Lindsborg, Kan. – The Bethany College Department of Athletics has announced that Jacob Rudolph will be the next Director of Esports Club.
“We are excited to have Jacob Rudolph join us as the Director of Esports Club,” said Dean of Athletics Laura Moreno. “We sincerely thank former director Blake Mitchell and all of his work with the program over the past 5 years, along with Assistant Director Nate Patterson for his work as well. Jacob’s enthusiasm and positivity will be an asset as he continues to build on the strong foundation of the Esports program.”
Jacob is currently an Admissions and Financial Aid Counselor for Bethany College as he has been doing so for a year. Before arriving at Bethany College, he was a Mental Health Counselor at his local YMCA as well as a swimming coach back home in Washington.
Moreno continued on to say: “We are excited to have the Esports Club continue to strengthen its connection with campus, as Jacob already works on campus as an Admissions and Financial Aid Counselor and will provide another connection point for students on campus. We are thrilled to now partner with him on the Athletics side and look forward to what’s ahead for Swedes Esports!”
Coach Rudolph started his gaming career playing on consoles like the PlayStation 2 and the Gameboy Advanced. Over time, he developed a love for the Xbox franchise and played games like Halo and Call of Duty through High School. More recently, in his spare time, Jacob has been enjoying more recent and popular titles with his peers like Fortnite and Marvel Rivals on his PC and Xbox while still receiving updates and staying in touch with events happening in his game library and communities through Discord.
Jacob is no stranger to competition as he used to swim competitively all through high school and college. He was a state-level qualifier in high school and a four-time national qualifier in both relays and individual events while attending Tabor College.
“After spending some time coaching competitive swimming, I am ready to bring my skills to Bethany College and the Esports program,” said newly named Director Jacob Rudolph. “Being a regular gamer myself on screen and in person, the competitive spirit lives in all aspects of gaming. Outside of competition, I want our players to know that they are more than their talents. Their skills are the tool to help them succeed beyond college, and their abilities beyond competition are the tool to help all they encounter be successful and thrive. I’m very excited for this opportunity personally and professionally and look forward to helping our players and the team exceed their own expectations.”
Jacob holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Tabor College in 2020. He is currently working on obtaining his master’s degree in Psychology from Grand Canyon University.
