Harrisburg, PA – HACC Athletics has launched a student-athlete spotlight, recognizing a student-athlete of the month who has excelled in the classroom and in their respective sport. Each month HACC Hawks will celebrate a student-athlete, as the students are the foundation of HACC's sports program. The student-athlete selected for the month of April is Ethan Payne of the Esports Team.

Name: Ethan Payne

Sport: Esports

Major: Associate in Mathematics

Hometown: Lancaster, PA

High School: Pennsylvania Cyber Cs

Favorite quote:

"Confidence…thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live." – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Favorite memory from season:

Meeting together at the Esports Arena for our match was my favorite memory from this season. We spent our first 4 matches playing at home since we lived in different counties. Since we had a match during spring break, we decided to play our match together at the arena at Harrisburg, which was a lot of fun. Getting to meet my teammates in person was awesome because all I knew of them was their voice. Being able to hang out with my teammates was definitely my favorite memory from this season.

Favorite song:

Redemption Day – Johnny Cash

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I've seen some crazy pre-game rituals at my time on the Esports program. Me personally however, I don't have any pre-game rituals. I do have a superstition that I play better when I have my jersey on.

What is the most rewarding part about being a student-athlete at HACC?

The most rewarding part about being a student-athlete at HACC is making friends with people. Most of my classes have been online at HACC, so it's been nice to meet people in person with a similar hobby. That's why almost all of the friends I made at HACC were from the Esports program. Also, I've made some good friends as well from opposing colleges as well, which was a surprise.  Another rewarding part about being part of the Esports program is the all-night event that our head coach hosts at the arena. It's a lot of fun, we play tournaments against each other and play video games all night!

Awards and Accolades:

• Associate in Science in Engineering
• Member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
• Dean's List for Fall 2021, Fall 2023
• Certificate of Appreciation
• Sportsmanship Award in Athletics 2022-23

What are you looking forward to next season?

Sadly, this is my last season at HACC as I will be graduating. My biggest regret was not entering the program sooner. For those who aren't in any programs, I highly recommend the Esports program if you play video games. I didn't join until Fall 2022 because I thought I wasn't good enough. That first season, however, my teammate and I made it to the Championship and we barely lost. Maybe someday, I'll have to come back to HACC and get a cooking degree to get that championship win!

What are your future plans after graduating from HACC?

I'm currently registered at West Virginia University (WVU) and will be starting in Fall 2024 to achieve my bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. I also applied to their ROTC program for the Army and will be starting basic over the Summer. Not quite sure where I'll be after I get my bachelors, but I'll always be checking in on the HACC Hawks from time to time to see if anyone makes it big!