SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- On Sunday, November 1, the Mario Kart team competed in the championship match of Mario Kart 8 in division 7 in the Collegiate Karting League against the undefeated Ohio Wesleyan University.
JBU Esports piloted Mario Kart as a new team in the fall of 2024. Current President of esports, Mario Miranda (of no relation to the beloved cartoon plumber), serves as captain and has been a member of the team since its first season.
About the final match, Mario said, "Going into this match, we knew it wasn't going to be the easiest...We took it as a learning experience and did the best we could. We were glad to have made it into the finals, especially going in with half the roster as rookies. It's impressive and we're really proud of how we did, considering everything that's been thrown at us."
Consistently eliminated during the semi-final round of playoffs, this fall marks the second time the team has reached the finals since its inception. The team's first finals occurred in April of 2025 against Wartburg College in Iowa.
The current team roster includes Mario Miranda (Sr.), Oak Martin (Grad), John Martin (Jr.) Lillian Martin (So.), Clara Decker (So.), Lex Richter (Jr.), Cameron Boehmer (Fr.), Joseph Hong (Fr.), and Andres Diaz (Jr.).
The Mario Kart team plays two seasons per semester; Mario Kart 8 in the first half, and Mario Kart World, a newer title released in 2025, in the second.
"We're excited to run it back again with refined skills. World is a bit of a challenge since it is so new. The saturation is higher because there are fewer schools that play World, so the divisions are smaller and the competition is steeper."
Coming off their performance in this championship round, the team is eager to move into the next phase of competition and out-race their opponents.
The Mario Kart team will host the first open tournament of the year for the esports department, this Saturday, November 7 at 3 PM in the Bynum Theater Esports Arena. Registration closes on November 6. Students, recruits, alumni, staff, and faculty may register both solo players to be assigned a partner, or as duos.
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