CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's tennis team is set to begin their inaugural Division 1 season on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Royals will square off against James Madison University at 9:00 a.m. before facing Virginia Tech at 1:30 p.m. inside the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.
 
"We are excited about this new year and the new challenges of Division 1 competition," said Head Coach Michael Cabana. "The team is working hard and things are moving in the right direction. They are eager to get out on the court and compete against outside competition. I've very excited to see the team's growth as we progress through the year."
 
The Royals wrapped up their final season in Division 2 last spring with a 15-5 overall record and an 11-1 mark in league play. Queens captured their third South Atlantic Conference Tournament title and took an 11-game winning streak into their sixth NCAA D2 Tournament appearance.
 
Queens returns last year's Conference Player of the Year, Edoardo Bottino. The Genoa, Italy native posted a 12-5 dual singles record last season and a 15-4 record in doubles play.  The CoSIDA Academic All-American landed First Team Doubles honors with Edoardo Cecere as the tandem went a perfect 11-0 in conference play. Laurenz Blickwede returns to the court for the Royals after being named the SAC Tournament MVP. Blickwede went 13-5 in singles action, including 9-2 in league play and a combined 10-2 record between the No. 3 and No. 5 courts.
 
As a unit, Queens is a veteran group who returned 11 players from last season's NCAA team. The Royals bolstered their depth by bringing in a pair of successful transfers Milan Gonela and Quinton McNamara.
 
The inaugural Division 1 season will be the first year for the Royals' new head coach, Michael Cabana. Cabana came to the Queen City from nearby Wingate University after leading the Bulldogs men's and women's programs since 2006. At Wingate, Cabana was a 17-time SAC Coach of the Year recipient while also earning ITA Women's Southeast Region and National Coach of the Year honors. Cabana has coached six SAC Freshman of the Year winners, two SAC Players of the Year, and two SAC Elite 20 Award recipients.
 
Be sure to follow the Royals Men's Tennis team on Instagram and Twitter for updates and news throughout the season. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on social media to learn more about all of the Royals teams in action.