Valorant Moves into NJCAAE DIII Final; Veronica Gibson Earns Third Place in Hearthstone

April 14, 2026 - - The Lorain County Community College Esports program continued its postseason run this week with standout performances across multiple titles, highlighted by a championship berth in Valorant and a podium finish in Hearthstone. The Commodores advanced through the NJCAAE Division III playoffs while also competing in Division I Super Smash Bros. Ultimate action.

Valorant (Division III Playoffs)

The No. 3-seeded Valorant team of Austin Lukachko (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS), Brody Taylor (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS), Braylon Zeman (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS), Kylie Zeman (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS), Tyler Misconish (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville HS), and Oliver Chambers (Collins, Ohio/Edison HS) continued its dominant postseason run.

LCCC opened the week with a 2-0 sweep over the College of DuPage in the quarterfinals.  The Commodores followed with another 2-0 victory over Brookdale Community College in the Final Four to secure a spot in the NJCAAE Division III National Championship match.

After falling behind 7-2 on the opening map, LCCC rallied to claim a 13-11 comeback win. The Commodores then controlled the second map, earning a decisive 13-2 victory to clinch the series.

For Brody Taylor, Braylon Zeman, Kylie Zeman, and Tyler Misconish, the championship berth represents a rewarding milestone, as the group has spent nearly two years competing together and building the chemistry that has fueled their postseason success.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Division I Playoffs)

Jerron Warner (Avon, Ohio/Avon HS) competed in the NJCAAE East 1 Region bracket as the No. 8 seed. Warner fell to top-seeded Brookdale Community College in the opening round before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over Lackawanna College.  Warner was eliminated by No. 2 seed Russell Bader of Daytona State Community College. 

Hearthstone (Division III Playoffs)

Veronica Gibson (Sandusky, Ohio/Trinity HS) secured a third-place finish in the NJCAAE Division III Tournament, earning a 2-1 victory over Finger Lakes Community College in the consolation match.

Austin Lukachko (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS) is set to compete for the NJCAAE Division III National Championship. Lukachko's title match has been moved to April 15 to accommodate his participation in Valorant postseason play.

Looking Ahead

LCCC will compete for a national title in Valorant following its Final Four victory, with championship match happening against the College of DuPage's Varsity squad on Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m.  Lukachko will also look to capture a national championship in Hearthstone on April 15, capping a strong postseason run for the Commodores.