CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout announced staff updates today, which included multiple promotions within the athletic administrative offices. The restructuring of the department follows a shift of key area responsibilities as the department has grown throughout the Royals' reclassification to Division I.
"As we continue to elevate Queens Athletics in our first full year as a full Division I institution, it is important that our organizational structure evolves alongside our growth," Swarthout stated. "The reorganization and promotions recognize outstanding leaders who have made a significant impact on our student-athlete experience, competitive success, brand visibility, and operational excellence. Each individual has demonstrated a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and service, helping position Queens Athletics for sustained success. I am grateful for their dedication and excited to see how their leadership will continue to advance our department as we build upon the momentum of this historic era for Royals Athletics."
In the office of compliance and student services, Colleen Cannon was promoted to senior associate athletic director for compliance and student services/senior women's administrator, while Julius Scott was promoted to assistant athletic director for compliance and Name, Image, and Likeness.
Cannon joined the department in 2019 as assistant athletic director for compliance before being promoted to associate athletic director for compliance and student services/SWA. During the NCAA DI transition period, she was pivotal to the Royals completing their requirements in a three-year period as a chair on the Queens NCAA Reclassification Committee. The policies and procedures implemented by Cannon over the years to help ensure the Royals are following NCAA rules and regulations have also led to significant improvements in efficiency in the areas of compliance and student services, and her collaborative approach to getting tasks across the finish line has helped to create positive experiences for many staff, coaches, and students on campus.
Scott joined the Royals in 2022 as director of compliance, giving the Royals a second experienced compliance officer to help ensure efficiency across policies and procedures with the NCAA. He spearheaded the creation of the Royal Leadership Academy, securing a $100,000 grant from program sponsor Lowe's. The Royal Leadership Academy is a year-long leadership development program designed to prepare student-athletes for success beyond competition through mentorship, public speaking, career preparation, emotional intelligence, and community engagement. Scott has also taken the lead in overseeing NIL policies for the Royals, while also having a hand in building out the NIL strategies for the department. To date, he has helped student-athletes generate over $45,000 on NIL platforms and over $5,000 in university royalties. Additionally, Queens student-athletes generated over $19,000 in NIL sales on Influxer, which ranked 91 out of the 555 schools signed up.
In broadcasting, Jim Piscitelli was promoted to associate athletic director for broadcasting, and Jacob Wright was named assistant athletic director for broadcasting.
Piscitelli was promoted to assistant athletic director in January of 2025 after being hired as a producer of broadcasting in 2023. He has led a staff that produces close to 100 ESPN+ broadcasts year after year for the Royals, showcasing the Queens brand in a high-quality way to the world. In total, the Queens Sports Network has produced nearly 200 events each season across multiple platforms. Time spent viewing Queens events on ESPN+ increased by over 40%, and the 2026 men's basketball game against Lipscomb has the most views on ESPN+ in Queens history. As an Emmy Award winner, he is highly respected in the field and sought after to cover the Olympic Games, having covered four in his career. He has also worked freelance throughout the Charlotte region, producing engaging content across various platforms for NBC Olympics, Peacock, FloSports, Moto America, ESPN, and FS1. In addition, Piscitelli led the production teams for college football, men's and women's college basketball, softball, equestrian, track and field, Premier Lacrosse League, Notre Dame, and Moto America.
Wright joined the Royals in 2023 as assistant director for broadcasting. He has been an integral part of the growth that the Queens Sports network has seen over the past few years. Coming to the Royals with extensive early-career experience, he hit the ground running, enabling the development of a consistent, high-quality broadcast for the Royals. Wright also helps produce content for the Queens Sports Network YouTube channel, which features long-form storytelling and highlight reels.
In facilities and events, Cameron Whicker was promoted to associate athletic director for internal operations, and Sabrina Martinez was named assistant athletic director for facilities and events.
Whicker joined the Royals ahead of the 2023-2024 season as assistant athletic director for facilities and events. His presence in year two of the DI reclassification process was welcomed as his leadership in the area enhanced the student-athlete and fan experience through his planning, procurement, and implementation of key facility upgrades. Some of the enhancements to competition venues included the installation of a new artificial turf playing surface at Dickson Field and refinishing six tennis courts at the Howard Levine Tennis Center. New LED scorer tables, instant replay review technology, and an updated audio system were also installed inside Curry Arena to enhance events. Whicker also modernized the department's ticketing operations through a strategic partnership with TicketReturn, improving efficiency, customer experience, and revenue-generation capabilities across athletic events. Additionally, Whicker has generated more than a quarter of a million dollars in revenue through external events, facility rentals, and strategic partnerships with organizations such as the Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Sports Foundation, Professional Golfers' Association (PGA), North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), Military Basketball Association (MBA), Charlotte Crown, and Carolina Ascent.
Martinez joined the Royals staff in 2022 as supervisor of athletic facilities and event management after completing her collegiate softball career at Queens. Coming aboard at the start of the D1 reclassification process, she helped improve game management and event operations across all events. She has been vital in ticketing operations and works to enhance the gameday experience at home events. Martinez serves as the gameday administrator for field hockey, women's volleyball, baseball, and softball, ensuring the successful execution of home competitions. In addition to her event management responsibilities, Martinez coordinates facility rentals and external events hosted at Queens' athletic facilities.
Finally, Caitlin Sangha was named assistant athletic director for marketing, and Danielle Evans-Clan was named director of athletic advancement.
Sangha joined Queens Advancement in October 2021 and transitioned to athletics in October 2024 as chief of staff before adding director of annual giving to her responsibilities this year. During that time, she has contributed to the development and completion of several priority initiatives and projects in collaboration with members of the leadership team. She also worked closely with the leadership team in planning events such as the Hall of Fame Ceremony and this year's Fuel the Fire event. In fundraising, Sangha took over control of the Investing in Champions Campaign this year and worked hand in hand with Brandon Johnson, deputy athletic director for external operations, to grow the Royals Club. The pair also worked together to enhance the gameday experience for basketball courtside season ticket holders, adding free hospitality and sponsored gifts as perks this past season.
While with Queens Advancement, Sangha produced high-profile events including Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year, Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, Estate Planners Day, HR Leadership Summit, and TWIST Conference for Women.
Prior to Queens, Sangha spent time as a marketing and publicity specialist, managing company social media channels and creating content for Hoopaugh Grading Company. For the two years prior, Sangha was a marketing and group sales coordinator for Blumenthal Arts. In that role, Sangha primarily created and executed targeted marketing plans for touring Broadway shows, concerts, comedy shows, and attractions to help boost sales. Through her work and creativity, Blumenthal Arts saw a significant increase in total group tickets sold.
Evans-Clan joins the Royals staff following an interim stint as senior director of marketing and communications in the spring of 2026, serving on the merger communications team. Before joining the office of marketing and communications, Evans-Clan was a member of the advancement office, having joined Queens in the summer of 2024 as the director of advancement communications. In her time at Queens, she launched the alumni social media accounts and contributed to impact reports, giving campaigns, alumni relations, and corporate and special programs. Evans-Clan also collaborated with athletics on communications efforts on Investing in Champions and One Day One Roar, two of the department's major fundraising campaigns, and had a hand in university marketing during Queens' first-ever appearance in the NCAA DI Men's Basketball Tournament. In her new role, she will lead annual fund efforts, alumni and donor engagement, and strategic advancement initiatives.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Queens Athletics to stay updated on all the Royals sports teams in action by searching @QueensAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
