COLUMBUS, Ohio - On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Capital University Director of Athletics Dr. Darrell Bailey Sr. announced Gidd Sasser as the school's first Director of Esports. Sasser comes to Capital with a multitude of experience in both the professional and collegiate Esports landscape.  
 
"We are excited to have Gidd Sasser join us to embrace this new concept of learning and competition through his expert guidance and proven Esports experience," said Dr. Bailey. "With him onboard, we are ready to foster a championship mindset, one match at a time!" 

"Gidd Sasser's track record speaks for itself," said Dr. Jared Tice, President of Capital University. His success as a three-time national champion and as a builder of elite Esports programs at the collegiate and professional levels gives Capital an immediate competitive advantage. His leadership positions us to enter the collegiate Esports landscape ready to compete, grow, and lead on the national stage."

Sasser is no stranger to success at the collegiate level, seeing much success in his six years as the Esports Director at Catawba College. He is a three-time national champion and five-time conference champion in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), earning ECAC Director of the Season in 2025 and ECAC Coach of the Season in 2024 along the way. 

Outside of collegiate program leadership, Sasser has also held held executive and operational roles across Esports and gaming organizations, including Director of Operations for Simplicity Esports & Gaming Company & Flamengo Esports (League of Legends franchise), a division of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.  Sasser has held several professional Esports leadership positions supporting talent development and competitive performance for organizations such as the Raleigh Black Flame, Bermuda, Skyfoxes, and the Detroit Renegades.

Along with coaching, Sasser has a strong passion for teaching, spending the last five years as an Adjunct Professor at Rowan University.  He played a key role in expanding the curriculum at Rowan, teaching courses such as Introduction to Esports, Esports Streaming and Social Platforms, and Esports Operations and Strategies.  At Capital, Sasser will be involved in the Compliance Department to go with his role of Director of Esports.

"I am honored to join Capital University as the first Director of Esports," states Sasser. "This is an opportunity to help shape something new and lasting, including a pioneering Esports program and state-of-the-art facility for the Capital University campus. I am excited about the chance to build a culture where performance and people matter equally, creating a competitive, welcoming, student-centered space where students can compete at a high level, develop industry-relevant skills, develop lasting relationships, and find a community that truly values them. I'm incredibly grateful to President Jared Tice and Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Darrell Bailey Sr. for their trust and support. I am excited to build on the region's deep ties to Esports and provide additional opportunities for the strong Esports representation already thriving in our communities. This foundational moment gives us a unique chance to raise the bar for excellence while ensuring every student continues to feel seen, supported, and included. I can't wait to help our students represent Capital with pride."

Capital Athletics will be working with Esports Foundry to assist in the creation of the new Esports Arena, intending to establish an Esports center that functions as a recruitment differentiator, student engagement hub, academic resource, and competitive Esports environment. The center will support varsity esports, student clubs, workforce development, experiential learning, and campus-wide programming. "We are pleased to also be partnering with Esports Foundry who is an industry leader in designs and the building of Esports arenas," said Dr. Bailey. "Working with a local company is exciting to help us deliver this experience to our campus community."

Prospective student-athletes interested in the Esports program may complete an intake questionnaire by clicking here.