Sonic makes return with Davenport University

Davenport University has announced that Alan "Sonic" Groesbeek will be joining the university's Counter-Strike squad. This move marks the first step in the collegiate squad's effort to foster an international approach to their lineup, something announced earlier this week.

Davenport University's addition of Sonic marks the South African player's return to the server for the first time since October 2021. Sonic's last foray into Counter-Strike was with Extra Salt, a team he competed with for just over ten months. The squad had considerable success in domestic competitions, finishing second in seasons 37 and 38 of ESEA Premier. Internationally, the roster often struggled to leave a mark, with last-place finishes at IEM Summer 2021, BLAST Premier Spring Showdown 2021, and Dreamhack Masters Spring 2021.

Shortly after missing out on ESL Pro League Season 15 after a close loss to Party Astronauts in the grand final of ESEA Premier Season 38, Sonic opted to take a leave of absence from competing, citing issues regarding mental health. After that announcement in October of 2021, Sonic remained quiet about his competitive future until April of this year, when he stated he would not be returning to professional Counter-Strike in order to prioritize his passion for business in the United States.

Sonic's move to Davenport University is a huge step for the collegiate program, which has previously primarily focused on supporting up-and-coming North American talent. The addition of Sonic to Davenport University's books will be immensely valuable in providing young talents with assistance from a player with a fair amount of experience competing in tier-one.

Davenport University head coach Colin "koi" Thor has also clarified that the program will be fielding several lineups in the upcoming fall semester, with the main roster to be solidified over the summer depending on further signings.

Davenport University's current main roster is:

• Spencer "Pugg" Moore

• Collin "CoJoMo" Moren

• Brandon "BeBO" Miller

• Tommy "corn" Eckhart

• Nate "spek" Smith

• Colin "koi" Thor (Head Coach)

• Grant "GKaay" Kino (Assistant Coach)

Davenport University's main roster is currently sitting pretty with an 8-2 record in ESEA Advanced Season 41, with the squad set to play LATAM side Infinity later today.