Elijah Blankenship is a sophomore at Clark State College (CSC) and majors in cybersecurity while pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree. At CSC, he is a member of both Phi Theta Kappa and Epsilon Pi Tau honor societies and competes on the CSC esports team.

Blankenship plays Call of Duty: Warzone and Rainbow Six Siege X competitively. In his free time, he enjoys playing the Ninja Gaiden series, Resident Evil games.

Although he has participated in competitive gaming for quite some time, this marks his second official year on a collegiate esports team, an experience that has exceeded his expectations.

“I brought to the esports team competitive knowledge, experience and leadership capabilities,” Blankenship said. “I've led two competitive Warzone teams through the years for two separate gaming clans—Tactical Gaming and Omni Gaming—reaching the semi-final qualifiers one year for the World Series of Warzone and finishing in the top 300 in two additional years.

I'd like to think I serve the team in more of a leadership and captain capacity, but in all honesty, it's my teammates and our coach who make the team the great success that it is.”

During the spring 2025 season, Blankenship and his teammates finished as runners-up in the 2v2 Call of Duty Gunfight Championship and placed in the top four in the 2v2 Killrace Call of Duty: Warzone Championship. These results helped solidify the team's reputation as serious contenders in the NJCAAE.

“It's been an excellent opportunity and experience being part of a growing esports team at Clark State,” Blankenship said. “When I first enrolled in fall 2024, the team was still fresh and in its infancy. A year later, we’ve come a long way.

The friendships, the camaraderie, the moments of success—and even the moments of failure—have impacted my team and me in very positive ways. It has allowed us to grow as individuals and as a team.

I think the NJCAAE is a wonderful platform for colleges to compete. Since day one, it’s been easy to navigate, and the admins and coaches have been welcoming and easy to work with. It’s been a very positive and enjoyable gaming environment overall.”

Blankenship plans to pursue a career as a cybersecurity penetration tester, also known as an ethical hacker. He hopes to use his skills to help people and organizations protect themselves in an increasingly risky digital environment.

He said one of the most important lessons in both gaming and life is balance.

“Never forget that it’s just a game,” he said. “Learn from your mistakes, and never let gaming interfere with your relationships or responsibilities. Your loved ones deserve your time more than any screen ever will.”