Adam Stanley Named Baylor University’s First Esports Director and Coach

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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Baylor University continues the rapid development of its collegiate esports program with the hire of Adam Stanley as the Bears’ first esports director and coach. Stanley comes to Baylor after developing Brewton-Parker College into a national esports powerhouse in which his teams won nine conference championships among other accolades.

Baylor will host the Texas Scholastic Esports Federation’s Undisputed State Championships May 1-3 at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, which will attract more than 1,500 high school competitors from across the state. Last December, Baylor hosted the Texas Esports League Fall Finals, which included more than 500 competitors.

Stanley will build on this momentum with the development of a University-sponsored competitive esports team, which will regularly participate in national tournaments, actively recruit esports student-athletes and offer scholarships for top talent.

“I’m humbled to have the opportunity to help build a comprehensive esports program at Baylor,” said Stanley, who earned a Master of Divinity degree from Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. “Esports and gaming culture can be a powerful tool for students to thrive – socially, emotionally, academically, competitively and spiritually. I’m thrilled that the institution I love recognizes the transformational potential of this massive, yet largely unengaged student population. As the scholastic esports ecosystem continues to grow, both collegiately and at the K-12 level, Baylor has a tremendous opportunity to inspire, guide and provide structure to students and programs eager for direction.”

Since 2021 at Brewton-Parker, a private Baptist-affiliated college in Georgia, Stanley’s teams were the 2022-23 Rocket League Champions of the Georgia Esports League, the 2023-24 Valorant Champions of the Southeastern Esports League and the Spring 2024 Eastern Collegiate Athletics Conference Fortnite (Trios) and Valorant Champions. Stanley, who also served as associate vice president of student development at Brewton-Parker, is on the board of directors for the National Association of Collegiate Esports.

“I'm confident that Baylor Esports will soon serve as a tangible example of Baylor’s Christian stewardship and Kingdom purposes in action,” Stanley said. “This program will be a catalyst for good, both on and off our beautiful campus.”

In addition to building Baylor Esports, Stanley will support the community gaming efforts of the University’s current club-level team, OSO Esports. He will work cooperatively with the Division of Marketing and Communications and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to supplement Baylor’s marketing and student recruitment efforts, as well as with academic units such as the School of Engineering and Computer Science in support of the University’s strategic plan, Baylor in Deeds.

“Adam is the perfect fit to build and lead Baylor Esports as he deeply understands our Christian mission to develop students into worldwide leaders and our institutional desire to compete at the highest levels, whether that’s in the classroom, research labs, intercollegiate athletics and now in esports,” said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer. “He is extremely well-respected in national esports circles and will immediately put Baylor on the collegiate esports map.”

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor ECS is advancing as a premier School of Engineering and Computer Science in research and education with a commitment to Christian values. Majors include bioinformatics, computer science, data science, cybersecurity, computer engineering, electrical and computer engineering, general engineering and mechanical engineering. ECS offers a number of graduate and PhD programs. We stand out from the crowd through Christian commitment, R1 research, a strong community, personalized career support, expert accessibility, and leading practical experience. Visit the ECS website to learn more and follow on Instagram and Facebook.