CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte student-athletes made a historic impact in the community during the 2025-26 academic year as the Royals upheld the University's motto, "not to be served, but to serve." As a department, the Royals finished 30
th out of 100 Division 1 schools, the highest department finish in Division 1, logging 5,771 hours and providing a record economic impact of $208,574.
Queens saw 10 teams log 100% participation, with six other programs at 94% participation. In total, seven Queens programs finished in the top 10 in their respective sports, which tripled last year's total. On the women's side, swimming and diving finished fourth, tennis placed seventh, and both field hockey and dance clocked in at eighth. On the men's side, swimming and diving placed third, lacrosse finished sixth, and soccer checked in at seventh.
"Service has always been a defining part of the Queens experience, and our student-athletes continue to demonstrate what it means to lead with purpose beyond competition," said Queens Director of Athletics
Cherie Swarthout. "To record a department-best economic impact, rank 30
th nationally across Division 1, and have so many programs achieve top 10 finishes and near universal participation reflects the character of our student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff. We are incredibly proud of the way our Royals continue to live our mission – not to be served, but to serve – while making a meaningful difference across the Charlotte community."
A former student-athlete created the Helper Helper platform to make it easier for athletic departments to help students get out in the community. Helper Helper has proven 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.
Across all NCAA divisions, student-athletes nationwide accumulated 637,205 hours of community service, resulting in an economic impact of $23 million.
At the end of June, two teams and two individuals will be honored with the Royals Service Award, which is presented annually by Queens Athletics to individual student-athletes and teams who have gone above and beyond to help improve the Queens and Charlotte community. Last year, the men's triathlon and women's swimming programs took home the team award, and Zac Baker (Triathlon) and
Audrey Serb (Women's Tennis) earned individual honors.
Be sure to follow Queens Athletics on all social media platforms by searching @QueensAthletics for news and updates surrounding the Royals.
