M80 signs PNDH for the North American LCQ

M80 have announced that they have replaced Rocket League Esports veteran Joseph "noly" Kidd with former Next2Nu Esports professional Owen "PNDH" Young ahead of the North American Last Chance Qualifier. The 21-year-old has been a perennial regular in the RLCS since bursting on the scene with Young Whippersnappers and will be hoping to give M80 that final boost to contend for World Championship qualification this month.

Having spent a year out of the RLCS after departing OG in 2024, using most of his playing time competing in the North American collegiate scene for St.Edwards University, noly returned to professional play by joining M80 in 2026. The 2022-23 Fall Major champion linked up with up-and-comers Rafael "Mech" Franco and life, forming a trio that balanced veteran experience with youthful potential. While the team never truly challenged for Major qualification during RLCS 2026, they built a solid reputation as a lineup that could upset the best. With a collection of wins over Gen.G Mobil1 Racing, FUT Esports, and Next2Nu Esports, M80 peaked with two 5th-6th place finishes in Open #2 and Open #4. While the team trailed off towards the end of the regular season, failing to make a group stage appearance after Open #4, it proved to be a strong advertisement for some of North America’s top prospects.

With the NA LCQ right around the corner, M80 have confirmed noly’s exit from the organization. The seasoned professional is a high-profile name in the region that brings valuable know-how to a team, having now spent more time competing in North America than he did in his home region. However, there are no guarantees noly will find his way back to a top team, and he’ll be hard pressed to remain a stable presence in the RLCS. Currently, the Englishman is not signed up for either the NA or EU LCQs.

As a replacement for noly, M80 have now confirmed the addition of free agent PNDH. The Canadian professional started his RLCS career in 2024 and has competed in every Regional Open since his debut, building a strong portfolio as a lower-tier professional seeking that route to the top. In RLCS 2026, PNDH started the season playing on a pickup team called ciel before signing to Next2Nu Esports for Split 2, alongside Daniel "aris" S and Kenneth "percy." Ortiz. During the season, the 21-year-old never failed to achieve at least a 9th-12th place finish in a Regional Open and even peaked with a top eight in Open #4.

Following the conclusion of the regular season, Next2Nu Esports parted ways with the trio, allowing PNDH to pursue other options ahead of the LCQ. After tryouts with a number of teams, PNDH signed up for the NA LCQ with M80 on June 17, where he’ll compete with young guns life and Mech. The LCQ offers PNDH the opportunity to go one step further and reach an RLCS LAN for the first time in his career. The tournament is set to begin on July 03 and will feature the likes of FUT Esports, Gen.G, and Dignitas, who’ll all be competing with M80 for a spot at the RLCS 2026 World Championship.