Texas Christian University has joined the Voice of Intercollegiate Esports (VOICE), a national advocacy organization for collegiate esports, and Chancellor Daniel W. Pullin has been named to the organization’s Presidents Advisory Council.

Pullin described the membership as part of a broader focus on innovation and student engagement. TCU’s esports program has developed through the combined efforts of the TCU Innovation Network, Student Affairs and Information Technology, which have worked to expand the ways students can compete and build community on campus.

“At TCU, we believe innovation begins with creating opportunities for students to learn, collaborate and lead in new ways,” Pullin said. “Our involvement with VOICE reflects TCU’s commitment to supporting an evolving esports landscape while ensuring our students have access to unique experiences both inside and outside the classroom.”

The program also connects to TCU’s growth in technology and digital fields. As the university expands its computer science and engineering programs, s students a competitive and social outlet tied to their interests in gaming and technology.

Introducing the TCU Gaming Lab

TCU is also in the process of building a dedicated esports space, the TCU Gaming Lab, in Rees-Jones Hall. The lab is scheduled to open in fall 2026.

Part of the TCU Innovation Network, the lab is designed to serve as a hub for the esports team, student engagement, community programming and academic innovation. It will give TCU Esports dedicated practice and competition facilities along with the equipment to host tournaments and livestream them.

The lab will also be open to the rest of campus during designated hours, giving students who do not compete a place to connect and play. Campus and community events hosted in the space are intended to raise the program’s profile and build ties between the university and Fort Worth.

Beyond gaming, the facility is built to support teaching and research across disciplines by putting emerging technology in students’ hands. One possibility under consideration is the use of geographic information systems in game development, which would let students build location-based augmented reality experiences drawing on campus and Fort Worth geographic data. Work of that kind pairs gaming with spatial analysis and points toward careers in game development, digital media and geospatial technology.  

Shaping the Future of Esports

The program joins VOICE after a competitive 2025-2026 season. TCU teams reached multiple conference playoffs, qualified for national competitions and earned several divisional promotions during the year.

The Advisory Council, to which Pullin was appointed, is who provide leadership and strategic direction for collegiate esports as it grows.

“TCU is exactly the kind of institution that makes college esports stronger,” said Jesse Bodony, executive director of VOICE. “They’re building it deliberately with investment from leadership, facilities that serve the whole student body and a program that is focused on competitive success. Chancellor Pullin’s decision to join our Presidents Advisory Council reinforces our conviction that collegiate esports deserve attention at the highest levels of university leadership, and his involvement will help shape how this space matures nationally.”

Through its VOICE membership, TCU will work with peer institutions on the future direction of collegiate esports.

About VOICE

VOICE is a national advocacy organization for collegiate esports, uniting colleges and universities to share best practices, advance institutional standards and shape the future of competitive gaming in higher education.