Austin Pantaleo has joined the Student Life staff at Glenville State University as the new Director of Pioneer eSports.

The Sewickley, Pennsylvania native comes to Glenville State after a successful career with the King University eSports team. In December 2023, Pantaleo’s Call of Duty team captured the National Association of Collegiate Esports Open Plus II division championship. Following an undefeated regular season, the team rolled through three other college teams to capture the title – the first Call of Duty national championship for King University. Pantaleo served as a Team Captain for the Tornado eSports program. 

He holds an MBA and bachelor’s degree in digital media, arts, and design, both from King University. Pantaleo also earned certification from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language for his abilities in speaking and teaching German.

“I am truly honored to be part of such an outstanding institution and to have the opportunity to build something special with the Pioneer eSports program. The support and positive energy from everyone on campus has been incredible and has set the tone for a strong start to the year,” said Pantaleo. “As Director of eSports at Glenville State University, my vision is to develop a program that not only competes for championships every semester, but also becomes globally recognized and welcoming to anyone who steps into our facility. With the resources we have in place, the potential is tremendous; it’s now time to take action and turn that potential into achievement,” he added. 

Outside of the eSports world, Pantaleo is an accomplished photographer, having captured images for EM magazine, Appalachian League Baseball, several universities and professional sports teams, celebrity chefs, media outlets, and more.

“We are really pleased to be bringing someone with Austin’s level of talent on board,” said Conner Ferguson, GSU’s Executive Director of Student Life. “His excitement about Pioneer eSports is contagious and his vision is exactly what the program needs. I predict nothing but great things with him at the helm of this program.”

Pioneer eSports began at Glenville State in 2020 and is housed in the Mollohan Campus Community Center in a 3,000 square foot space that includes a PC gaming area with custom-built Gravity Gaming PC’s, several console gaming stations, a game review area, and a virtual reality area.

For more information about Pioneer eSports, contact Pantaleo at Austin.Pantaleo@glenville.edu or connect with him on Twitter/X @iqapku.