Juno De la Torre

Born in Aurora, Colorado, Coach De la Torre was raised in the rural Washington County boroughs of Marianna and Deemston. He is now a resident of Slippery Rock, PA, where he received his Bachelor’s and is currently a graduate student at Slippery Rock University. Juno plans to graduate this upcoming May with his Master’s Degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education.

 

Juno has experience working with students interested in the realm of esports through his time at Slippery Rock University. He has worked with SRU’s Campus Recreation Department for the past year as the Student Supervisor for their new Esports & Gaming Lounge. He worked to cultivate esports and recreational gaming by assisting with the planning and opening of the lounge to the entire campus community in 2025, after its initial year of operation with members of SRU’s Esports Club. Juno spent two years as a captain of SRU’s Valorant team where in 2024, he led them to the Playfly Esports Championship for their division. Outside of Valorant, Juno also has experience with Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, Madden, MLB The Show, Brawlhalla, and Super Smash Bros. For Juno, the true value of competitive esports across higher education extends beyond gameplay. “My favorite aspect when witnessing the growth of esports across higher education is how it brings students representing different subpopulations together,” he said. “Ultimately, we play video games to have fun, but playing them competitively and at the highest level creates lasting relationships amongst teammates, teammates that you may never have met otherwise.”

 

Coach De la Torre hopes to apply his student affairs background by implementing a holistic, student-centered approach, one which extends beyond competitive performance. He explained, “My focus is always to enhance the experiences of my students, not only as players, but as individuals navigating their personal and academic journeys.” Drawing from philosophies he formed during his time with his graduate studies, Juno plans to create an environment that prioritizes student wellbeing, fosters inclusive team culture, and helps student-athletes develop soft skills, such as communication, leadership, and resilience. He views his role as both coach and mentor and understands that his work with his students provides opportunities to support their growth during a formative period of their lives. He says, “I am committed to creating environments where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential on the servers, on campus, and beyond.” He looks forward to building a program that competes at the highest level while embodying the student-focused philosophies that are central to higher education.