CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's soccer team is set to kick off their 2024 campaign on Thursday, August 29^th. Queens will host Wofford College at 7:00 p.m. at Dickson Field. The new season will mark the Royals third year as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference in Division 1.
 
"We're excited to start our season at home this Thursday, " said head coach Oliver Carias. "Our preseason was productive with two exhibition games that gave us valuable insights into our team, system, and individual performances. As we head into year three, we feel confident and prepared for this fall's competitive schedule."
 
The new year features a unique opportunity as the 17-match slate includes No. 1 ranked and the reigning national champions in Clemson. The Royals will also make a trip to Durham late in the season to square off against No. 20 Duke. Queens will welcome seven opponents to the Queen City, including regional tests in Wofford, Presbyterian, and College of Charleston.
 
"We are excited for a great and competitive schedule. Going into our third year in Division 1, we feel strongly about our team having a challenging schedule both in our conference and in the region."
 
The Royals are coming off a 2023 campaign in which they made their first ASUN Tournament appearance. Queens put together a 5-10-2 overall record, and a 3-4 mark in ASUN play before falling to Central Arkansas in the quarterfinals, 1-0. The Royals backline turned in four clean sheets on the season which was tied for the most in the ASUN during the regular season.
 
A significant contributor to those clean sheets is returning defender Samuel Idinge. The St. Petersburg, Florida native earned Second Team All-Conference praise last year after being the only player in the league to play every minute of the season. Idinge added a pair of goals and an assist to his season line. Also joining Idinge as a returner on the backline is sophomore Josh Chapman. The England native started 12 matches last season for the Royals and played a key role in three clean sheets.
 
Coming off an All-Freshman campaign in his first season in Charlotte, sophomore Evan Morris returns to goal for the Royals. In his first season as a Royal, Morris posted a 4-4-2 record, including three clean sheets. The week nine ASUN Goalkeeper of the Week ranked top three in the league in goals-against average, saves, saves per game, and shutouts per game.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Queens returns United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region and Second Team All-Conference standout Michel Feldman. The junior totaled 17 points behind six goals and five assists during his second season. Also returning to the frontline is graduate student Ciro Boulot Jaeggi. The West Virginia transfer started 16 matches last season and netted three goals in non-conference action.
 
The Royals were busy this offseason bringing in a load of collegiate and high school talent. Veterans Milan Miric and Felipe Marty joined the squad as graduate students with four years of college experience. Marty comes to the Queen City from USC Upstate where he started 41 matches in his career and earned Big South All-Conference nods twice. Miric began his career at Dayton before spending two seasons at Loyola Maryland. With the Greyhounds, the defender contributed nine shutouts and played complete games in six appearances.
 
Coming from the high school ranks are a pair of midfielders Leontios Zacharia and Rodrigo Canovas. The duo is expected to make an immediate contribution to the Royals lineup with their play style.
 
Queens was picked to finish seventh in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll. The Preseason All-ASUN Awards saw the reigning league champions from Lipscomb sweep the Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Goalkeeper of the Year awards. The Preseason All-ASUN Team consisted of four players from Stetson, three players from Lipscomb, two players from Bellarmine, and one player from FGCU and Central Arkansas.
 
Fans looking to purchase tickets for the season opener should visit the Queens Athletics website. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and the match will get underway at 7:00 p.m. Be sure to follow the Queens Men's Soccer team on Twitter and Instagram to get the latest news and updates. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok to keep up with all the Royals in action.