After spending two years in the top flight of competition, representing
TALON
TALON
Asia-Pacific
Unranked
Killua
Tanate Teerasawad
thyy
Anupong Preamsak
Crws
Thanamethk Mahatthananuyut
JitBoyS
Jittana Nokngam
primmie
Papaphat Sriprapha
in the Pacific and
Apeks
Apeks
Europe
Unranked
OLIZERA
Diogo Oliveira
MOLSI
Michał Łącki
AvovA
Auni Chahade
batujnax
Mehmet Batu Özaslan
in EMEA, Peter "Governor"
No has signed with NA's
Winthrop University
Winthrop University
North America
Unranked
flare
Andy Le
moobs
Gabriel Powell
Governor
Peter No
infiltrator
Philip Nguyen
Nahsie
Eishan Jaffer
Ali
.
Governor's return comes just two months after he announced he would be stepping away from play. The Korean player revealed he had been enduring "hand numbness/pain," affecting his physical and mental health, and prompting him to take a break.
(Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)
Governor is returning to tier two competition for the first time since September 2023, back then under
Turtle Troop
Turtle Troop
Inactive
wedid
Matthew Suchan
jowa
bdog
Brandon Sanders
Kaoticcc
. He was a part of TALON's 2024 roster and stuck with the team for 2025's Kickoff where, after the team finished fourth, he split with the team.
Apeks signed Governor prior to Stage 1, in hopes of turning an uneventful Kickoff bid around, but struggled to make a dent. In their five Stage 1 groups matches, Apeks went winless and only won two maps. The Norwegian banner is yet to take a win this year, and currently sit on a nine-match loss streak heading into Stage 2.
He returns to the lower echelons of competition with Winthrop University, one of the longest-standing names of NA. They were the first and, until
Maryville University
Maryville University
North America
Unranked
chloric
renz
Austin Dickman
Wildfire
Tykhon Benderskyi
Ange
Adam Milian
geeza
Tanner McGhee
secured slot ownership for Stage 3, the only team from the collegiate circuit to reach the main Valorant esports circuit.
After a number of unsatisfying results in the Challengers League, Winthrop University finally broke through in this year's first Split, finishing third after a lower bracket final loss to
M80
M80
Inactive
.
Most recently, WU finished in the top six of Challengers Stage 2, as eventual runners-up
Ambrosia
Ambrosia
North America
Unranked
GLYPH
Conner Garcia
acrian
satellite
stopped them in the second round of the lower bracket.
Winthrop University return to competition on July 8, playing their opening Stage 3 match against
Ambrosia
Ambrosia
North America
Unranked
GLYPH
Conner Garcia
acrian
satellite
. The collegiate roster is currently second in the VCL circuit points leaderboard, tied with the disbanded
Chet's Pets
Chet's Pets
Inactive
. NA will draft two teams to Americas Ascension: the winners of Stage 3, and the team with the most points accrued.
Without official confirmation of its starting five,
Winthrop University
Winthrop University
North America
Unranked
flare
Andy Le
moobs
Gabriel Powell
Governor
Peter No
infiltrator
Philip Nguyen
Nahsie
Eishan Jaffer
Ali
's roster is now: