CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Queens University of Charlotte has been notified by The NCAA Division I Strategic Vision and Planning Committee that the institution will advance into year three of the four-year NCAA reclassification process.  
 
Queens is transitioning from NCAA Division II and will look to successfully complete the reclassification process during the 2025-26 season to become a full Division I member in 2026-27.  
 
"I would first like to say thank you to our amazing student-athletes, staff, fans and families for choosing Queens as a destination to grow, connect, and create lasting memories," Queens Director of Athletic Cherie Swarthout stated. "The momentum that we now have going into year three is palpable and will only be amplified as our teams continue to engage in the community, excel academically, and show up in postseason play. With our growth mindset I expect nothing less than to deliver a high-quality experience that will continue to attract the interest of our community. I invite you to identify events at www.queensathletics.com and come watch us compete as the highest level." 
 
Queens will enter its third season in Division I as a member of the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. Queens sponsors 30 total sports, including 23 NCAA-recognized sports. Of its NCAA-affiliated sports, 21 sports compete in the ASUN while men's volleyball is a member of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA). Field hockey is an NCAA Division I Independent.  
 
The Royals saw multiple postseason appearances during the 2023-24 season as men's and women's cross country, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's swimming, men's swimming, men's volleyball, softball, and men's and women's track & field each competed in conference championships.  
 
In the fall, men's soccer earned their first trip to the postseason since joining Division I after finishing fourth in ASUN play. The women's soccer squad fought their way to a top four finish in the ASUN, which also earned them their first appearance in the postseason in the Division I era. Queens followed up with a marathon victory in the first round of the ASUN Championships over Eastern Kentucky that took a 4-2 advantage for the Royals in penalty kicks to prevail on October 26 in Florence, Ala. Additionally, the men's cross country team saw a top-five finish at the championships. 
 
Men's basketball defeated Florida Gulf Coast in the first round of the ASUN Championship, 69-63, on March 4. The win marked two consecutive years the program won a game in the league tournament. 
 
The men's and women's swimming teams capped off the ASUN Conference Championships with a pair of second-place finishes, marking the highest ASUN finish for any Queens athletic teams to date. The teams combined for 15 first-place finishes and 32 on the podium. Abigail Zboran and Danielle Melilli of the women's swimming team also snagged the Freshman Swimmer of the Meet and Female Swimmer of the Meet honors, respectively, the first wins of their kind by the program in the Division I era.  
 
In track and field, the men's and women's teams both finished fifth at the ASUN Outdoor Championships while the women also took fifth at the Indoor Championships. The outdoor championships were highlighted by gold medal finishes by freshman Job van Keulen (7,228 points) in the decathlon and senior Emilija Kusic (5,051 points) in the heptathlon. It was Kusic's second gold medal as she also won the pentathlon at the indoor championships (3,643 points). 
 
In Queens' first season in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Conference (MIVA), the men's volleyball team cracked their way into the league's top eight to make the conference tournament. The regular season was highlighted by the program's first top-20 victory against No. 20 Purdue Fort Wayne (3-2) on Feb. 10 inside the Curry Arena. 
 
Queens softball program was the latest team to make postseason history this year with their first trip to the ASUN Championships this past spring. The Royals then added to their historic season with a first-round victory over Jacksonville, 2-1, on May 7. Women's lacrosse also had another impressive year, recording their 11^th-straight winning season in program history. Additionally, standout sophomore attacker Kayleen Favreau earned the department's first ASUN Player of the Year award. 
 
The Royals displayed excellence in the classroom posting a record-breaking 3.45 GPA, marking the 13th consecutive season the department has recorded above a 3.0 GPA. Additionally, 59 student-athletes joined the Athletic Royal Society, 216 student-athletes achieved Athletic Gold Standard, and 437 student-athletes were named to the Royals Athletic Director Honor Roll. Queens also saw the institution's first-ever ASUN Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in women's swimmer Sophie Lange.  
 
Queens student-athletes also made a tremendous difference in the community recording 8,305 volunteer hours. In the final Helper Helper 2023-24 engagement report, three women's teams (swimming, field hockey, lacrosse) and three men's teams (lacrosse, swimming, wrestling) finished in the top 10 in their respective sports in all of Division I based on total volunteer hours, economic impact and participant rate. As a department, 13 teams earned a 100-percent participation rate and all teams were crucial in strengthening the University's motto, "Not to be served, but to serve." 
 
Support for the Royals has grown since the Division I transition announcement in the form of giving, ticket sales, and attendance. Athletic giving peaked as the Royals saw a 203% increase in dollars for total individual philanthropy. There was also a 116% growth in the total number of gifts to athletics and an 18% increase in alumni giving. In addition, our Division I athletics program has significantly boosted Queens' national profile and expanded our student recruitment reach across the Southeast, resulting in a 26% application increase from the ASUN region. 
 
"Thanks to the generosity of individual donors, committed coaches, and visionary leadership, philanthropy's role in Queens Athletics is on a momentous growth trajectory," commented Loren Hatcher, Queens Athletics major gift officer. We are pleased with our fundraising results to date and believe the next two years will be a roaring success. Our gratitude extends to every person who has invested in current student-athletes and future Queens alumni. You are the pride of Royals Nation!" 
 
The Royals are scheduled to kick off the 2024-25 season on Thursday, August 15 when the women's soccer team welcomes USC Upstate to Dickson Field. Game time is set for 6 p.m. and tickets are available for purchase now. 
 
Fans are encouraged to stay up to date on all 2024-25 schedule announcements and ticket opportunities by visiting queensathletics.com. Below you can find Queens' 2024 fall and winter home openers. Visit www.queensathletics.com/tickets to purchase tickets today. 
 
Men's Soccer - Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. ET vs. Wofford  
Women's Volleyball - Friday, Sep. 13 at 12 p.m. ET vs. William & Mary  
Men's/Women's Swimming - Friday, Sep. 27 at 12 p.m. vs. North Carolina  
Men's Basketball – Monday, Nov. 4 vs. University of Lynchburg 
Women's Basketball- Saturday, November 9 vs. Wesleyan College  

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