2021 New York Excelsior season

2021 New York Excelsior season
Head coachLee "WhyNot" Ju-hyeop
General managerKim Yo-han
OwnerJeff Wilpon
RegionEast
Results
Record7–9 (.438)
Place
May MeleeDid not qualify
June JoustLower round 1
Summer ShowdownRegional finals
Countdown CupDid not qualify
Season PlayoffsDid not qualify
Total Earnings$20,000

The 2021 New York Excelsior season will be the fourth season of New York Excelsior's (NYXL) existence in the Overwatch League and their first under head coach Lee "WhyNot" Ju-hyeop.

Preceding offseason

Roster changes

Free agents
Position Handle Name 2021 team Date signed Notes
Support Anamo Jung Tae-sung Seoul Dynasty November 29[1] Option declined
Tank Bianca Kim Dong-wook New York Excelsior December 11[2] Option declined
Damage Haksal Kim Hyo-jong – – Option declined
Damage Libero Kim Hae-seong – – Option declined
Tank Mano Kim Dong-gyu Philadelphia Fusion November 2[3] Option declined
Damage Saebyeolbe Park Jong-ryeol Seoul Dynasty November 29[1] Option declined
Damage WhoRU Lee Seung-jun – – Option declined
Legend
  Light green background indicates a player was re-signed by the Excelsior.
  Light red background indicates a player departed from the Excelsior.

The NYXL entered free agency with seven free agents, all of which became free agents due to the team not exercising the option to retain the player for another year.[4]

Acquisitions

The Excelsior's first offseason acquisition was Jo "Yakpung" Gyeong-mu, a tank player coming off of an Overwatch Contenders Korea championship with O2 Blast who signed on December 11, 2020.[2] Six days later, they signed rookie Lee "Friday" Seung-woo, a "skilled and flexible" support player coming from Contenders team OZ Gaming.[5] On December 22, the team announced the signing of four damage players: Jo "FEATH5R" Min-jae, a rookie coming from OZ Gaming, Lim "Flora" Young-woo, a rookie hitscan player coming from Contenders team Team Diamond, Kim "Gwangboong" Gwang-won, another rookie hitscan player coming from Contenders team Team Cat, and Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun, a veteran who was "one of the most flexible and deadly" damage players with the Philadelphia Fusion in 2020.[5]

Departures

The Excelsior released two of their contracted players on October 22, 2020: damage player Jeong "Nenne" Yeon-gwan and tank player Choi "Hotba" Hong-jun.[6] Six of the NYXL's seven free agents did not return, three of which signed with other teams, beginning with tank player Kim "Mano" Dong-gyu signing with the Philadelphia Fusion on November 2.[3] On November 29, support player Jung "Anamo" Tae-sung and tank player Park "Saebyeolbe" Jong-ryeol signed with the Seoul Dynasty.[1] Damage players Kim "Haksal" Hyo-jong and Lee "WhoRU" Seung-jun both announced their retirements in the offseason.[7][8] The team's final free agent, damage player Kim "Libero" Hae-seong did not sign with a team in the offseason.

Final roster

2021 New York Excelsior roster
Players Coaches
Role No. Handle Name Nationality
Damage 14 FEATH5R Jo Min-jae South Korea
Damage 12 Flora Lim Young-woo South Korea
Damage 83 Gwangboong Kim Gwang-won South Korea
Tank 29 Yakpung Jo Gyeong-mu South Korea
Tank 13 BiaNcA Kim Dong-wook South Korea
Tank 5 Kalios Wooyeol Shin South Korea
Support 1 Friday Jo Min-jae South Korea
Support 44 JJonak Bang Seong-hyun South Korea
Head coach
  • Lee "WhyNot" Ju-hyeop
Legend:
  • (I) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • (2W) Two-way player
  • Substitute player Substitute
  • Injured Injury / Illness
  

Latest roster transaction: July 16, 2021.

Transactions

Transactions of/for players on the roster during the 2021 regular season:

  • On June 30, the Excelsior signed tank player Shin "Kalios" Woo-yeol.[9]
  • On July 16, damage player Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun retired.[10]

Standings

Pos Team
 Pld W L Pts PCT MW ML MT MD Qualification
1 Shanghai Dragons 16 12 4 20 0.750 38 19 2 +19 Advance to season playoffs
2 Chengdu Hunters 16 11 5 15 0.688 38 22 2 +16
3 Seoul Dynasty 16 12 4 12 0.750 40 22 0 +18 Advance to play-ins
4 Philadelphia Fusion 16 10 6 10 0.625 37 24 3 +13
5 Hangzhou Spark 16 7 9 7 0.438 32 31 0 +1
6 New York Excelsior 16 7 9 7 0.438 29 32 0 −3
7 Guangzhou Charge 16 5 11 5 0.313 20 38 4 −18
8 Los Angeles Valiant 16 0 16 0 0.000 2 48 1 −46
Source: The Overwatch League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) winning percentage (including tournaments); 3) regular season wins; 4) regular season map differential

Game log

Regular season

2021 game log
May Melee
Qualifier match 1 April 24 Chengdu Hunters 3 – 0 New York Excelsior Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Nepal 0
1 Dorado 0
2 Temple of Anubis 0
Qualifier match 2 April 25 Hangzhou Spark 1 – 3 New York Excelsior Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
1 Busan 2
2 Havana 3
2 Volskaya Industries 0
1 King's Row 3
Qualifier match 3 April 30 Seoul Dynasty 3 – 0 New York Excelsior Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
2 Lijiang Tower 0
2 Hanamura 1
3 Eichenwalde 2
Qualifier match 4 May 01 Shanghai Dragons 3 – 0 New York Excelsior Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Ilios 1
2 Temple of Anubis 1
3 Blizzard World 1

June Joust
Qualifier match 1 May 22 New York Excelsior 3 – 1 Philadelphia Fusion Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Lijiang Tower 0
3 Numbani 0
2 Rialto 3
2 Volskaya Industries 0
Qualifier match 2 May 23 New York Excelsior 1 – 3 Guangzhou Charge Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
1 Nepal 2
1 Hollywood 3
3 Junkertown 1
0 Hanamura 1
Qualifier match 3 May 29 New York Excelsior 1 – 3 Seoul Dynasty Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
1 Oasis 2
3 Junkertown 2
0 Hanamura 1
3 Hollywood 4
Qualifier match 4 May 30 New York Excelsior 3 – 0 Los Angeles Valiant Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Ilios 0
1 Dorado 0
1 Temple of Anubis 0
Regional finals June 06 New York Excelsior 3 – 1 Hangzhou Spark Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
Hosted by Hangzhou Spark
0 Oasis 2
2 Temple of Anubis 0
3 Numbani 2
1 Dorado 0
Tournament first round June 10 New York Excelsior 0 – 3 Atlanta Reign Online
9:00 pm EDT    Details
0 Lijiang Tower 2
2 Temple of Anubis 4
3 Numbani 4
Lower round 1 June 11 New York Excelsior 0 – 3 Shanghai Dragons Online
10:45 pm EDT    Details
0 Busan 2
0 Temple of Anubis 2
2 Numbani 3

Summer Showdown
Qualifier match 1 June 26 Guangzhou Charge 3 – 2 New York Excelsior Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Lijiang Tower 0
2 King's Row 3
4 Junkertown 3
3 Volskaya Industries 4
2 Oasis 1
Qualifier match 2 June 27 New York Excelsior 3 – 0 Los Angeles Valiant Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Ilios 0
3 Hollywood 0
3 Watchpoint: Gibraltar 1
Qualifier match 3 July 09 Hangzhou Spark 3 – 2 New York Excelsior Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
Hosted by Shanghai Dragons
1 Oasis 2
3 Volskaya Industries 2
3 King's Row 2
2 Junkertown 3
2 Nepal 0
Qualifier match 4 July 10 New York Excelsior 3 – 1 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Busan 1
2 Temple of Anubis 1
2 Eichenwalde 3
2 Route 66 1
Regional finals July 11 New York Excelsior 0 – 3 Shanghai Dragons Online
5:12 am EDT    Details
0 Ilios 2
2 Volskaya Industries 3
4 King's Row 5

Countdown Cup
Qualifier match 1 July 31 New York Excelsior 3 – 0 Los Angeles Valiant Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
2 Oasis 1
3 Blizzard World 2
3 Rialto 1
Qualifier match 2 August 01 Shanghai Dragons 2 – 3 New York Excelsior Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
1 Ilios 2
3 King's Row 2
1 Havana 2
3 Volskaya Industries 2
1 Lijiang Tower 2
Qualifier match 3 August 07 New York Excelsior 1 – 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
1 Lijiang Tower 2
0 Route 66 3
2 Hanamura 1
2 Numbani 3
Qualifier match 4 August 08 Chengdu Hunters 3 – 1 New York Excelsior Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
0 Nepal 2
3 Rialto 1
2 Volskaya Industries 1
3 King's Row 1
Regional finals August 15 New York Excelsior 1 – 3 Chengdu Hunters Online
5:05 am EDT    Details
0 Ilios 2
4 Hanamura 3
4 King's Row 5
2 Havana 3

2021 season schedule

References

  1. ^ a b c Richardson, Liz (November 29, 2020). "Saebyeolbe and Anamo join Seoul Dynasty". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Richardson, Liz (December 11, 2020). "NYXL adds Yakpung and BiaNcA". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Czar, Michael (November 3, 2020). "Mano moves to the Philadelphia Fusion". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "2021 Player Contract Status". Overwatch League. October 21, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Alford, Aaron (December 23, 2020). "NYXL Complete 2021 Lineup". Hotspawn. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Duwe, Scott (October 21, 2020). "NYXL parts ways with Nenne, Hotba, Bianca, and WhoRU". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Richardson, Liz (October 20, 2020). "Haksal retires from professional Overwatch". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  8. ^ Field Level Media (January 18, 2021). "Seoul's Bdosin, New York's WhoRu retire from OWL". Reuters. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  9. ^ Castelot, Ophelie (June 30, 2021). "Overwatch League: NYXL Signs Kalios". ESTNN: Esports News Network. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  10. ^ Biazzi, Leonardo (July 16, 2021). "Ivy parts ways with NYXL, retires from pro Overwatch". Dot Esports. Retrieved July 16, 2021.