T1 build academy roster around ANS

T1 are building a VALORANT academy roster around former San Francisco Shock Overwatch professional Lee “ANS” Seon-Chang.

T1 originally had an academy roster when VALORANT esports first took off in early June of 2020. That academy roster consisted of Daniel “eeiu” Vucenovic, Kurtis “Kurt” Gallo, Noah “rara” Giesbrecht and Haydin “ZerG” Gordon. These players have since moved onto other rosters because T1 Academy disbanded in August after poor performances. Anthony “dawn” Hagopian, Dylan “ASSERT” Romo, Evan “Eshotz” Rodriguez and Andrew” HILTON” Hilton will now join ANS on T1 Academy. ANS initially joined T1 last March as their 6^th man for the roster. However, a lack of traction with 6-man rosters has forced T1 to field their options elsewhere.

T1 sign unproven talent for academy roster

T1 has picked up players that are not as well known in the VALORANT scene. HILTON and dawn played together on an amateur team by the name Ambush. That team disbanded in September of 2020 after competing in the Nerd Street Gamers Monthly tournament. Eshotz came from another amateur team by the name of Ultraviolet who only competed in a few minor tournaments before disbanding. Finally, ASSERT comes from several different amateur teams. His latest stint was on team Elevate which disbanded in early February.

We're back with some familiar faces & some fresh ones.

Please welcome your T1 #Valorant Academy Team!@dawnFYB @Eshotz_ @1ASSERT @Hiltonators @ansansniper__

📺: https://t.co/rybjOSyhvh#T1WIN #T1FIGHTING pic.twitter.com/kygu2uiKc2

— T1 (@T1) April 8, 2021

Other organizations like Cloud9 have opted to branch out into the expanding VALORANT scenes. Riot Games had promoted other outlets such as all-women tournaments. These tournaments allow teams like Cloud9 to have multiple rosters. However, instead of branching into the female competitive VALORANT scene, T1 has opted to add an academy team.

Cloud9 Blue and White typically participate in the same tournaments. The most notable ones have been the various VALORANT Champions Tour qualifiers that is leading to Masters. It is unclear if T1 will have their academy roster participate in the same tournaments or different ones from their main roster.