Staff Directory
Zachary Ephlin
Assistant Director of Esports
Zachary Ephlin (he/him) is the Assistant Director of Esports. His home department is UNCG Recreation and Wellness. Ephlin runs the UNCG Esports Arena and all of the competitive gaming offerings at UNCG. He was a scholarship esports athlete at Michigan State University for Overwatch, and has worked in the esports industry since he was in college. His favorite games are Overwatch and Pokemon!
Sophie Priest
Assistant Director of Esports Innovation
Sophie Priest (she/they) is the Assistant Director of Esports Innovation. Her home department is Innovate UNCG. Priest wears many hats, but primarily coordinates events, promotes career development for students, and manages external partnerships. Their favorite game is Dragon Age: Origins!
John W. Borchert
Director of the Network for the Cultural Study of Videogaming, Academic Lead for Esports at UNCG
John W. Borchert (he/him) is the Social Innovation and Public Scholarship Lead for Innovate UNCG and affiliated faculty in the Department of Religious Studies. Borchert is interested in how religious practices and media technologies intersect across American religious histories, particularly their impact on embodiment and death. He serves on the board of the gamevironments, the only journal on religion and video gaming. His favorite game is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time!
JOrdin Hipps
President of the UNCG Gaming and Esports Club, Competitive Esports Program Assistant
Jordin Hipps (she/they) is a Senior Marketing major and works as the Competitive Esports Program Assistant for UNCG RecWell, and as UNCG the Gaming and Esports Club President for 3 years. She has competed in Apex Legends and Valorant for the club being the IGL (In-Game Leader). Jordin’s favorite games are Overwatch 2 and the Sims 4!