NRG return to League of Legends led by Spica on a new role

NRG return to League of Legends led by Spica on a new role

After a year away from the game, NRG is making its return to the North American League of Legends scene. The team will be led by a veteran of the LCS in Spica, although with a twist.

NRG Are Back

At the end of the 2024 season, the LCS decided to rebrand entirely and merge with the South American leagues to create the LTA. At the time, this reestructuring meant that not all LCS teams would remain in the league. Ultimately, NRG was one of those teams that didn't make the cut into the LTA, putting an end to their League of Legends journey. 

Their time away did not last, however. At the very end of 2025, the American esports organization DarkZero bought NRG, and it only took two months before the new roster was officially revealed for the start of the 2026 NACL season (the North American tier-2 league).

Leading the project is none other than Mingyi "Spica" Lu, a former LCS Champion and LCS MVP. Despite being a staple of the Jungle for several years, however, Spica will actually be returning as a Support for NRG.

NRG 2026 roster:

  • Chris "Horder" Feng (Top)
  • James "Kisno" Woo (Jungle)
  • Kolby "PhyMini" Ashby (Mid)
  • Edward "Siroinai" Song (Mid)
  • Jeremy "Sushee" Roussy (ADC)
  • Mingyi "Spica" Lu (Supp)
  • Răzvan-Andrei "Razvan" Nistor (Coach)
  • Joseph "Joey" Haslemann (Coach)

NRG's official debut will come in the 2026 NACL Spring Season, which is set to kick off on March 26. If everything goes well for the team, we may even see the return of NRG to the LCS.

Seeing as the best-performing teams from the NACL will get to play for a chance to be promoted to the LCS at the end of the year, it will be interesting to follow NRG's journey through the tier-2 scene as they look to get back to the top.

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's channel on YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: NRG


Read more:

Voice Chat Is Arriving to League of Legends

How Cloud9 Head Coach Inero built a decade-long career in the LCS: "I was fully planning on joining the military"

G2 and Quickshot combine to create new HopEUm podcast: "To celebrate the uniqueness of the LEC"

 

Latest news

Evil Geniuses Return to League of Legends for League Impact Series

Evil Geniuses Return to League of Legends for League Impact Series

North American organization, Evil Geniuses, are returning to the League of Legends scene after a 3-year period. Entering the Game Changers side this time, they have picked up the former Ducks Deluxe roster and is set to compete in the upcoming League Impact Series.
29 Jul
Foo Zen-Wen

Esports World Cup 2026 Counter-Strike 2 Finale Set for Legendary Accor Arena

The Esports World Cup 2026 just leveled up its Grand Finale, and Counter-Strike fans have every reason to get excited. The tournament's Counter-Strike 2 Championship Final will be staged at Paris' historic Accor Arena, marking the closing chapter of the world's largest esports event.
29 Jul
Thales Costa

LYON to Host First LCS Roadshow Event in Mexico City

The 2026 LCS Summer Split has kicked off with teams vying for a spot at Worlds. To add to the excitement, the first LCS Roadshow has been announced, with LYON hosting some of the best teams in the league on home turf: Mexico City.
27 Jul
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

LYON Inspired to Miss the Start of the LCS 2026 Summer

The start of the LCS 2026 Summer Split is just days away, and the best team in the league will miss its best player to kick things off. LYON has announced that Kacper "Inspired" Słoma will not get to play with the rest of the team for the first "two or three weeks" of the Regular Season.
22 Jul
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

League of Legends Patch 26.15 Preview: Locke Nerfs, Bel'Veth Rework, and More

Patch 26.15 will launch the third and final League of Legends season of the year, marking an important update as players continue to adapt to the meta. LoL Patch 26.15 will launch Season 3 of 2026 on Wednesday, July 29, so let's go ahead and have a look at some of the biggest changes expected to arrive with the update.
22 Jul
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

LCS 2026 Summer: Everything You Need to Know

Top-flight League of Legends returns to North America once more! The 2026 LCS Summer Split will kick off Saturday, July 25, as eight teams battle to come away with the final LCS trophy of the year and a spot at Worlds 2026 in an extra special edition. With Worlds taking place in the United States for the first time in four years, no one will want to miss the chance to represent their region on home soil. Here's everything you need to know before the start of the 2026 LCS Summer.
22 Jul
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

LoL Classic Kicks Off with Legends Showmatches Around the Globe

League of Legends Classic showmatches have been announced across multiple regional leagues. Legends of the past will once again grace the stage to kick off the final run to Worlds 2026. We now have confirmations for showmatches for the LCS, LEC, LCK, and CBLOL. Here are the lineups to expect.
21 Jul
Foo Zen-Wen

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match