Southern University Computer Science Major Coby Robinson Wins National Esports Title, Marking A First For An HBCU – AfroTech
Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA, has made history in esports.
Southern University won the 2026 ECAC EA Sports College Football National Championship, becoming the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to do so, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. Coby Robinson, a computer science major with the gamertag K1NGC0BY, was crowned the ECAC EA Sports College Football 26 Division II national champion, according to Sports Illustrated. Robinson won the best-of-five series, defeating No. 1 seed Bellarmine University 38-29 in the final match to clinch the series 3-2.
“I feel great, happy, and accomplished because this has been a dream of mine,” said Robinson in a press release, according to Louisiana Weekly. “To see myself continuing to dominate and make history shows that I belong and that my dream is within reach.”
Christopher Turner, director and head coach of Southern University’s Esports and Digital Gaming Ecosystem (EDGE), wrote on LinkedIn:
“National Champions. No University Funding. No NIL. Watching Coby Robinson take home the ECAC Esports, Electronic Arts (EA) College Football National Championship proves exactly what I’ve been saying: our student-athletes possess elite talent, discipline, and competitive spirit. At the Southern University and A&M College- Baton Rouge Esports Digital Gaming Ecosystem, our athletes represent this institution with excellence — often in spite of limited resources, not because of them. We have proven that we can compete and win at the highest level.”
The university’s victory reflects the work of EDGE, which aims to become “the leading HBCU center for esports and digital gaming excellence,” according to its website. The program claims to position students to become digital creators and leaders through education, skill development, and community engagement.
“This is a monumental moment for Southern University and the entire HBCU landscape. We aren’t just participating in esports; we are setting the standard,” said Turner in a press release.
