We have now our first full roster affirmation that can compete in LCS.
Within the midst of roster rumors and speculations, Golden Guardians didn’t get an excessive amount of consideration from both the reporters or the followers. Regardless of making playoffs in 5 of the final six LCS splits, Golden Guardians by no means had an excessive amount of impression within the post-season. Possibly aside from their 3-0 win in opposition to TSM through the LCS 2020 Summer time Playoffs, however even then they nonetheless acquired knocked out by TSM throughout their Decrease Bracket run to victory.
So the group determined to make some modifications coming into the 2023 LCS Season, beginning with the long-time head coach of the workforce Nick “Inero” Smith’s promotion to Common Supervisor. Inero has been with Golden Guardians since August 2018 and held a number of different positions like marketing consultant and assistant coach. And in a video the group shared on their Twitter yesterday, Inero introduced the five-man roster for the 2023 season:
- Eric “Licorice” Ritchie
- Kim “River” Dong-woo
- Kim “Gori” Tae-woo
- Trevor “Stixxay” Hayes
- Choi “huhi” Jae-hyun
New course, new Guardians, identical will to win.@inero introduces our 2023 Golden Guardians LCS roster! #GGWIN
Prime – @Licorice
Jungle – @lolRiver
Mid – @lol_GGGori
ADC – @Stixxay
Assist – @huhi*Pending Riot Approval* pic.twitter.com/YyhCFUioYL
— Golden Guardians (@GoldenGuardians) November 23, 2022
The roster consists of three gamers from final yr, Licorice, River and Stixxay, with two new additions. Licorice and Stixxay have been on the workforce from the beginning of the 2022 Summer time Break up, with River becoming a member of later within the Break up for a heavy playoff push. Sadly, the veteran jungler couldn’t discover the impression he was in search of in his quick first stint with the Guardians. However River was apparently seeking to run it again for higher outcomes, as we discovered from Inero that signing Korean mid laner Gori was his suggestion. Gori beforehand performed on groups like EDG, FPX and Nongshim RedForce. He spend the Summer time Break up with PSG Talon in PCS and regardless of not making it to Worlds, PSG Talon was first within the common season, with Gori successful the PCS MVP award.
Golden Guardians rounded out their new roster with a well-recognized face. Huhi was the help of the earlier Golden Guardians core, which joined 100 Thieves and gained the LCS 2021 Summer time Break up. Huhi additionally has earlier synergy along with his lane associate Stixxay, as they have been on the Counter Logic Gaming workforce that made it to the MSI Finals in 2016, albeit with huhi within the mid lane. Inori talked about huhi within the video the place he launched the squad by saying, “[he] naturally brings a shotcalling presence to the workforce. And with [huhi’s] skill to talk in each Korean and English ought to assist to attach our mid-jungle duo with the remainder of the workforce.”
On the identical time Golden Guardians additionally introduced their new coaching staff and Academy workforce. The brand new head coach who will likely be Inero’s assistant coach, Samuel “Spookz” Broadley, with Brandon “Swip3rR” Holland because the Academy head coach. Golden Guardians new Academy roster may have 5 native gamers and can compete within the newly shaped North American Challengers League. Full roster:
- Michael “Idea” Su
- Tae-ho “RoseThorn” Kim
- Younger Ho “Younger” Choi
- Jackson “Array” Moldenhauer
- Jacob “Prismal” Feinstein