One goal in their sight: Reach the EMEA Masters
Dutch organization Dynasty has finalized its roster for the upcoming Elite Series: League of Legends (ESLOL) 2024 Season. According to Sheep Esports sources, the team has reached agreements with top laner Hasagi, jungler Hummelu, mid laner Crown, bot laner Criptik, and support Moosey. Re-entering the 1st Division for the first time in over two years, the team is said to have set its goals up high for the upcoming season.
Full Dynasty 2024 ESLOL Roster
- Top Lane: Nejc "Hasagi" Muhič (Re-Signing)
- Jungle: Marcus "Hummelu" Drechsler (Re-Signing)
- Mid Lane: Corné "CR0WN" Croonenberg (Ex: SAMCLAN/AGC)
- Bot Lane: Wout "Criptik" Lenaerts (Ex: Senshi eSports)
- Support: Kai "Moosey" van Bochoven (Ex: Munster Rugby)
- Coaches:
- Ryan "Riron" Lewis van Strydonck (Re-Signing)
- Jai "Beowulf" Hill (Ex: Fullclear Esports)
Pioneering a New Era
One of the longest-standing organizations in the Benelux, Dynasty, is set to make a triumphant return in 2024 after 2 years of absence. Ranking as the second oldest organization in the Elite Series behind mCon esports, Dynasty will now assume the role of newcomers, eager to assert themselves in a league that has undergone significant changes since their last tenure.
Qualifying via the promotion tournament in September, the team wasted no time exploring its off-season options for the coming year. One of the first teams to begin its roster building, sources reveal that the organization finalized its lineup in mid-December. However, Dynasty's off-season was anything but tranquil, as the team explored various alternatives for its roster.
Upon discussing the new lineup with a source close to the team, Sheep Esports learned that Dynasty remarkably secured all five of its top choices ahead of the Elite Series spring split. Further conversations with the same sources indicate that, although the team's initial goal was to secure a playoffs appearance, its ambitions rose after a successful off-season, with their sights now set on an appearance at the EMEA Masters.
Careful Preparations
Exiting the Dutch League just before the inception of the Elite Series in late 2021, Dynasty has meticulously prepared for its comeback. With changes in the global esports ecosystem and shifting expectations, the Benelux region has been one of many affected actors of the European scene. Following recent trends, the league is now focused on reducing its previously mandated minimum investments, paving the way for a more sustainable path for grassroots organizations.
Securing promotion to the 1st division, the team has diligently worked towards its resurgence in 2024. Despite the departure of most former players, sources suggest that Dynasty conducted extensive trials over the past three months before finalizing its roster, giving shots to most of its past talents in the process.
Throughout this off-season, one element has been clear: Hummelu was to be built around. Serving as one of Dynasty's imports, the 21-year-old jungler proved to be a core piece of the team's puzzle in 2023.
Known for his strong performances both as a carry and supportive player, the German jungler impressed many throughout the summer split and promotion tournament, maintaining strong showings despite boasting the lowest gold shares of any other junglers in either tournament, proving his capability of playing well without requiring many resources.
But Hummelu's signing wasn't the only element shaping the team's explorations. Coming in as regretful news, the team would receive news that its promising bot laner Luc "DarkUniQ" Biesaart would be taking a step back from competitive play to focus on his personal life. Soon after, the team would also mutually agree to part with support player Alexey "CrabLord" Telnov, ensuring at least two new members within its 2024 lineup.
Early Explorations
Starting its trials in October, the team would see many promising prospects for the Benelux region cycle through its budding lineup. Still with the ambition of building a strong local core and the aim of reaching the playoffs, all positions would see several players compete around this time.
Dynasty's support position would be one of the first to be locked. While the team did try-out a few local players, Dynasty would not have to look very far as they were approached by Moosey, a player the organization had scouted back in 2022. With a year of experience under his belt, sources indicate that the young Dutch support quickly reached verbal agreement with the team, following mutual interest from both parties.
As other options, the team strongly considered its former coach, Arthur "Razorder" Craanen. Expressing a desire to return to competitive play early in the off-season, the player reportedly showed impressive performances in trials, despite not having had much practice at the time. Producer for the LEC broadcast team, Razorder would unfortunately enter trials too late due to his own personal duties working on the 2023 World Championship's broadcast team. Since then, sources indicate that Razorder found an agreement to compete as Senshi eSports' new support in the league's 2nd division.
It would be around this time that the team's roster would start to take shape. While the team would struggle to find itself a top laner, it would quickly develop clear plans for its mid lane and bot lane positions. With Corné "CR0WN" Croonenberg and Casper "Aliplane" Wiersma as front-runners, the team seemed to be poised to lock its lineup quite early in the off-season.
A Diamond in the Rough
Unable to find a suitable local top laner, the team would circle back towards their initial contender, Hasagi. Joining the team in summer of 2023, the Slovenian player has proved to be a serviceable player in his position, able to compete with other laners in the Benelux second division. While he will have a lot to prove in the upper league, the player will have the benefit of playing with a jungler he has experience with.
As for other positions, the team would soon struggle, finding that their two front-runners could prove harder to sign than expected. Soon after, the team would decide on exploring other options, afraid that it would lose the race to acquire CR0WN and Aliplane to other teams.
In came Criptik, a staple of the Benelux's amateur scene. Never having been given a chance to prove himself, the player reportedly received no other offers this off-season and did not appear as a consideration to any Elite Series team. Despite this, chance would soon turn for the Belgian bot laner. Coming in late to Dynasty's trials, the player would impress not only his teammates but also the team's management.
Proving better than his counterparts on most levels, the player quickly garnered the attention of the team. Following further trials with the rest of the lineup, he would soon prove to be the perfect fit to join Dynasty. In a unanimous vote, players and staff alike would then decide on settling with the rookie. Heralded as a diamond in the rough, Criptik is expected to bring a strong mechanical aspect to the team despite lacking experience in professional settings.
Per sources, the team's previous bot lane front-runner Aliplane has, since then, signed with Myth Esports, another team in the Elite Series 1st Division. In direct competition over the bot lane spot in Dynasty, it will be interesting to see the two prospects play against one another this split.
Ready to Upset the Competition
With Hasagi and CR0WN both signing agreements with Dynasty right before Criptik's vote, the team had now settled on its full lineup. With a refreshed roster of rookies and veterans, the organization is now readying itself to enter the Elite Series 1st Division for the first time, hoping to achieve major results in its first split of competition.