by Niclas “?enkay J?” Krumhorn has been appointed as the new head coach of ENCE’s Counter-Strike 2 roster, the Finnish organisation announced.
The 35-year-old German takes over from Jakub “?kuben?” Gurczyński, who was benched in late August following ENCE’s failure to qualify for the Perfect World Shanghai Major Europe RMRs, ending the team’s five-year streak of attending Majors.
enkay J’s task will be to steer ENCE back to form after a difficult period, which saw the team drop to the brink of falling out of the world’s top 30.
Welcome @enkay_J, the new Head Coach of ENCE CS ??
Read more: https://t.co/2firHWj5CK pic.twitter.com/5TjtNWQQ7s
— ENCE (@ENCE) September 9, 2024
Despite the challenge, enkay J expressed excitement and optimism about his new role.
“I am super excited to join such a prestigious organization as ENCE, and I feel very privileged to be here,” he said in a statement.
“My goal is to bring the team back to the top 10 of the world rankings. I want us to work hard, enjoy playing Counter-Strike, and improve together, day in and day out.”
Before joining ENCE, enkay J coached Entropiq, where he worked with former BIG teammate Tizian “?tiziaN?” Feldbusch.
Despite a year-long project, the team struggled to find success, and the entire roster was benched in July after failing to qualify for the Shanghai Major.
Previously, enkay J held various roles as a professional player, analyst, and coach, including stints with teams like Sprout, BIG, and G2 Esports.
His wealth of experience across these roles played a key part in ENCE’s decision to bring him on board, according to ENCE General Manager Niklas “Willkey” Ojalainen.
“Niclas was the strongest candidate for the position,” Ojalainen said.
“His experience as an IGL, analyst, and coach is extremely valuable, and coming from a German work environment, he can bring more structure into our team.”
Enkay J’s career highlights include leading BIG to an impressive 3-0 run at the Antwerp Major RMR, which included a dominant 2-0 win over then-top-ranked FaZe Clan, securing BIG’s place in the Legends Stage.
His experience with top-tier teams and success in international tournaments will be crucial as he seeks to restore ENCE to its former glory as a title contender.
ENCE’s Counter-Strike 2 roster
- Lukas “?gla1ve?” Rossander
- Kacper “?Kylar?” Walukiewicz
- Krzysztof “?Goofy?” Górski
- Viktor “?sdy?” Orudzhev
- Paavo “?podi?” Heiskanen
- Coach: Niclas “?enkay J?” Krumhorn
