January 29, 2026

Ferris State Esports to host “Mike ‘Swinny’ Hall Memorial Tournament” fundraiser, honoring former Bulldog

The Ferris State University Esports program is hosting the Mike ‘Swinny’ Hall Memorial Tournament on Jan. 31, 2026, to commemorate the life of the late Bulldog and Esports student-athlete.

The Esports team is set to host the fundraising tournament starting at 9 a.m. in the Esports Arena on the first floor of the Center for Virtual Learning, 1030 Campus Drive.

“Mike was someone who consistently represented the best qualities of our community, hard-working, passionate, generous, kind, and unapologetically goofy,” said Justin Summe, Ferris State’s Esports teams coordinator. “He was a person that enthusiastically showed up every day to help others and share his knowledge without reservation. His presence is deeply missed and his impact on the Ferris esports program will always be felt.”

Hall passed away last year. Summe noted that this event offers the chance to celebrate Hall’s life through the esports community that he is remembered as being so passionate about.

Students from Hall’s high school alma mater, Mona Shores, will also participate in the tournament.

“This tournament is about honoring Mike through the community he helped build here in Big Rapids and for the spaces that he loved of competition and production,” Summe said. “He continues to bring us closer to each other every day and we hope that this tournament will be a worthy way to honor his impact on us all.”

A GoFundMe webpage has been set up for the fundraiser.

The tournament will feature an 8-team Valorant competition as well as a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate singles tournament. Anyone unable to attend the event in-person can watch online through the Ferris State Esports program’s livestream.