SXU Esports Welcomes New Coordinator
Saint Xavier University (SXU) is proud to announce its selection of Matt Paliganoff as esports coordinator. Paliganoff comes to SXU from Illinois Wesleyan University, where he served as assistant coordinator and Overwatch coach since 2022. With several years of coaching experience and experience as an undergraduate esports player, Paliganoff aims to take SXU esports to new heights.
Paliganoff's esports career began at Illinois State University, where he joined the varsity esports program as a scholarship recipient. In their second semester, the team ranked in the top 20 in the nation for Overwatch. After he graduated in 2022, he began his service as a coach and assistant director of esports for Illinois Wesleyan, helping the team to rank 18th nationally and win multiple competitions and LAN tournaments. He also created and hosted a regional collegiate tournament.
After a successful run as a competitor and coach, Paliganoff wanted to take his career further and direct a program. He looks forward to his work at Saint Xavier and creating even better opportunities for the Midwest esports community.
"SXU really stood out to me in its location in Chicago, as well as the potential it has under its athletics program. It's clear that esports has a strong home in SXU Athletics, and I believe we have the right resources to grow in a way that can create meaningful impact for our students. Some of my plans include expanding and enhancing the space available to our students, creating intercollegiate events hosted on the SXU campus, and supporting a culture of academic success, improvement and competition within the esports team," said Paliganoff.
One of Paliganoff's goals is to increase the awareness of esports on the SXU campus.
"I am looking forward to bringing more accessibility to the sport and helping to educate people on the opportunities here. We have a fantastic facility, offer travel and competition opportunities to our players, and provide scholarships to assist in their education. Being a part of SXU Athletics gives us a healthy community to partner with and support," said Paliganoff.
Paliganoff grew up in the Chicagoland area and appreciates the opportunity to be back and continue doing work he is passionate about. He hopes to set the standard of what a successful esports team can be in his new role.
"I hope that my students will be able to take their passion for esports and turn it into a positive social outlet, and also learn soft skills from their time within the teams or our esports staff opportunities. Professionalism, communication, and self-reflection are among the skills I like to emphasize for my student-athletes, and I will be working from the ground up to ensure they have everything they need to compete and achieve victory."