CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte Royals logged a record number of hours in the community during the 2021-22 season staying true to the University's motto, "not to be served, but to serve." In total, the Royals logged 3,416 hours which was over 11 times the number of hours from the previous season. The Royals also had a record economic impact of $97,505.
"Words cannot adequately express how proud I am of our student-athletes," expressed Queens Athletics Community Engagement Coordinator Tina Lugo. "When we asked them to find time to volunteer, they accepted our challenge and served our community in an unselfish, caring, and dedicated manner. Many of our Royals went beyond volunteering by creating new partnerships and innovative ways to fill the needs of the greater Charlotte community. It was an honor to see how their dedication, hard work, and competitive natures extended well beyond their roles as student-athletes."
Nationally, the Royals cracked the Helper Helper DII Top 25 for hours logged for the first time ever. The Helper Helper platform was created by a former student-athlete to make it easier for athletic departments to help students get out in the community. It's proved to enhance the student-athlete experience and take student-athlete development to the next level. Additionally, Helper Helper is an official partner of NCAA Team Works, which coordinates community service efforts at the NCAA championships.
In addition to being recognized as a department, individual Queens programs stood out among their respective peers. Queens' field hockey team ranked third among other DII field hockey programs in the country while the women's swimming team ranked fifth. On the men's side, Queens' lacrosse team ranked ninth, the wrestling team ranked sixth, and the swimming team ranked fourth.
At the end of April, two teams and two individuals were honored with the
Royals Service Award which is presented by Queens Athletics to individual student-athletes or teams who have gone above and beyond to help improve the Queens community. Men's swimming and women's rugby earned the team award after logging nearly 1,600 hours combined. Additionally,
Zac Baker of the men's swimming team and
Avery Marquis of the cheerleading team were honored individually. Baker logged 235 hours while Marquis totaled 165 hours.
"Our Royals continue to live the Queens motto," Queens Director of Athletics
Cherie Swarthout commented. "Our goal this year was to Emerge and Engage at a higher level than in previous years through intentional efforts. The outcome exceeded our original projections through the tremendous support and leadership that Ms. Lugo provided our staff and student-athletes. We are grateful for her time and attention dedicated to our engagement efforts and to our Royals for continuing to elevate our presence in the Charlotte community."
Prior to this season, the record for hours logged stood at 961 for the department while the record for economic impact was $27,437.
In May, Queens announced that its transition to Division I would begin July 1 as the Royals are set to compete in the ASUN Conference beginning this fall.
Be sure to follow Queens Athletics on all social media platforms by searching @QueensAthletics for news and updates surrounding the Royals.
