Sophomores Cindy Santana and Colin Brusse will serve as co-captains for LVC's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) team this season after strong campaigns as first-year players. 
 
SSBU is a game in which players battle against their opponents in an attempt to knock them off the stage and out of the arena where they are competing. Santana and Brusse have guided Lebanon Valley's SSBU team to an impressive start this fall, as the squad won each of its first five competitions. 
 
Santana initially began playing the game with her friends and then watching professional tournaments on Twitch, the live streaming service. She soon realized she wanted to compete at a higher level. 
 
"I started playing about four years ago when I got the game as a Christmas gift from friends," Santana said. "I could have never imagined that I would be leading a team of players who share this feeling with me, so it means a lot. I was surprised when I received an offer to be the captain of the SSBU team."
 
Brusse joined Lebanon Valley's Esports team with about three years of experience playing SSBU and competed in online tournaments in high school. The sophomore found success in these competitions, defeating several top players. As a captain, Brusse said he has particularly focused on mentoring the team's newer players.
 
"We have a lot of young players on the team," Brusse said. "My main goal is to get them accustomed to the competitive format and help them grow as players."
 
Santana echoed a similar sentiment to Brusse, expressing that she has enjoyed helping first-year players adjust to playing the game against a higher level of competition.
 
"I learned how to navigate and compete at a collegiate and local level from my co-captain, Colin Brusse, and last year's captain, John Wood '25," Santana said. "I made it a goal to relay this knowledge to the newer folks so they can navigate the sets without confusion." 
 
Santana is majoring in Digital Communications and Interaction Design and is the President of the DigiVal (Digital Valley) Club, which is in the process of being developed. This club is for all students interested in technology and emerging media. The group invites leaders in the industry to speak on LVC's campus, holds fun social events, and allows students to collaborate and share ideas with others. She is also a member of the Asian Culture Club and serves as a resident assistant on campus.
 
Santana would like to combine what she is learning in her classes about digital media technology with her passion for Esports.
 
"One of my career goals is to work in a design firm or a game company as a concept artist or user interface (UI) designer," Santana said. "I love technology, video games, animation, and two-dimensional (2D) design."
 
When Brusse isn't gaming, he competes for Lebanon Valley's Men's Tennis squad. During the 2023-24 campaign, he helped the Dutchmen reach the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Final by posting a 12-7 singles record and contributing to three doubles victories. Brusse, an Actuarial Science major, is also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 
 
While competing for both teams and completing his coursework makes for a busy schedule, Brusse said he greatly enjoys being an Esports team member. 
 
"Esports has played a key role in my college experience," Brusse said. "I have befriended a great group of people, and I find Esports to be a great stress reliever from schoolwork and tennis competition. I am glad that I have been able to make a large contribution to this team. I wouldn't want it any other way."

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