Team Dignitas EU and Renegades are your new 2016 LCS teams

Riot·Aug 13, 2015·1 votes·36,117 views

The 2015 Summer Challenger Series finished in epic fashion, with both the EU and NA Finals going the distance, giving us a Game 5 on both sides of the Atlantic. Now, say hello to your 2015 Summer Challenger Series Champions and the newest members of the LCS: Team Dignitas EU and Renegades!

Team Dignitas EU

After trading wins back and forth with mousesports, The Danes of Team Dignitas EU were able to pull through and win when it counted most, securing their spot in the 2016 EU LCS Spring Split. As the newest members of Europe's elite, they'll have the opportunity to face the best and most skillful opposition the region can offer.

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Here are the names you'll get to know in EU:

Top - Martin "Wunderwear" Hansen
Jungle - Dennis "Obvious" Sørensen
Mid - Chres "Sencux" Laursen
ADC - Kasper "Kobbe" Kobberup
Support - Nicolai "Nisbeth" Nisbeth

Throughout the 2015 Summer Challenger Series, Team Dignitas EU were unafraid to pave the meta for themselves and constantly experimented with unique picks. Team Dignitas EU's top laner Wunderwear had a particularly flexible champion pool, bringing both Gangplank and Tahm Kench to the top lane in this series alone. "Both [GP and Tahm] are meta picks, they are just not known about by many people and are really strong," says Wunderwear.

"Wunder will always test a champion after they are reworked, and he learns champions insanely fast when he puts his mind to it," adds Ram "Brokenshard" Djemal, the team's coach. "He can play almost anything."

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The entire Team Dignitas EU crew are eager to test their mettle on stage in the EU LCS come Spring. Mid laner Sencux is particularly keen on facing Fnatic's Fabian "Febiven" Diepstraten and ROCCAT's Erlend "Nukeduck" Holm. "We used to play each other in the Challenger Series. And I'm excited to play versus [H2k's Sangwook "Ryu" Yoo] in a real game," says Sencux. Obvious, the squad's jungler, is also keen on facing the big dogs. "I just want to play against Fnatic," he grins.

While Team Dignitas EU will be celebrating as champions of the Challenger Series for now, they know they've got a lot to improve upon before the start of the 2016 Spring Split. "We need to work on not losing the game ourselves, we feel like we are our biggest weakness; when we are indecisive," says Brokenshard.

With several months before the start of the next Split, Team Dignitas EU will be working on bolstering their strengths and keeping a keen eye on the evolution of the competitive scene as they prepare for their journey in to the EU LCS.

Renegades

Both Team Coast and Renegades displayed the skills and the guts to compete in the 2016 NA LCS Spring Split. But in the end, it was the bandana brandishing Renegades who took home the 2015 Summer Challenger Series Championship.

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Here are the Renegades:

Top - Oleksii "RF" Kuziuta
Jungle - Alberto "Crumbz" Rengifo
Mid - Aleksei "Alex Ich" Ichetovkin
ADC - Ainslie "Maplestreet" Wyllie
Support - Maria "Remilia" Creveling

The Renegades were constructed with one goal in mind: entry into the LCS. While their mission was a success, it certainly wasn't flawless. A mismanaged lane swap to start off Game 1 gave Coast's top laner Cristian "Cris" Rosales a substantial edge and ultimately a victory for Coast. Renegades kept the series close though, and never let Coast string together consecutive victories.

While the pressure of playing on the LCS stage is nothing new to Maplestreet, Crumbz, or Alex Ich, it was a new experience for the rest of the Renegades. "The first game we played I wasn't very comfortable on the stage, but I think I got more and more used to it," explains top laner RF. Looking forward to Spring Split, RF says he's excited to continue to perform in front of a crowd. "As long as I'm confident enough in myself I think I should do fine, but of course it's a new experience. It's really hype to play. It was a great feeling," he says.

After the series, all of the Renegades agreed that they have a ton to work to do before the 2016 NA LCS kicks off, but they say their camaraderie sets them apart from the pack. "Our team environment is pretty good, I think this is really important. It helps to work and improve," says mid laner Alex Ich.

"I don't have much experience playing on teams that were as dedicated as this, but so far its been a great experience as far as team environment goes," agrees RF. "Nobody really holds grudges against each other. Of course there will be fights and disagreements but everyone moves on with those and helps each other out to fix whatever needs to be fixed."

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After so many grueling weeks of scrims, practice, and matches to get to this point, Renegades and Team Dignitas EU can take some time to rejuvenate before they start to prepare their LCS debuts. As for the second place CS finishers, mousesports and Team Coast, there's more work to be done.

Both teams can still gain entry into the LCS via the 2016 LCS Spring Promotion Tournament on September 5-6, which you can catch right here on Lolesports. To catch up on all the action from the EU and NA Summer Challenger Series including these incredible five-game finales, check out our spoiler free VODs page.

82 Comments

SneakyTheWalrusAug 13, 201597 votes

#KeepRemilia I am going to post this as many times and as many places as possible in the hopes she realizes how much she means to Renegades fans. Every single member of that Renegades team put their hearts into everything and played so well as a team... To lose one member would be heartbreaking. This type of synergy is incredibly hard to find and I hope her and RF both choose to stay. Congratulations Renegades!

FoolsmackAug 13, 201513 votes

Agree button. I also find it darkly funny, though possibly unintentional, that Remilia is the only hidden person on the above images of the Renegades.

NathrynnAug 13, 201510 votes

i noticed while watching the series, they so deliberately avoided showing her. Makes me wonder if she asked them not to show her as much as they could. You only really saw her for glimpses in picks and bans and player cams. You didn't see her in the team cam, they only showed the other four. I figured that the mysterious thresh goddess would do it. Can't say I blame her.

ValiantComicsAug 13, 20158 votes

She said in a reddit post that she spoke to Riot and they agreed to leave her out of as many shots as possible, obviously the full team cam etc is impossible to hide her but everywhere else they did their best. at the end of the series she decided to stay on stage and thats why we saw so much of her after the win.

warpedmindAug 13, 20156 votes

what in the nine hells happened to her? seeing those comments above i would guess some people are dicks again ?!

p0psiclesAug 13, 201515 votes

They purposely left her out of most pictures/videos because she has gotten way too much undeserved hate and trolling by the general gaming audience when she has been at live events.

It's also the reason she doesn't want to play in the LCS. It's not that Renegades doesn't want her, trolls are vicious.

JayJaytheAntAug 13, 20152 votes

pretty sure they are not dropping her. She said she didn't want to play in the LCS.

SinatraZAug 13, 20156 votes

I wouldn't mind if RF didn't stay. He was underperforming in my opinion.

Joseph JackAug 13, 20155 votes

He has also carried many games for them if you watched them throughout the challenger series, he played decent in this series still, plus a few games shouldn't be what defines him as a player

Count BuffonAug 14, 20152 votes

They just need to learn how not to gang up on Rumble with double melee when the other team has MIAs and his ult is up... Would've probably been a one for one at best, even without Rek'Sai showing up on time...

Point being, the whole series was kind of a see-saw. They seem to have some macro problems, shotcalling... general growing pains stuff. I don't know how they'll do long term, but it looks like 6th or 7th place is a really tall task for the season. They might be able to do it, and I'd be happy for them, but man, that was a rough series.

CantripsAug 13, 201548 votes

I agree! #KeepRemilia #StayRemilia !

I don't care what she's done in the past, she's earned her spot and she deserves to go all the way! I just wish our community weren't so toxic towards her, and hopefully Riot will do something and/or many somethings to help protect her and those enduring her hardships now and in the future. People who are in her situation have a hard enough time - they don't need extra venom from the community.

Suggestions:

Riot-provided staff therapist(s).
Tighter security at LCS events.
Strongly broadcast intent for cooperation with Law Enforcement regarding hate crimes.

Honestly, that might not cut it, but efforts have got to be made to protect our valued players from... well, abuse.

DerptionaryAug 14, 201513 votes

I'd love to see Remilia keep playing in the LCS, she's undeniably on the short list of the best NA supports, however I don't think It's a good idea to try and hide her from the world. All that will do is feed the stupid internet trolls. They already make up enough lies and stupidity, hiding the only girl player in the LCS only gives them more ammunition to use. How long do you think it would take of Riot not showing her on camera before the trolls of the world catch on and start saying things like "Riot won't show the girl on stream, must be because she's ugly Kappa" The only way the trolls will go away is if they treat a girl being in the LCS as just business as usual. because if they give her special treatment or make a huge deal about there being a girl in the LCS, It's going to get a lot of the internet trolls going.

If she needs helps dealing with the negativity Riot should help with that BEHIND THE SCENES and we should never hear about it. I'm almost positive they already have staff to help the new LCS players deal with being in the spotlight, a perfect example I can think of would be Balls from Cloud9, in the first interview he had with Phreak that many youtube videos were made from he was extremely awkward and twitchy but now when he gets interviewed he does it quite professionally.

TL;DR I hope she stays in the LCS but special treatment isn't the way to deal with negativity, all that will do is put her directly in the crosshairs of it.

LBurrkAug 14, 201520 votes

For starters I'm male (lets just get this out of the way). I would love to see Remilia stay and play in the LCS. Ive wondered for the years watching why we haven't seen any female pro players or one step further an all female LCS team. Being an athlete, be it a sport like basketball or soccer, or an Esport like League (or DotA for that matter) should not be confined to one race or gender or sexual preference or creed. We cant move forward in the world as a community or a society with such hate. Sorry if I got a little preachy, i dont usually get like this.

noeloverAug 14, 20159 votes

Don't ever apologize for speaking logic and kindness friend. And no one cares that you're a dude. Your opinion doesn't have more or less weight that way. You're a human. The end.

ZelilahAug 14, 20159 votes

It's hard for us ladies of lol to come out in the open. Anytime we do we're met with stereotypes and trolls and forced to fight against them. For many, it's simply too much effort! While there are wonderful people like you and everyone here supporting Remilia and begging her to stay, there are many louder trolls belittling her and her accomplishments. If you want to see more ladies on the professional stage they're going to need help from wonderful folks like you. Keep encouraging them and eventually a few will grow brave enough (like Remilia) to take their careers to the LCS stage :)

XpookieAug 14, 20158 votes

I really hope she stays, but in the end it is her decision . I just wish she knew that there are a lot of people , a lot more then the stupid trolls/haters , that roots for her and wants to see her play the game we all love . All the haters should look at themselves in the mirror and think for a second , we all have our issues and our problems, and we should encourage people trying to overcame them and try to be happy instead of bringing them down .

tehmarvinAug 14, 20154 votes

#StayRemilia #RemiliaThresh4Prez

Regardless of her gender, Remilia/Maria played OUT OF HER MIND when she was given Thresh. I hope she stays with the team.

Jocaubica1Aug 16, 20153 votes

I would understand if she was some top tier support but that guy sucks just cause he is a girl with a dick people think what ? He is the best support na ?You Americans rly are most retareded people in the history

3GfdW6kylDAug 18, 20151 votes

Gotta remember that most Americans are decedent from you Europeans. Have you guys to thank for the stupidity. (dumb stereotyping and putting everyone into same category European.)

Serathan TaryelAug 13, 201519 votes

Well... at first I want to say that both team deserves to be LCS Profesional Teams. Congratulations to DigEu and Renegades.

I AM ASHAMED of the attitude of that part of the community, I am ashamed of the lack of maturity of a bunch of kids, I am ashamed there are people in this world just be able to dump their frustrations criticizing and taunting others.

True, it is very easy to write from an Internet chat, but I'm quite sure that Riot, responsible for a new form of sport, responsible for a lot of innovations, incredible events... is completely capable of giving a historic change proposing full equality situation.

Is true that we can find differences with men and women in differents sports, due to the physical differences, but in e-sports we no longer find that barrier, so we need to be able to use that tool for produce equalty, specially in this game, when a lot a young people can learn **RESPECT **, so, in conclusion:

#KEEPREMILIA

Noobiest Noob EUAug 14, 20153 votes

She's getting hate for being transgender dude, nothing else.

Thats a BingoAug 14, 20159 votes

And you think that's okay? The person above still brings a valid point. Female gamers have gotten tons of hate from a vocal minority of the community. Many female gamers are afraid to attempt a splash at e-sports because misogynistic backlash can so so much more severe than regular backlash.

CrazyKinjazAug 13, 201514 votes

keep remilia!

noeloverAug 14, 20159 votes

As a HUMAN BEING on this planet, I fail to see the logic in making another human being feel bad because they are better than you at something regardless of gender. Remelia is an incredible support, she's a great league player. I support her, my 6 year old daughter supports her. My sons think she is outstanding and don't give a flying teemo if she's a girl. They actually think its cool.

Remelia not only has to support her team and play the very best she can, but she carries the weight of being the first female in the LCS. That's a LOT of pressure for one person. So why, I ask, are some of you out there attacking her personally? I won't call you basement dwellers, or losers. I WILL question your upbringing. Where are your manners? Where is your kindness? Why are you so scared? If you want to be in the LCS, put in the hard work and make it happen.

“We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing.” -Charles Bukowski

So be freaking nice to one another or I will stab you.

p.s. Remelia, I know you're the support, but I support you. I stand by you (or in a bush so we can gank fools), when the internet is being mean. If you stay or you go I know you did your best. You wanted to play the damn game and leave all this other BS behind. If you ever feel alone please know there are millions of humans out there by your side.

with love, N

TurquoiseYoshiAug 13, 20157 votes

1: Keep Remilia.

2: Will we get notified when Team Dignitas EU gets sold and renamed? One owner cannot own 2 teams in any of the 5 pro leagues, so DEU will need to be sold. I would like to know when it does.

Earl EulrichAug 13, 20157 votes

really glad that Renegades made it, though i still hope Remilia deceides to stay with them - they just play really well together right now (though RF sure needs to step up for the LCS). For EU i really would have liked to see Mouz pull through, I think they played a lot better than DEU on the makro-level and just through it due to nerves mostly.

Teriyaki 6ix5iveAug 13, 20156 votes

Honestly, I'm glad Coast didn't make it to the LCS this time.

I'm just tired of seeing them get there, then get stomped by every team just to get sent back into challenger series.

Lucky AceAug 13, 20155 votes

i am sad to see another great eu mid laner start of his (new) path in NA, but alex really deserves his LCS spot. but sadly this team is just another showing imported talent winning the day. i wil support RNG like an EU team in NA tho, because even tho they compete in the NA LCS for me alex will alway be part of the holy EU trinity (Froggen, Xpeke and Alex Ich)

CIockw0rkAug 13, 20153 votes

Thats a comment of a Die Hard EU fan. Good for you.

Alex Ich isn't a good midlaner anymore. He is decent, thats it. He deserves his spot in the LCS, not the praise you are giving to him like if had carried RNG. Remilia and MapleStreet has carried HAAAAAARD the team to victory.

There is only Xpeke (Veteran mid laner) that still really beat the more average of midlaners

warpedmindAug 13, 20152 votes

this.

IxnayAug 13, 20151 votes

All 3 are in the lcs again :D cept Alex is in Na but still :D

CIockw0rkAug 13, 20153 votes

if you have seen the Same EU LCS 2015 as I did, i really don't understand why you mention Froggen... He is totaly off the track.

MahadesAug 13, 20154 votes

if you watched lcs before 2015 you would know why :)

xNumbAug 13, 20151 votes

Seems like u did not see the eu lcs 2015. Froggen was always peforming well.

warpedmindAug 13, 20151 votes

but alex had a really poor showing this series. he even thanked maple for carrying him on twitter ;)

E1tkoH9FKoAug 14, 20154 votes

That moment when gay marriage is more accepted than female professional video game players.

A Day Late GhostAug 13, 20153 votes

The NA CS broadcast was very....awkward...mostly towards the beginning, like there was this huge elephant in the room that no one wanted to acknowledge. All in all, though, I am stoked for Renegades and hope that their current team player comp stays just as it is. Oh, and for Renegades future opponents....you better ban Thresh, or you'll pay.

growlithe1234Aug 13, 20153 votes

I honestly think RNG is overrated. (though I really like alex ich)

even with that said, I want Remilia to stay, but its her decision on what she wants to do, so whatever she decides I will still respect her either way

FurankiAug 13, 20153 votes

Damn glad to see Renegades win their spot in the LCS; never been as excited as I was than watching that Game 5 between them and Coast. I think I share the same mindset as most that RF needs to use these next few months as a chance to train and get squared away. He has potential and certainly contributes where it is needed but he has room to grow. Alex and Maple looked great out there. Most of all, I hope Remilia chooses to stay. Her Thresh is damn scary with the over-the-wall hooks and that awesome hook-n'-latern train in bot.

Glad to see Renegades in 2016 Spring Split and we'll see if Team Coast and Team Imagine can earn their spots.

Metonym InsanityAug 15, 20153 votes

Fuck the trolls! Remilia please stay. We love you. Forget about 12 year old kids and fat 30 year old boys that still live with their parents and don't know how to do laundry. We want you in the LCS!

QuentinnAug 15, 20153 votes

Thresh Remilia is Needed in RNG PLS #KEEPREMILIA

Backpack PandahAug 16, 20152 votes

Eh, I was hoping to see Renegades enter the LCS, but Im no longer a fan of them. Been following Crumbz and Ich since they entered their respective LCS regions back in the day. Then I tune into a Remilia Twitch stream to see how she plays support since Im trying to learn that role, and I say "Is that her, the Thresh Goddess?" and get permabanned. Definately no longer a RNG fan. That kinda hostile environment is a no thank you for fans. So Ill stick to #CLGWIN

RimshliviganAug 17, 20152 votes

I think if the NFL can handle its first ever women coach as well as ref, then the LCS should have no issues. People don't do well with change, but a sport such as this where things are constantly changing and growing, everyone should be embracing Remilia and encouraging. It only helps the sport grow as a whole and bring in more fans.

Shield AnvilAug 13, 20151 votes

i did not really follow the nacs, would someone be so kind and explain the whole remilia thing to me? (this might not be the place for it, i know)

gyraldarAug 13, 20153 votes

Well, first of all, if you know a bit of the lolcommunity, there is a lot of consensus placed on a girl, and that might post some negative and onesided hate towards here. Furthermore you have to know that she is transgender, so its also in that way that people tend to look at her as a rolemodel for that, which wont always be looked on good. Even though it looks a good thing to be first women in the lcs, people just see it as a thing to hate her on too, for being different ( thats just the community, people are shitheads) Also, another thing is that she herself posted that she didnt feel like she wanted to do lcs, and have regular grinding ( might be a bit more elaborate the way she said it, dont remember it perfectly), and together with those other things she says all the time she doesnt want to go to the lcs, so thats a thing about it. Wont probably be all, since I dont follow it 100%, but might be some explaination

noeloverAug 14, 20155 votes

"you HAVE to know". Actually no we don't. None of this matters. All that matters is her game play on the Rift. THATS IT.

GhrianAug 16, 20151 votes

He explained it, doesn't mean he justified it ;) . Otherwise I'm pretty sure the person you replied to 100% agrees.

EinherjerAug 14, 20151 votes

I am just posting to congratulate Renegade and say that I hope Remilia will stay in the team. She is a great support and deserves to be on the LCS stage like any other pro LCS player!

Windragon666Sep 2, 20151 votes

Stop calling Remilia a male she wants to be a girl that's fine. Yet, she is still classified as a female no matter what you say or do. But in all honestly that is a little disgusting getting a sex change surgery to be a girl and having a dick you know .-. but, that's not the point she is a girl.

UkeNeverSemeSep 9, 20151 votes

Being a dane this season is going to be awesome xD A country of 5 million supplying not only top tier talent to the scene (Bjergerking, Svenskeren etc) we now also have an entirely danish LCS squad for the first time since the old CPH Wolves :D and also theres actually gonna be a female pro player :D really hope it helps with the normalization of females in e-sports, would be so nice if all these anti-social girlscared 15-year olds could realize that they're normal people and stop making such a big deal out of Sjokz every time there is an interview!