BIG Academy Reveal Fully Revamped CS2 Lineup
BIG Academy Reveal Fully Revamped CS2 Lineup
German esports organization BIG Academy have officially unveiled a refreshed roster for their Counter-Strike 2 academy side, marking a significant shift in personnel and coaching structure as they head into early 2026 competition.
The new roster sees Anton “doni” Savienkov and Denys “tripex17” Haponov join BIG Academy, while former professional player Timo “Spiidi” Richter steps in as the team’s new head coach. These changes complete a restructured squad following departures and developmental shifts within the organization’s talent pool.
New Additions to the Squad
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Anton “doni” Savienkov (Ukraine) — The 18-year-old young rifler joins BIG Academy after a recent stint with Wildcard Academy, where he posted a 1.04 rating over roughly five months of play. This marks a step up in his competitive career, transitioning from Wildcard’s youth setup into a more established academy program.
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Denys “tripex17” Haponov (Ukraine) — Also arriving from Wildcard Academy, tripex17 brings experience as an in-game leader, having helped Wildcard capture multiple United21 League Season titles in late 2025. His leadership and strategic role are expected to be key for BIG Academy’s future competitive development.
Coaching and Leadership Changes
BIG Academy’s new coach is Timo “Spiidi” Richter, a 30-year-old German veteran of the Counter-Strike scene. After a lengthy playing career that included appearances at multiple CS:GO Majors and time with organizations such as mousesports and Sprout, Spiidi retired from professional play in late 2023.
Spiidi has previously been involved in coaching capacities — most recently as a performance and development coach with Sprout — but this appointment marks his first head coach role at the academy level for a major organization. His deep competitive experience is likely seen as a valuable asset in building a strong foundation for BIG Academy’s young roster.
Existing Core of Players
In addition to the newcomers, the revamped lineup retains several players from BIG Academy’s previous roster:
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David “prosus” Hesse (Germany) — A familiar face in the BIG system. Prosus has moved between academy and main rosters over time, even being promoted to BIG’s main Counter-Strike 2 team in 2025 before returning to academy play, reflecting the organization’s continued investment in his development.
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Phillip “w1dow” Hemke (Germany) — A young German rifler who has been with the academy setup and shown promise in online competition.
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Jason “JBOEN” Boe Nielsen (Denmark) — The Danish player rounds out the core, bringing international diversity to the lineup alongside the new Ukrainian members.
This mix of retained talent and new prospects suggests a broader strategy across BIG’s youth structure of blending international firepower with established academy experience.
Competitive Activity & Upcoming Matches
Since integrating the new players, the team has already competed in at least five matches, notably advancing to the lower-bracket final of United21 League Season 43. Furthermore, their results in the open portions of the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Rio 2026 qualifiers have secured them a berth in the Closed Qualifier phase of that event.
Their next scheduled match — set for January 21, 2026 — pits them against FUT Esports in the opening round of the IEM Rio 2026 Closed Qualifier, a key stepping stone toward one of the season’s most significant CS2 events.
Context: Academy Teams in Esports and BIG’s Strategy
Academy teams like BIG Academy play an important role in the broader Counter-Strike ecosystem, functioning as developmental platforms where emerging players can gain experience in structured competition. Many organizations use academy teams to identify future stars and prepare talent for potential elevation to the main roster.
For BIG, the reshuffle reflects an ongoing commitment to nurturing young prospects and maintaining competitive relevance in CS2 outside their primary squad. This follows other organizational moves, such as recent main roster restructures and talent promotions, underscoring a broader emphasis on long-term success and growth across all levels of competition.
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