Sheep Esports Exclusive: TL to Part Ways with Mid Lane "APA"

Team Liquid (TL)'s League of Legends division has decided to part ways with American player Ian Sterns (ID:APA) before the start of the 2026 LCS, Sheep Esports reported on Wednesday.

APA, 23, plays mid lane, often playing heroes like Higgs and Aurelion Sol. He has played for teams including Supernova, Barrage NA, Resolve NA, Maryville, and TL Challengers, and was officially promoted to the TL first-line roster in July 2023.

During his time with TL, APA successfully created his own highlights: he won two LCS championships and the 2025 LTA Season 1 championship with the team, and won the LCS Finals MVP and "Most Improved Player" awards in 2024.

However, AP's competitive form has fluctuated since February of this year, and TL's overall performance has also declined significantly during the same period. The team recently finished sixth in the League of Legends Tournament Season 3, missing out on the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the League of Legends World Championship.

APA's departure marks the end of a glorious era for Team Liquid and the beginning of a rebuilding phase for the team. While TL has yet to finalize a replacement for APA, they have begun exploring the transfer market. Sheep Esports has learned that they are showing strong interest in acquiring Korean players.

As for APA's future, there is no confirmation yet. He is rumored to have started contacting LCS and overseas teams and is open to offers from the European (LEC) and Brazilian (CBLOL) regions.