MHSEL is hosted by Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) and Michigan Student Leadership (MSL). MSL also known as the Michigan Association of Student Councils & Honors Societies (MASC/MAHS).
Our mission is to provide safe, competitive and curricular environments that allow student athletes the opportunity to build critical skill sets, explore vast career paths and contribute to their school culture within esports.
Our vision is to be Michigan’s elite middle and high school esports league.
You can establish an esports program in your school with little to no experience while fitting any budget. All you need is computers/consoles, players and a coach, we provide everything else your esports program needs. Please refer to the information below to learn about esports and how to get started at your school.
Welcome to MHSEL
On our webpage you will find registration information, season info, titles, who is competing, past champions, resources and more! Through our platform partner, MHSEL offers a powerful online platform where schools can easily build teams, manage schedules, and track stats—all with real-time support. Students in grades 6-12 compete in up to top game titles, representing their schools in a true varsity esports experience.
Why Join MHSEL?
- Governance & Operations Manual updated May 2025.
- The MHSEL Governance & Operations Manual outlines key policies, rules and procedures for middle and high school leagues. It covers practices, leagues and divisions, pledges and more, guiding both participating schools and MHSEL staff in league operations and decision-making.
- Infographic updated Fall 2025
- Testimonials | What Michigan Schools Are Saying About Esports
- Video Testimonials Coming soon!
- Go to our section “Accolades: Awards, News & Media” for more!
Who is Playing & Past Michigan State Champions
Click here to view all previous champions & heat maps from each season
MHSEL Current Season Heat Map
Click to View Interactive Google Map
Annual Participation Fees
Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, MHSEL has transitioned to an annual school participation model. One annual participation fee provides schools with unlimited teams and unlimited student-athletes across both the Fall and Spring competitive seasons.
- Class A: $1,000
- Class B: $800
- Class C: $600
- Class D: $400
- Middle School: $200
- New schools participate at no cost during their first year.
These fees help ensure MHSEL can continue providing high-quality competitions, expanded opportunities, and outstanding support for Michigan’s scholastic esports community.
Find your school on MHSAA Website for your classification, https://www.mhsaa.com/schools, or use the Enrollment Breaks by Classes – 2026-27 (MHSAA Article) on number of students enrolled.
- Class A: 783 and above
- Class B: 358 – 782
- Class C: 167 – 357
- Class D: 166 and below
MHSEL Community E-Newsletter | Game On
Game On keeps educators up to date on esports and its impact on students. With content from students, coaches, and industry pros, it highlights how MHSEL helps schools use esports to expand opportunities and promote inclusivity.
Leagues & Game Titles Offered
Through our platform partnership with USAEL/RallyCry, MHSEL offers 19 game titles across four leagues. Michigan students can compete in three MHSEL State Leagues, plus additional regional/national leagues:
State League Game Titles: State League game titles allow Michigan middle and high schools to compete against one another for an MHSEL State Championship and recognition among the state’s top esports programs.
- Middle School league (Grades 6-8)
- Centered around team play with the ultimate goal focused on student growth and fun!
- Fall season is competitive with playoffs and championships being all held virtually.
- Spring season is competitive with the goal of having at least one state league game title
- High School league (Grades 9-12)
- Providing students the opportunity to contribute to school culture and earn recognition with developing priceless critical thinking and interpersonal skills.
- Hundreds of colleges and universities have thriving esports programs, and they are hungry for High School talent. They offer tens of millions of dollars in esports scholarship money, with more being added every year.
- Special Olympics Unified Esports (Grades 6-12)
- MHSEL in collaboration with Special Olympics of Michigan and USAEL/RallyCry are working on finalizing details for this league to be competitive by next school year 2027-28.
- We will be working to have inclusive opportunities this school year and will provide those details once they are available.
- MHSEL partners with Special Olympics of Michigan to run a Unified esports league for Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®.
- Unified esports is an activity that combines students with intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics athletes) and students without intellectual disabilities (Unified partners) on esports teams. Providing an opportunity to develop sportsmanship, build team bonds and create a community for athletes and partners to connect.
Regional/National League Game Titles: Regional/National League game titles allow schools to compete against teams across the country through USAEL/RallyCry, providing additional competitive opportunities and access to games not currently offered as MHSEL State League titles.
Any student under age 13 will need parent/adult permission.
Game Titles Available: Middle & High School
| Game Title | Additional Info | Middle School | High School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brawlhalla | (Cross-Platform, Solo Player) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Chess | (PC/Browser, Solo Player) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Fortnite Elimination Race | (Cross-Platform, Two Players) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Fortnite Zone Wars | (Cross-Platform, Two Players) | Not Offered | State! |
| Madden NFL | (PS4, Solo Player) | Not Offered | State! |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | (Nintendo Switch, Four Players) | State! | State! |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Time Trials Solo | (Nintendo Switch, Solo Player) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Marvel Rivals | (Cross-Platform – Minus Nintendo Switch, Six Players) | Regional/National | State! |
| Minecraft Build Challenge Solo | (Any Platform, Solo Player) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| NBA 2K | (PS4, Solo Player) | Not Offered | State! |
| Overcooked 2 | (Cross-Platform, Two Players) | Regional/National | Not Offered |
| Overwatch 2 | (PC/Console, Five Players) | Regional/National | State! |
| Pokémon Champions | (Nintendo Switch/Mobile, Two Players) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Rocket League | (PC/Console, Three Players) | State! | State! |
| Splatoon 3 | (Nintendo Switch, Four Players) | Regional/National | State! |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Crews | (Nintendo Switch, Three Players) | State! | State! with JV and Varsity Divisions |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Singles | (Nintendo Switch, Solo Player) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Tetris | (PC/Browser, Solo Player) | Regional/National | Regional/National |
| Valorant | (PC, Five Players) | Not Offered | State! |
Current Season Info | Fall 2026
Important Dates
- Registration Open: NOW!
- Click here to view the email announcement with additional Fall updates
- Informational Forum: August 13 @ 3 PM – Register
- Platform Onboarding:
- HS & MS Preseason: September 7 – 18
- Fall Season Coaches Meeting: September 14 @ 7 PM
- Enrollment Deadline: September 18
- Late enrollment available until end of Week 2
- HS & MS Regular Season: September 21 – November 13
- Esports Awards Nominations: October 19 – November 6
- HS & MS State League Playoffs: November 11 – December 4 (ish) (final playoff schedule coming soon)
- Coach Meeting re Championship Event: HOLD December 1
- HS State League Championship Event: HOLD December 5 & 6 — at Michigan State University
- (Game titles to be showcased will be determined & Dates finalized soon!)
State League Weekly Schedule
All State League game title matches are played at 3:30 PM EST.
Resource: MHSEL Rulebook via RallyCry/USAEL
| High School | Middle School |
|---|---|
| Mondays No scheduled games. Suggested as a Practice Day! | Mondays No scheduled games. Suggested as a Practice Day! |
| Tuesdays Fortnite: Zone Wars NBA2K Overwatch 2 Splatoon3 | Tuesdays Rocket League . . . |
| Wednesdays Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate (JV & Varsity) VALORANT | Wednesdays Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe . |
| Thursdays Madden NFL Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe Marvel Rivals Rocket League | Thursdays Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate . . . |
Special Olympics Unified – More details coming soon.
Regional/National League Schedule
Please view within USAEL/RallyCry for additional details on Regional/National Leagues. Note start times are flexible.
Start Your Team Today + Coach Resources
MHSEL esports teams are coach-led, providing structure like traditional school sports. Our platform streamlines match day with scheduling, stats, and live support, and the coach dashboard makes program management simple. Setup takes less than 30 minutes.
The great thing about esports is as a coach you can have little to no knowledge on the games to get started. Your students will take leadership rolls but having you there to provide the curricular and soft skill teaching is key.
MHSEL Resources, Support & FAQ
- Esports Essentials – Your blueprint to launch a successful esports program in your school
- Coach Overview – A quick guide to how Michigan middle and high school esports works and what you need to get started.
- Fundraising & Budget Resources
- Fundraising Webinar w/ Coach Danielson, Mason County Central HS: March 2025
Additional webinars, onboarding sessions, and support resources will be added throughout August and September. If you have questions about getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out to the MHSEL team at info@mhsel.org.
View the current season’s important dates to know when the next webinars are being held!
High School Awards & Honors
MHSEL is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the incredible achievements of our players and coaches. These awards honor individuals who exemplify the league’s mission and vision through their dedication, exceptional performance, sportsmanship and positive contributions to the MHSEL community.
Fall 2026: October 19 – November 6 for All-State Awards
Award Categories:
- All-League (Each Season): Awarded to one player per team (coach discretion), recognized by a customizable digital certificate
- All-State (Each Season): Awarded to top players in each game title, recognized by a certificate.
- Academic All-State (Once a Year): Recognizes high school esports programs that achieve outstanding academic success, receiving a customizable digital certificate and MHSEL recognition.
- Player of the Year (Once a Year): Awarded to one outstanding player in each MHSEL game title, receiving a commemorative plaque
- Coach of the Year (Once a Year): Recognizing an exceptional coach (or director), receiving a commemorative plaque
- Esports Lab Makeover (Once a Year): Awards one qualifying MHSEL school an esports lab makeover, including equipment and partner-supported enhancements to strengthen its program and student experience.
Additional Details
Current State League Eligible Game Titles
Reminder All-League Certificate Template will be provided to Coaches mid-late season to award at their own schools. Additionally, Player and Coach of the Year, Academic All-State and Esports Lab Makeover are only awarded once a year during the Spring Season concluding event. NOTE: All Once a Year Award Nominations only open in the Spring Season.
Submit a Nomination
INFO COMING SOON!
Click here to view the:
Spring 2026 Season Awards
Fall 2025 Season Awards
Spring 2025 Season & 2024-25 Yearly Award Winners
Fall 2024 Season Award Winners
Spring 2024 Season & 2023-24 Yearly Award Winner
Level Up Your Gear, Space & Program w/ MHSEL Official Partners!
AndaSeat: Furniture Partner
AndaSeat is a global leader in premium ergonomic seating, creating gaming and office chairs designed for comfort, performance, and long-session support. Founded in 2007, the company combines innovative design with high-quality materials and ergonomic research to serve gamers, professionals, and esports communities worldwide. Today, AndaSeat continues to expand its reach through partnerships and a growing international presence.
Learn more and check out their products by visiting their website: www.andaseat.com
EsportsGear: Apparel Partner
ESPORTSGEAR is a leader in the esports apparel industry and works with many high school, collegiate, amateur and professional organizations all across the country. Through this partnership MHSEL schools can:
- Access a wide range of apparel (jerseys, hats, hoodies, flags, mousepads & more)
- Design custom gear with school logos and colors
- Launch a virtual store to sell merch and generate school revenue
Check out MHSEL’s official store to see the design quality & how easy it is to get started.
Ready to launch your school’s store?
*Please note that schools are not required to use EsportsGear and are welcome to pursue other vendors; however, revenue kickbacks to schools are higher with the more programs we have involved.
FAQ & Resources
- What is Esports?
- The Benefits of Esports
- Should Esports be a Varsity Sport?
- Are players able to compete remotely?
- Fundraising & Budget Resources
- Rulebooks & Game Day Protocol
- How To Guides
- When are the Esports Seasons?
- Fall Season: September – December
- Spring Season: February – May
- Technology, Hardware, Network & Software Needed
- Software for Game Titles
- Some console-based games require an online gaming subscription to play (i.e. PS Plus, Xbox Live, etc.).
- Note: you will need to download or own the games – just depends on the game title. Rocket League and League of Legend are free to download. Madden, NBA and Nintendo games have a cost.
- Software for Game Titles
- Not receiving emails?
- MHSEL sends emails from the domain @massp.com and @mhsel.org. Please make sure to have your district add these domains to your schools accessibility lists so you don’t miss any information!
- Additional Resources:
- Follow MHSEL Socials:
- Instagram, X account & YouTube Live | @TheMHSEL
- Join Our Discord | Michigan High School Esports League
- Follow MHSEL Socials:
Meet Us – Advisory Board, Staff & Partners
MHSEL Advisory Board
- Region 1: TBD
- Region 2: Ashlie O’Connor, Alpena Montmorency Alcona ESD, oconnora@amaesd.org
- Region 3: David Droski, Mona Shores High School, droskid@monashores.net
- Region 4: Patrick Greeley, Portage Northern High School, pgreeley@portageps.org
- Region 5: Ginger Herzog, Bay City Central High School, herzogg@bcschools.net
- Region 6: Sherri St. Clair, Linden High School, sstclair@lindenschools.org
- Region 7: Cameron Monteny & Jason Watkins, Hartland High School, cameronmontney@hartlandschools.us & jasonwatkins@hartlandschools.us
- College Rep: Chris Bilski, Michigan State University, bilskich@msu.edu
- MS Rep: Suzanne Banwart, Pioneer Middle School, suzanne.banwart@pccsk12.com
- MS Rep: Casey Smith, East Grand Rapids Middle School, csmith@egrps.org
- At-Large Rep: Chris White, Novi High School, christopher.white@novik12.org
- At-Large Rep: Steve Vasiloff, Saline High School, vasilofs@salineschools.org
- At-Large Rep: Brady VanMalsen, Hudsonville High School, bvanmals@hpseagles.net
MHSEL Staff
MHSEL Partners
MHSEL works with partners to provide Michigan schools and students the best esports experience possible. A big shout out and thank you to our current partners!
Accolades: Awards, News & Media
Spring 2026 Season & Championship Event
- School News Network: Esports class going strong, five years on
- Dearborn Public Schools: High schools add esports for students
- Mason County Central Mario Kart racers get ‘arrested’ entering the playoffs! (Ludington Daily News)
- Novi High School Team Among Winners of Esports Championship (SimpliHOM)
- Novi High School esports team continues dominance (Novi Note)
Fall 2025 Season & Championship Event
- Times Herald: Scorch esports team earns first playoff win for St. Clair TEC
- The MH 25: Meet the Gen Z Athletes Redefining Sports Excellence (#25 Saline HS Student)
- Glorified gaming: How Esports are guiding students through life lessons
- Leveling Up: CatchMark Powers Montague’s First ESports Team with $2,500 Donation
- Third annual Southwestern Michigan esports tournament announces winners
Spring 2025 Season
2025 PlayVS Community Trailblazer Award
In recognition of their outstanding contributions to the esports community, MHSEL Director Ryan Cayce and Assistant Director Maggie Helmer were each honored with the 2025 PlayVS Community Trailblazer Award. This national accolade celebrates individuals who have gone above and beyond to build, support and uplift their esports communities.
Farmington High, Rochester High take home state titles for esports
Fall 2024 Season & Championship Event
More Info Forthcoming
Spring 2024 Season & Championship Event
- MHSEL Spring Championship, State Awards Ceremony & More at OU
- Daily Dot: High School Esports is Growing & It’s Changing Who Can be an Athlete
- C&G News: Novi esports turns in ‘most successful year’ at MHSEL state finals
- C&G News: Rochester Rocket League squad reaches Final Four in MHSEL state finals
- Sanilac County News: Students game for esports competition
- PlayVS X Post: Detroit Catholic Central Highlight
- MHSEL Press Release | HS Esports Athletes will Capture Awards, Compete at Oakland Univ.
- MHSEL Press Release re Spring Tournament Results & Upcoming Championship | MI HS Esports Grows & Will Hold Four Finals at Oakland University
Fall 2023 Season, Explore Esports & Championship Event
- MHSEL Explore Esports & Championship Event
- WZZM13 Story: Back-to-school and the rise of esports in Michigan
- News Advocate: Manistee esports program finishes 3rd in state in Mario Kart
- WLUC TV 6 News: Marquette Esports Team Semi-Finals Video Ad 1
- WLUC TV 6 News: Marquette Esports Team Semi-Finals Video Ad 2
- MHSEL Press Release re Shoutcaster Showdown, Fall Tournament & Upcoming Championship | Esports Action Amps Up for Michigan High Schools
2x Champion & Not Slowing Down
View Article on East Kentwood High School Student, Kymen Cartwright
2023 Spring Season & Championships at Western Michigan University
- MHSEL Championship Event at WMU
- Marquette Senior High School finishes 1st season with new esports team
- Mona Shores High School Esports team builds community – WZZM13
- WoodTV8 – WMU to host high school esports state finals Saturday
- WoodTV8 Interview with MHSEL Director regarding WMU to host high school esports state finals
- MLive – High School Esports State championships coming to WMU this weekend
- MHSEL re Spring tournaments & Upcoming Championship | Press Release HS Esports is Growing in Michigan
- MHSEL Press Release | Western Michigan Hosting High School Esports State Championship
2022 Explore Esports Conference, Fall Season & Championships (Semi’s & Finals)
- MHSEL Explore Esports & Fall Championship Event
- The Voice | Esports pilot program could come to Richmond High School
- Oakland County Times | Bloomfield Hills Team Wins Esports State Championship
- Macomb Daily | ‘Very intense’ esports fall state finals set for Oakland University
- C&G Newspapers | Novi High School brings home hardware in esports championship
- ABC 12 News | Grand Blanc High School “levels up with esports
- USA Today | High School Esports Rankings: Top teams since 2019
- MI Soundboard Podcast | Ready Student-Player One – Ryan Cayce, MHSEL Director
- MHSEL Press Release Prior to Event | Explore Esports One-Day Conference & Michigan Fall ‘22 Season Semi-Finals & Championships in December at OU
2022 Spring Championships
- MHSEL Event
- Oakland Press | Bloomfield Hills dominates esports league championship
- Royal Oak Daily Tribune | Bloomfield Hills dominates esports league championship
- The Detroit News | Esports becomes a fast-growing sport for many Michigan high schools
- WJR Radio on the Guy Gordon Show | Interview with Wendy Zdeb, MASSP Executive Director
- Channel 20 | Video Interview with Wendy Zdeb, MASSP Executive Director prior to Spring 2022 championship
- ABC | Video promo for Spring 2022 Championship
- Civic Center TV | Head Esports Coach At Oakland University Carl Leone & Breaking Into Your Next Gaming Career