SOUTH BEND, Ind.---The Bethel Esports Team will host the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Playoffs on Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The event will be held in person at the Bendix LAN Center, with Friday's match commencing at 11 AM, and Saturday's match beginning at 9 AM. The playoffs are sponsored by Visit South Bend-Mishawaka. 

Bethel will host both the WHAC Rocket League and Overwatch competitions, but will only compete in Rocket League this season.

Following the Pilots' Rocket League wins over Aquinas (3-0) and Lawrence Tech (3-1) on Wednesday evening, Bethel now stands as the fifth seed in the playoffs.

The other WHAC seedings are as follows: Indiana Tech (first), Rochester Christian University (second), Siena Heights University (third), Saint Xavier University (Ill.) (fourth), and Lawrence Tech (sixth). 

Head Coach Jacob Rendall shared, "I'm very excited to announce that Bethel Esports will host the WHAC Esports Fall and Spring Playoffs this school year! Spectators are welcome to come out, watch the matches live, and enjoy the energy of the event. This is only our second year competing in WHAC Esports, and it's been incredibly competitive—our players have really enjoyed the challenge and growth it's brought. The LAN playoffs are always the highlight of each semester, and I know all the teams are eager and ready to get things underway."

Rendall continued, "We're especially grateful to have such an incredible venue like the Bendix Arena right here in our area. Not only do we use it regularly for practices, but their team is always a fantastic partner when it comes to hosting major events. We're thrilled to be back with them again for this tournament! A big shoutout as well to Visit South Bend Mishawaka (VSBM), serving as a sponsoring partner for this event. We've had the privilege of working with VSBM many times throughout our journey in Esports, and they consistently go above and beyond to support and promote our local community. We're so glad to have them on board!"

Sophomore Nick Graber (ba.ng) added, "LAN is a whole different experience — it's when every team is pushing to be their best. The ones who show the most grit in these final weeks are the ones who'll come out on top. We're working hard to put ourselves in that position."

Last year, Bethel finished fifth after missing out on the LAN last year. Regarding that setback and difficulty of schedule, Captain Gustavo Alvarez (Goose) shared, "Mistakes didn't define us — our effort did. When something seemed impossible, we turned it into our goal."

Fans can attend in person for the full experience, or follow along via the watch links on the Esports schedule at bupilots.com. 

For more information about Bethel Pilots Athletics, check out bupilots.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or X by searching @bupilots or #TheRightWayToPlay.