RIVER FALLS, Wis. — UW-River Falls athletics director Crystal Lanning announced today, July 21, the appointment of Dylan Gentilcore as the inaugural head coach of the UWRF Esports program.

In June of 2022, UWRF announced esports as its 18th varsity intercollegiate program. The brand-new Falcon Athletics program will be coed and will have a dedicated esports arena ready in the fall of 2022 in the Chalmer Davee Library, preparing to compete at the varsity level during the 2023-24 academic year. 

Esports, also known as competitive gaming or electronic sports, has become popular with students on college campuses across the country. UWRF will become the second WIAC member school to add esports as a varsity sport, following UW-Stout.

Gentilcore, a native of Carmel, Ind., comes to River Falls as a Co-Director of the Indiana Esports Network and the founder, coach, and director of the esports program at Carmel High School, developed in 2018.

"I am excited to welcome Coach Gentilcore to UW-River Falls as our first head esports coach," said Lanning. "He has experience building highly successful esports programs, while also creating a positive student-athlete experience. I am looking forward to working with Coach Gentilcore to build a competitive program here at UWRF."

As a founding member of the Indiana Esports Network, Gentilcore led and developed esports competitions for all Indiana secondary schools. He oversaw all sponsorships, recruitment, tournament organization, and more.

At Carmel, Gentilcore coached over 100 student-athletes with more than 20 rosters annually and won over 40 national and regional championships including 32 Indiana state championships. In addition to his esports coaching at Carmel, he taught communication, literature & theatre, and was the debate coach.

Gentilcore graduated with honors from Indiana State University in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in theatre and went on to receive a master's degree in secondary education at Earlham College in 2017.

"UWRF has all the pieces in place to execute a successful esports program," Gentilcore commented. "After building a strong culture from the ground up with my students at Carmel Esports, I'm excited to have the opportunity to not only repeat that success but work with the excellent staff and students at UWRF to create the most holistic and student-centered esports program possible." 

Specific game offerings for Falcon Esports student-athletes and involvement in a national governing body is to be determined. Gentilcore's scheduled start date is Aug. 8 and will have the full year to recruit and build a competitive schedule in preparation for the inaugural varsity season in 2023-24.