On Wednesday, Aug.30, the Board of Directors for the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) held their elections for the chair-elect position. Texas Wesleyan Director of Esports & Gaming and Adjunct Professor of Esports Eugene Frier was elected to serve in this role. This will be a two-year appointment, and then Frier will transition to serve as the Chair for the Board of Directors for the following two years. 

NACE is a collegiate esports membership association of over 250 institutions in the United States and Canada. The board of directors consists of 10 elected members who are responsible for initiating operational policies and overseeing all fiscal matters of NACE, as well as the supervision of the NACE Executive Director. 

“Eugene’s leadership has been pivotal to the collegiate esports landscape for years,” Current Chair of the NACE Board of Directors Sari Kitelyn said. “His presence on the NACE Board of Directors has brought increased strategy and visibility, particular in the areas of education and student advocacy. Eugene’s contributions have become a road map for newer collegiate programs, and with his unanimous election to the chair-elect position, we’ll get to feel his impact throughout the collegiate esports industry.” 

Frier has recently been involved in several exciting initiatives for NACE. In the lead up to the 2023 NACE Summer Convention, Frier served as the inaugural Chair of the Convention Planning Committee and helped streamline several processes to create a better overall convention experience for members, help take work off the plate of NACE office staff members, and get more members involved in contributing to the association. Frier was also on the task force from NACE that created an internship program with Esports Illustrated to provide experiential learning opportunities for students from member institutions. 

“NACE is fortunate that Eugene is willing to step back into a leadership role.  During his previous term as chair of the board, Eugene demonstrated a unique ability to cast a vision, motivate other leaders in the association and create support for the various initiatives being implemented,” said current NACE Board of Directors member and President & CEO of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Jim Carr. “I know Eugene will be just as effective in his 2nd term and I look forward to working with him to continue the growth trajectory of NACE.” 

When asked about his appointment, Frier spoke about his excitement in continuing the good work taking place at NACE, but also his excitement for learning more about the needs of membership in the ever-evolving landscape of collegiate esports. 

About NACE 

The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) operates as a nonprofit membership association, organized by and on behalf of member institutions. These member institutions collectively work on the development of essential structures and tools required for the advancement of collegiate esports within the varsity domain. Collaboration takes place in various key areas, namely Eligibility, Path to Graduation, Competition, and Scholarships. NACE holds the distinction of being the largest association of varsity esports programs of North American colleges and universities.