florescent is the first woman in the VCT, how good is she?

Ava “florescent” Eugene has become the first woman set to compete in the top tier of Valorant esports, but is she good enough for the VCT?

There was one name that stood out while watching the Game Changers Championship 2024. Fans couldn’t stop watching florescent as she dominated every match. She was competing for Shopify Rebellion, which ended up becoming the champion of the event, and her mechanical skills, plays, and quick decisions had fans on the edge of their seats. Many even commented on the video of the finals match versus MiBR that flor should move to the big leagues.

Now their dreams are coming true as florescent is officially joining the VCT with Apeks, but will her performance in Game Changers tradition to the big leagues?

florescent moves to VCT with Apeks, will she hold her own?

florescent was undeniably the best player in Game Changers, and she’s expected to perform above average after moving to the VCT.

flor started her professional esports career with Misfits Black in 2022. As she showed her skills, she moved to Shopify Rebellion and helped the team secure first place in two back-to-back Game Changers championships. Both times, florescent was also named the MVP. By accolades alone, her skills are undeniable.

There were rumors for a while that florescent’s dominance at Game Changers could lead to a contract with a VCT team, but this was just speculation for a while. Today, Apeks officially announced that flor is joining the squad for the VCT 2025 season, replacing its current duelist.

“I’m very proud of the success my team had these last two years but I now feel ready to take the next step,” flor said in a press release. “Competing with the same roster 2 years in a row is something that very few players ever experience and I believe this has taught me a lot about what it means to be disciplined, hard-working, and professional. Making the jump to VCT has been my goal since day one, and I couldn’t be more grateful to Apeks and the team for taking a chance on me. I know I have much to prove but I’m ready to work for it.”

Here’s the Apeks roster heading into 2025.

• Tautvydas “hype” Paldavicius
• Michał “MOLSI” Łącki
• Auni “AvovA” Chahade
• Ava “florescent” Eugene
• Sabína “Leonieahh” Jankovič (Manager)
• Danail “DANNYTO” Sofroniev (Head coach)

In the EMEA, the competition is fierce. Other teams in this region include Team Liquid, Team Heretics, Natus Vincere, and Fnatic. Apeks is newer to the VCT scene, having secured a spot for 2025 by becoming EMEA Ascension champion.

It will be interesting to see how florescent’s skills line up with VCT-level Valorant players. Game Changers was almost a breeze for flor, who set the record for the most kills in a single Game Changers international series during the championship in 2023 at an insane 112 kills. But she not only has great aim, as her game sense is what really make flor stand out. It’s this high-level thinking and fast-paced decision-making that will likely keep flor competitive in the big leagues.