SCHEDULE
To Be Announced
TOURNAMENT
We are thrilled to announce that, for the first time, MAGE will be at the Mid-America Center, featuring Overwatch 2, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournaments. Grab some teammates and compete for your chance to walk away with money and an event to add to your growing fame. Teams will compete against one another for a chance to win prizes and be crowned the top team at MAGE 23.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Team up with friends on all platforms and dive into the reimagined PvP experience as a time-jumping freedom fighter, a beat-dropping battlefield DJ, or one of over 30 other unique heroes as you battle it out around the globe.
At MAGE ’23, we will see..
ROCKET LEAGUE
Play soccer with rocket powered cars. Teams of three work together to use the arena to win. Players use each other, and their own technical flying skills, to control their cars and play the ball. Rocket boost packs litter the playing field, which players can use to move very fast, or even fly into the air. This creates points of contention between players as they battle to score goals and to win!
At MAGE ’23, we will see…
PANELS
College and Esports
Friday, November 19th – 7:00 pm
What professional and educational options are available in the esports world? Our MAGE panelists will share opportunities that are available to you in college and beyond as they break down their experiences and highlight paths that are open in gaming.
PANELISTS
Ian Alumbaugh – Director of Esports/Assistant Athletic Director at Iowa Western Community College
Ian Alumbaugh enters his first season as the Director of Esports at Iowa Western Community College. Alumbaugh oversees the Esport program’s formation, facility development, player recruitment, and administrative responsibilities as the team prepares for it’s first season in Spring 2022. Most recently, Alumbaugh worked in Student Affairs at Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kansas. At Cowley, he assisted with housing, student life, and athletic gameday management. He also sponsored the Gaming club with an interest of the team competing competitively prior to his departure in August of 2021.
Prof. Samanga Amarasinghe, BA., BSc., MA., Mphil., PhD (ABD) – Head Coach of eSports and Adjunct Professor at Bellevue University
Professor Samanga Amarasinghe is a Sri Lankan-born first-generation American reading for his Ph.D. at the Walden University. Amarasinghe is a multidisciplinary academic specialized in many disciplines, as well as being a published author and an Adjunct Professor with Bellevue University. Amarasinghe is also the Bellevue University Head Esports Coach for the past 3 years. Within his capacity as the Esports Coach, he also plays an active role with both the National Associaiton of Collegiate Esports, and the National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors.
Jared Amundson – Esports Coach at Morningside University
Jared Amundson was named Morningside University’s head esports coach in July 2020. He’s no stranger to Mustang sports fans, earning second team All American recognition and three All-Great Plains Athletic Conference honors as a placekicker for the football team. The football team won a national championship in 2018. He also played on the former esports club team as an undergraduate.
Jordan Williams – Esports Coach, Midland University
Jordan Williams is the Esports Director for Midland University. He joined Midland’s Esports Program in it’s first official varsity semester in Fall of 2017, competing in Overwatch and Hearthstone before transitioning to a team management and stream production role. He graduated from Midland this May with a dual major in Communication Studies and Digital Marketing.
MODERATOR
Ahman R. Green – Esports Head Coach at Lakeland University
Ahman Green might be best known in Wisconsin for his Hall of Fame career with the Green Bay Packers, but he is also an eSports enthusiast. Green, an eSports entrepreneur and longtime player, was named the first coach of Lakeland University’s new eSports program. Green is a broadcast personality for the professional eSports team Tempo Storm and he also hosted a weekly eSports talk show, True Game Fans Network.
Women in Gaming
Saturday, November 20th – 12 pm
The MAGE Women in Gaming panel will highlight and champion females in the esports universe. Our panelists will divulge hurdles they’ve overcome in a male dominated space, what skills they’ve sharpened in being a minority, the growth and accomplishments for women in gaming, and what the future looks like for girls in gaming.
PANELISTS
Verta Maloney – Co-founder and Chief Community Officer at *gamerHERs
Verta Maloney is a co-founder and the Chief Community Officer of *gameHERs, a women-led company and community dedicated to amplifying and centering the voices of women, femme-identifying gamers and non-binary gamers who are comfortable in spaces that center women.
Freya Marquardt – Manager/Player, Torrent Women’s Rocket League
Freya is the team manager and substitute player for Torrent White, Torrent’s women’s team in Rocket League. She is also known as a premiere graphic designer in the Rocket League and Star Wars Squadrons esports communities. Her credits include tournament overlays for Shine Media Live broadcasts (Rocket League), Women’s Carball Championships (Rocket League), The Calrissian Cup (Star Wars Squadrons), and Twin Suns (Star Wars Squadrons); as well as many other logos, animations, video editing, and other miscellaneous projects for content creators and local businesses alike!
catjeans — Manager, Kansas City Pioneers
Jenna or “catjeans” is the manager of the Kansas City Pioneers, both of their main roster and their womens “KCP Gold” roster. She has been involved in professional Rocket League management since March 2021, but has been in the esports management world since 2018 where she attended Michigan State University as the President of the RL club & the Human Resources Director of the Esports Association.
Neatoqueen — Content Creator, Spacestation Gaming
Neato has been a gamer her whole life thanks to her mom! For the past four years, Neato has been able to create a community on multiple social media platforms surrounding gaming and is full-time partnered Twitch streamer. Now as a content creator for Spacestation Gaming, her goals revolve around reminding gamers to be kind to others online & taking steps to make the whole gaming space a better place.
MODERATOR
Charles Mitchell – Commissioner, Women’s Car Ball Championship and Director of Events for Kansas City Pioneers
Charles Mitchell is the owner and commissioner of the Women’s Car Ball Championship (WCBC) as well as the Director of Events for the Kansas City Pioneers. He has an extensive background in tournament organizing and managing esports teams and esports organizations. He champions equality in women’s esports, and developed the WCBC to help more women make it to the highest levels of Rocket League. His goal is to see more women playing, casting, broadcasting, and leading teams at the highest levels of esports and to encourage more women to get into the gaming scene themselves.
Esports and Problem Solving
Saturday, November 20th – 2 pm
Esports is not just playing video games. In this discussion, our MAGE panelists will highlight the skills gamers acquire. How can the strategy, logic, patience, perseverance, risk, and concentration used in esports translate into the actual world? We will review parlaying these talents into your school and work life.
PANELISTS
Katie Potter – Marketing Manager at Riverside Technologies, Inc.
Katie Potter leads the Field Marketing Team at RTI. She graduated with her undergrad at Peru State College, and with her Master’s Degree from Creighton University. Katie joined the RTI team at the start of 2017. Riverside Technologies, Inc. (RTI) is an IT service provider. With eSports on the rise; gaming requires the right hardware, furniture, and accessories. With RTI’s next-level gaming solutions and equipment, you get the performance that competition requires, professional-grade accessories, innovative new form factors, and cutting-edge hardware with power that won’t hold you back.
Robert Dickson – CIO at Wichita Public Schools
Rob Dickson is the Chief Information Officer for Wichita Public Schools, the largest school district in Kansas. The district serves 50,000 students with 94 schools and programs and employs nearly 10,000 professionals. He recently received the 2021 Orbie Kansas City CIO of the Year award in Public Sector. He started and now oversees their virtual school, Education Imagine Academy, which achieved maximum capacity of 500 students in its first year. In addition, through collaboration with Wichita State University, he helped start and now oversees an esports program in all of our secondary schools.
Kim Beck – Director of Esports for Prairie Stem
Kimberly received her Bachelor in Music Education degree from UNO, her Masters in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Music and Technology from UNO, her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane University, and her Masters in Computer Science Education from UNO. Kimberly is currently the Computer Science Teacher and Esports Coach at Gretna High School, and is finishing her fifth year there. She is currently the President of the Metro Omaha chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association. Kimberly is extremely passionate about gaming and is the Director of eSports for the local non-profit, Prairie STEM. Prairie STEM is committed to eSports and has been holding monthly charity tournaments for area school-aged students for over a year.
Jules Worl – IT Professional with Council Bluffs School District
Jules Worl is an IT professional employed with the Council Bluffs School District since 2000. He has played a key role in the development and introduction of the esports programs at the two Council Bluffs high schools, which were introduced this fall.
Prof. Samanga Amarasinghe, BA., BSc., MA., Mphil., PhD (ABD) – Head Coach of eSports and Adjunct Professor at Bellevue University
Professor Samanga Amarasinghe is a Sri Lankan-born first-generation American reading for his Ph.D. at the Walden University. Amarasinghe is a multidisciplinary academic specialized in many disciplines, as well as being a published author and an Adjunct Professor with Bellevue University. Amarasinghe is also the Bellevue University Head Esports Coach for the past 3 years. Within his capacity as the Esports Coach, he also plays an active role with both the National Associaiton of Collegiate Esports, and the National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors.
MODERATOR
Riverside Technologies, Inc. (RTI)
Riverside Technologies, Inc. (RTI) is an IT service provider. With eSports on the rise; gaming requires the right hardware, furniture, and accessories. With RTI’s next-level gaming solutions and equipment, you get the performance that competition requires, professional-grade accessories, innovative new form factors, and cutting-edge hardware with power that won’t hold you back.
EXPO INFO
The MAGE Gamers Expo will offer a deep dive into the latest in gaming. Vendors will provide interactive experiences bringing together developers, creatives and gamers.
- 89.7 The River (Friday only)
- AIM
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Nebraska
- Anime NebrasKON
- Council Bluffs Community School District
- Fractal Design North America
- Gamers Oasis Café
- Hy-Vee
- Iowa Western Community College
- MAGE Souvenirs/SMASH Bros
- Omaha Virtual Reality
- Prairie STEM
- Riverside Technologies (RTI)
- RTS Free Play Area (Friday only)
- Scentsy
- YMCA of Greater Omaha
MAGE RAGE
Arena – Saturday, November 20th – 8-11pm
Check out the MAGE Rage on Saturday, November 20th from 8 – 11 pm on the Arena Dancefloor at the Mid-America Center. Your one-day ticket will get you all the fun with two of the Metro’s best DJs … DJ Anonagon and DJ Crabrangucci. This dance party will also feature the amazing LED pixel creations and interactive art work of Omaha Circus Arts and a few other special surprises … all FREE with your one-day ticket to MAGE!
OMAHA CIRCUS ACTS
Omaha Circus Arts is an Omaha-based variety entertainment company that blends traditional cirque skills with the technology of the future. They will be featuring an LED performance that will dazzle audiences with video game imagery. There will also be an interactive station where you can take control of projected images.
MUSIC
DJ Crabrangucci
One of the most booked DJ’s in Omaha right now, and certainly the go-to for events that want a fresh take on music, Chalis Bristol aka crabrangucci plays everything from indie rock to house music to Korean Pop. A 2020 OEAA Best-DJ nominee, MAHA ’21 headlining DJ, and recently featured in Omaha Magazine, Chalis currently has residencies at the Sydney and the Shakedown in Benson and Bar 39 in Blackstone, and played 100+ shows in 2019 – everywhere from the College World Series to the Waiting Room to Baxter Arena.
DJ Anonagon
Anonagon is an up-and-coming talent, glitching his way into the local electronic dance music scene within the Midwest. In his free time, you might catch him expanding his repertoire of anime, sweating in competitive multiplayer video games, or attempting to git gud with his musical talents. Playing a variety of styles such as future bass, dubstep, techno, house or all of the above, this DJ draws his inspiration from artists such as Porter Robinson, i_o, Deadmau5, and a healthy addiction of Pop Punk/Alternative Rock music.