TSM has participated in competitive Apex since 2019, with their current roster currently set to represent North America in the 2023 Split One Playoffs. Adding to their already stacked lineup of professional players and content creators, TSM signed four women to Apex Legends as competitive players.
TSM first signed Janey on Jun. 28, 2021 as a streamer, but she has moved from content creation to a professional position with the announcement. Joining her is Kornelia “Sabz” Zawistowska from Phoenix Legacy in EMEA, Isabella “Avuhlie” Rivera from the NA Pro League Qualifiers, and former ALGS Caster and Pro League player Laurice “GuhRL” Habibi.
TSM’s roster acquisition follows their recent expansion into Apex, after the signing of Mikkel “Mande” Hestbek, former pro player for SCARZ and EMEA ALGS Championship 2021 winner, as a European content creator. Sabz joins as the second European player for the team signed this past week, a milestone for the North American organization.
TSM’s vice president of esports clarified that all of the new signings will not participate as a team together in the ALGS due to multiple reasons. Janey will not compete due to lack of interest and Sabz will continue to compete with Phoenix Legacy in EMEA, while Avuh and GuhRL are currently looking for a North America based team to compete on. However, TSM plans to continue competing together in community tournaments and creator events, such as Celestial Cup and Twitchcon, with a commitment to highlighting all of the players’ individual paths and tournament results despite not always working alongside each other.
Reception to TSM’s second roster has been overwhelmingly positive, with pros and content creators highlighting the importance of a top organization signing a female roster and expanding outreach into Apex, when other teams like G2 Esports, Cloud9, and Team Liquid are dropping out of the competitive scene entirely. TSM continues to build upon their Apex brand in the ALGS and community tournaments, and set the golden standard for involvement in the scene.