CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team announced their 2025 schedule this afternoon, and is gearing up for their second season in the prestigious Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).
After their inaugural campaign in the conference last year, which saw the Royals earn the eighth seed in the MIVA Tournament, the team is eager to build on that foundation and take another step forward in 2025.
"I thought it was crucial that in our first year we were able to make that first step and get to the tournament," Head Coach Jeremy Price said. "Once we had a taste of that, we don't want to know what we would be missing. I think it's important for us to continue to qualify for the tournament and put ourselves in that position so that as we spend more and more time in the MIVA, our goals are evolving. We want to make the tournament, win a match, get into the top four and host a first round playoff match… Those are our goals, and we're continuing to grow them."
SCHEDULE RUNDOWN
This season begins with a pair of home matches against Charleston on January 11 and 12, providing an opportunity to establish momentum.
The team then hits the road for its first away game on January 16 against Belmont Abbey, a familiar regional opponent who claimed the Conference Carolinas title last season and made a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Highlighting the end of their January slate are away matches against George Mason, NJIT, and Princeton - routinely ranked squads, with George Mason and Princeton each making an NCAA Tournament trip in the last five years.
As the schedule progresses, Queens faces a variety of opponents, both in and out of conference, offering chances to showcase their development and climb the ranks within the MIVA. The conference schedule is expected to be particularly demanding, as the MIVA features some of the nation's top programs.
MIVA OPPONENTS
Queens' MIVA journey begins on February 1, when they hit the road to face Ball State, a program with a storied history in the conference. This matchup will be a significant early test for the Royals, as they seek to measure themselves against one of the top teams in the MIVA.
The Royals continue their road trip with a visit to Ohio State on February 3. The Buckeyes, defending MIVA Champions, are known for their strong all-around play, making this a key opportunity for Queens to prove they can compete with the best in the conference.
Queens will then return to the Levine Center for their first MIVA home game of the season on February 8 against Purdue Fort Wayne. Last season, the Royals defeated the then 20-ranked Mastodons in Charlotte in a five-set thriller in February.
The team will then finish their home stretch and host McKendree on February 10 before hitting the road for a challenging contest with perennial MIVA powerhouse Loyola Chicago on February 15.
March brings another round of crucial MIVA contests, including a home matchup against Quincy on March 1.
As the season draws to a close, the Royals will face Ball State again on March 7 in a final road showdown. This match could play a significant role in determining Queens' postseason fate, making it an important contest in the last stretch of conference play.
CHARLOTTE ADVANTAGE
The Royals' home court of Curry Arena inside the Levine Center will serve as a critical advantage. With key matches against MIVA rivals and other strong opponents taking place in Charlotte, Queens will get their chance to make their mark.
"Four new teams will be coming into Curry Arena this year in conference play and will be a new test for us. We also have some solid non-conference squads coming here who have been ranked in the top 20 at some point within the last season and we are excited to face those opponents and face new challenges."
Of those non-conference squads is Hawaii, who went 23-7 last season and made a recent trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 2023 season after a 29-3 record.
"I think Hawaii certainly is the pinnacle of our non-conference schedule," Price added. "[Hawaii is] a perennial power that, until last year, had been in four straight national championship matches… and had won two of them.They're going to be really, really good this year and it's always exciting to get them inside Curry Arena. That's going to be an exciting weekend of volleyball here."
Fans are encouraged to stay up-to-date on Queens men's volleyball social media platforms and on queensathletics.com for ticket opportunities, roster previews, and more.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow the Royals men's volleyball team on Instagram and Twitter/X stay up to date on all the latest news surrounding the team. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics to stay updated on all the Royals sports teams in action by searching @QueensAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
