BREAKING: Equinox Signs Tex, Unveils NOX Performance Academy

are the two big announcements out of Equinox Esports today — not even mentioning a first stage and an upcoming panel including OU’s Mike Aguilar.

Equinox Esports, the multi-million dollar start-up in the heart of Oklahoma City, signs the Valorant player Ian “Texerino” Botsch. After a couple weeks of teasing the unveiling, Equinox has officially revealed their signing of Tex.

A former CS:GO player, Texerino has shown his skills in Valorant recent matches playing alongside Equinox.

In the Winter tournament, Tex ranked 3rd just above Nox Captain David “DXN” Nguyen for highest average damage per round. This staging to be a clear get for Equinox Esports as the 2021 year begins.

The news comes as a welcome sight to Equinox fans after the team released Carlo “dcop” Delsol from the team as we head into 2021. Currently, Nox ranks 9th in North America according to THESPIKE.GG, and the change up in team could see the organization rise even further.

On joining the team, Tex said that “[It] feels like a dream; I’m incredibly blessed for this opportunity. This is my first professional contract, and I won’t let it go to waste.” This is by far Tex’s first big signing, so it will be interesting to see what direction this takes for both Tex and Nox.

More information available through Equinox’s press release.

Equinox Esports recent press release announced a new program for the Midwest esports community dubbed the NOX Performance Academy (NPA). Ariel “Aripanda” West describes it as a “growth-oriented academic venture” aiming to aid gaming athletes who strive to be in the growing esports industry. It’s open to anyone 13 and up, giving even K-12 students the opportunity to start learning the intricacies of esports as a career.

It is important to differentiate between this program and others. Equinox stresses that their approach will be fundamentally different than a “one size fits all” method. In particular, the alignment with academia and curriculum-building positions the NPA to be a unique avenue for esports education.

Dr. David Hanan, Vice President of Operations for Equinox states that “We want to bridge the gap between education and esports in a professional and formal way.” Dr. Hanan also mentions that sea of other programs; and how Equinox will stand out, saying “we assess and tailor everything we offer to the individual or team we’re working with.”

While the NPA will focus on in-game elements, the core of the project is to rethink the way students and aspiring athletes understand the industry. Connor Knudsen, Director of Competition for Equinox, highlights this by saying that “with a holistic focus on both mental and physical health and wellness, we seek to facilitate meaningful growth in all of the individuals we work with.”

From the release: “Prices for the NOX Performance Academy packages will vary depending on needs identified in initial assessments. For more information about NPA, contact David Hanan at david@equinox.team or Connor Knudsen at connor@equinox.team or call 405-254-6525.”

Equinox Esports, LLC., is the first professional esports organization to represent the state of Oklahoma. Equinox began development in early 2020 through the vision of founders Chad Ford, Chris Aguilar and Connor Knudsen. The organization is privately backed and powered by an Oklahoma-grown team of professionals with a combined 50 years of experience in the esports, higher education, marketing and cinema industries. The Equinox mission to cultivate esports athletes, produce quality content and elevate Oklahoma City through esports.

Ariel West
Director, Community and Communications
918-527-5114 | ariel@equinox.team

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