This summer, Maverick Esports gamer Alysha “Razor” Strunk is riding a wave of success as a member of the Toronto Tsunami, a Canadian all-women Call of Duty competition team.
A senior sport management major from Nicollet, Minn., Alysha is the latest rising star in the esports world after being recruited this spring. The all-women’s Toronto team currently holds second place ranking with a record of 11-1.
In a competitive first-person shooter game frequently dominated by male players, Alysha’s passion for playing Call of Duty was sparked by squaring off against her two brothers. Her casual hobby took a leap when she discovered gaming at Minnesota State Mankato and its Maverick Esports intercollegiate program.
“I wasn’t really familiar with esports. I just thought it was really cool,” Alysha said. “I decided to reach out to the head coach, Jacquie Lamm.”
Impressed by Alysha’s skills, Lamm welcomed her to the team. Playing in the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) League, Alysha’s Call of Duty team placed first in its division. The Call of Duty team also won at in-person play at Maverick Esports first annual Rockstar Energy Invitational intercollegiate tournament last October.
This spring, Alysha, the only current female member of the Maverick Esports team, learned that the Tsunami was hosting team tryouts.
“I saw it on social media. I guess I’ll try out,” she said. “After I tried out, they were instantly, like, ‘we want you. We want you on the team.’”
Originally signed as a substitute player in June, Alysha soon moved up when one of the four main team players dropped out. She started competing with the team two days later.
Call of Duty involves four players competing in three different game modes: hard point, search and destroy and control. Her role as an Assault Rifle (AR) player requires her to provide strategic guidance to her teammates while holding down key areas of the map, denying enemy advances, and establishing a strong presence in strategic positions.
Returning to her final year at Minnesota State Mankato this fall, Alysha, for now, continues her journey with the Toronto Tsunami playing remoting on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. She also looks forward to rejoining her Maverick Esports teammates.
“I love being part of it. I’d say we’re all pretty great friends,” she said. “I’m probably gaming with my teammates every night.”
As she looks to her future, that gaming enthusiasm is shaping career opportunities.
“I would love to work in the esports industry or own an organization of my own. I think that would probably be my dream job,” Alysha said.
Established in 2020, Maverick Esports is the official varsity esports program at Minnesota State University, Mankato and a member of NACE. The program began competing in Spring 2021 with competition in Rocket League, Call of Duty, Super SMASH Bros. Ultimate, League of Legends and iRacing. Varsity athletes uphold academic integrity and train for competition in the program’s Esports Training Facility with specialized equipment and coaches.
