgia on September 23rd. The momentum continued as the Marlins defeated Bowling Green State University (Oct. 7th), Point Park University (Oct. 14th), and the University of the Cumberlands (Oct. 21st), all by identical 2-0 scorelines.

The test of the regular season came on October 28th against Lesley University, where VWU was pushed to three games. The Marlins responded by securing a 2-1 victory to finish the NACE regular season 6-0, earning the overall No. 1 seed heading into the postseason.

NACE Postseason
With the top seed, Virginia Wesleyan received a first round bye, allowing the team time to prepare for a postseason run. In the semifinals, VWU once again faced the University of West Georgia, delivering a commanding 2-0 victory to advance to the finals.

The championship match featured a rematch against Lesley University, the only team to take a game off the Marlins all season. This time, VWU left no doubt, sweeping the finals 2-0 to claim the NACE Conference Championship for the first time ever.

ECAC Regular Season
Competing in this League of Legend season, Virginia Wesleyan opened ECAC play with a 2-0 win over LoL Cardinals on October 4th. The Marlins faced their only setback of the entire season on October 10th, falling 2-1 to Saint Leo University.

VWU used there loss as motivation. The Marlins rattled off four straight victories, sweeping Long Island University (Oct. 17th), Penn State Behrend (Oct. 24th), and Boise State University (Nov. 14th). A pivotal 2-1 win over Southern Mississippi University on November 7th highlighted VWU's adaptability in high-pressure matches.

The strong finish earned Virginia Wesleyan the third overall seed in the ECAC postseason, qualifying among 24 teams from a 64 university field.

ECAC Postseason
Receiving a first round bye, the Marlins opened postseason play in the quarterfinals against Keiser University, securing a gritty 2-1 victory to advance. Momentum continued in the semifinals, where VWU dominated the Milwaukee School of Engineering with a decisive 2-0 sweep.

In the ECAC Championship Finals, Virginia Wesleyan faced Southern Mississippi University once again. After a competitive series, the Marlins earned a 3-1 victory to secure the ECAC Conference Championship, completing an extraordinary postseason run.

With NACE and ECAC Conference Championships, a 16-1 overall record, and multiple postseason sweeps, the 2025 season stands as the most successful campaign in VWU Esports history. The championship roster includes, Gavin Ashe, Anthony Florio, Zachary Stillwell, Eddie Atkins, Gabe Salubayba, David Gabbin, and Diego Miani. They set a new standard for excellence at Virginia Wesleyan as a national contender in collegiate League of Legends.