CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Queens University of Charlotte Department of Athletics has announced its 2027 Hall of Fame class ahead of the induction ceremony during Homecoming 2027. The 14th induction class includes former Queens director of athletics and head women's basketball coach Jeannie T. King, the 2015-16 national champion men's and women's swimming teams, former volleyball standout Keri Kemp Sparrow, and men's basketball alumnus and current associate head coach Daniel Bailey.
 
"The Hall of Fame celebrates the individuals and teams whose accomplishments have helped shape the rich tradition of excellence that defines our department," said Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout. "Jeannie King's visionary leadership transformed our department and laid the foundation for generations of success, while Daniel Bailey and Keri Kemp Sparrow distinguished themselves among the greatest student-athletes in program history. The 2015-16 men's and women's swimming teams upheld a standard of championship excellence that elevated Queens on the national stage. We are honored to recognize their lasting contributions and welcome them into the Queens Athletics Hall of Fame."

Homecoming 2027 is scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 5-6, with the induction ceremony scheduled to take place on the evening of Feb. 5 inside the Gambrell Center. The Homecoming games will take place on Feb. 6 inside Curry Arena. Tipoff for the women's game is set for 1 p.m., with the men's game scheduled to follow at 4 p.m.
 
Registration is now open for the 2027 Queens Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony. Additional information about the weekend's itinerary. The full 2026-27 men's and women's basketball schedules have been released, and season and single-game tickets are now available for purchase at www.queensathletics.com/tickets.  
 
Information on the inductees can be found below. 
 
2015-16 Men's Swimming Team
Head Coach: Jeff Dugdale
Induction Class of 2027
Men's Swimming

 
The 2015-16 Queens University of Charlotte men's swimming team captured the NCAA Division II National Championship in Indianapolis, giving the Royals back-to-back national titles. Queens finished with 449 points, ahead of Lindenwood (382.5) and Florida Southern (299.5), despite returning just three members from the previous year's championship team.
 
Dion Dreesens led the Royals with three individual national championships, winning the 1,000-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, and 500-yard freestyle. His times in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle set NCAA Division II records. Dreesens also joined Ben Taylor, Parker Cook-Weeks, and Nicholas Arakelian to win the 800-yard freestyle relay in NCAA-record time. Arakelian won the 400-yard individual medley, while Zachary Phelps captured the 200-yard backstroke.
 
Queens' depth was reflected in its All-American and Honorable Mention honors, with Dreesens, Arakelian, Phelps, Taylor, Ben Mayes, Rostyslav Fedyna, Inigo Alarcia, Felipe Oliveira, and Cook-Weeks among those recognized.
 
The Royals also claimed multiple individual and relay titles at the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships. Dreesens was named Bluegrass Mountain Conference Swimmer of the Year and CSCAA Swimmer of the Meet.
 
Academically, nine Royals earned CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors: Nicholas Arakelian, Dion Dreesens, John Evans, Bradford Hancock, Trevor Jones, Jackson Kojima, Zachary Phelps, Ben Taylor, and Hector Tricas.
 
With a second consecutive NCAA Division II national championship, three NCAA records set during the championship meet, multiple individual and relay titles, and numerous All-American and academic honors, the 2015-16 Queens men's swimming team stands among the most accomplished teams in Royals history.
 
2015-16 Women's Swimming Team
Head Coach: Jeff Dugdale
Induction Class of 2027
Women's Swimming
 
The 2015-16 Queens University of Charlotte women's swimming team captured its second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship on March 12, 2016, in Indianapolis. The Royals finished with 567 points, more than 200 points ahead of runner-up Wingate (364.5) and third-place UC San Diego (345).
 
Patricia Castro-Ortega led Queens' championship performance, earning Female Swimmer of the Meet, CSCAA Swimmer of the Meet, and Bluegrass Mountain Conference Swimmer of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. She won four individual national championships and set NCAA Division II records in the 200-yard individual medley (1:55.63), 400-yard individual medley (4:08.56), 500-yard freestyle (4:39.28), and 100-yard freestyle (48.54).
 
Hannah Peiffer added an individual national title in the 100-yard backstroke. Queens also won two relay championships, with Caroline Arakelian, Josefina Lorda-Taylor, McKenzie Stevens, and Castro-Ortega winning the 800-yard freestyle relay, and Arakelian, Kyrie Dobson, Shelly Prayson, and Castro-Ortega taking the 400-yard freestyle relay. The Royals finished the meet with six national championship titles.
 
Queens' depth was also evident in its All-American honors. Castro-Ortega, Arakelian, Lorda-Taylor, Dobson, Peiffer, Stevens, Prayson, Shane Knight, Brittney Phelan, Meridith Boudreaux, and Jessica Parmenter earned All-American recognition, with additional Royals receiving Honorable Mention honors.
 
The Royals also dominated the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships, winning individual and relay titles across freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley events. Head Coach Jeff Dugdale was named Bluegrass Mountain Conference Women's Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
 
Academically, 13 members of the team earned CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors, with Queens also receiving team recognition from the CSCAA.
 
With six national titles, four NCAA-record performances, conference championships, and 13 Scholar All-Americans, the 2015-16 Queens women's swimming team established itself as one of the most accomplished teams in program history.
 
Daniel Bailey
Class of 2012
Induction Class of 2027
Men's Basketball
2008-2012
 
Daniel Bailey is the ninth men's basketball player to be inducted individually into the Queens Athletics Hall of Fame, having established himself as one of the most accomplished men's basketball players in school history during his four-year career with the Royals.
 
Upon his arrival, Bailey made an immediate impact on the court, earning Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year honors for the 2008-09 season after averaging 13.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the field. The accolades continued to pour in throughout his career as he elevated his performance, earning all-conference team honors in each of his next three seasons. In addition to earning first team recognition in 2010 and 2012, Bailey was recognized on the Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team in 2012. His postseason and national honors included NABC Division II All-District recognition, NCCSIA All-State honors, and Sporting News Preseason All-American recognition. Bailey was also repeatedly recognized as the InterCon Male Student-Athlete of the Month.
 
Bailey helped the Royals return to the NCAA Championship in his junior season, following a two-year hiatus. Queens advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament's second round, finishing 21-8 overall. The Royals also posted a 16-2 league record to win the Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championship. Bailey's senior season was a fitting culmination to an outstanding career as he led the Royals, scoring 18 points per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field. He also led the Royals in rebounding, averaging 6.4 per game. Queens finished the 2011-12 season with a 19-10 overall record, going 13-3 in conference play.
 
In four seasons, Bailey totaled 1,771 points, shooting an impressive 50.5 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from three-point range. He also accumulated 812 rebounds, 160 assists, 109 blocks, and 141 steals in 114 games. His legacy is forever inked in Queens' record books, as his career totals rank third in school history in points, first in field goals made and attempted, second in rebounds, fourth in free-throw attempts, eighth in free throws made, blocked shots, and steals, and seventh in rebounding average. He also ranks among Queens' single-season leaders in rebounds and rebounding average.
 
A 2012 graduate with a bachelor's degree in business, Bailey came to Queens from Hammond School, where he was a three-time SCISA All-State selection, a two-time Region 3A Player of the Year, and a key contributor to Hammond's 2007 and 2008 Region 3A Championships.
 
Following his collegiate career, Bailey competed professionally overseas for seven years before returning to the United States to begin his coaching career. After spending nine years honing his skills as a teacher of the game, he returned to Queens as an assistant coach in the summer of 2022. Following the Royals' successful 2025-26 season that saw them reach the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament after winning their first-ever ASUN Championship, Bailey was promoted to associate head men's basketball coach. 
 
Keri Kemp Sparrow
Class of 2013
Induction Class of 2027
Women's Volleyball
2009-2013
 
Keri Kemp Sparrow is the third women's volleyball player to be inducted into the Queens Athletics Hall of Fame, after playing an integral role in the growth and success of the program during her career.
 
After an injury caused her to be sidelined in her freshman season, Sparrow returned in 2010 and immediately made her mark, leading Queens with 251 kills and averaging 2.9 points per set. She ranked 10th in Conference Carolinas in kills per set and earned All-Conference Third Team honors. Additionally, the Royals finished the season with a 20-10 record, hitting the 20-win mark for the first time since the 1992 season. In 2011, she continued to lead the Royals, recording 203 kills in 83 sets while earning Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team recognition and leading the Royals to what was their winningest season in program history at the time, 23-9. The Royals' historic season came to a close after Queens reached the Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship game for the first time in history.
 
In 2012, Sparrow led the Royals to their third straight 20-win season at 22-12. Sparrow totaled 358 kills and 405.5 total points while adding 98 digs and 61 blocks. Her performance earned Conference Carolinas First Team All-Conference and All-Tournament Team honors. Queens also reached the conference championship game for the second year after winning their second consecutive Conference Carolinas East Division Regular Season Championship.
 
Queens transitioned into the South Atlantic Conference ahead of Sparrow's senior season. Despite moving to a conference widely viewed as stronger in the region, the Royals and Sparrow remained steady in their play, posting a 17-12 overall record. After falling in the semifinal round of the conference tournament, the Royals' strong play throughout the season earned them the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional. The selection marked the first time the Royals had entered NCAA postseason play in school history. Sparrow finished the season with 403 kills and 450 points, ranking 36^th in the nation in kills per set (3.73) and 47^th in points per set (4.17).  Her accolades included First Team All-SAC honors and being named to the SAC All-Tournament Team. She was also recognized as an InterCon Female Athlete of the Month, earned Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Region and NCCSIA All-State First Team honors, and was selected as Queens' Most Outstanding Female Athlete.
 
Sparrow currently holds the Queens volleyball career kills and points records after finishing her career with 1,278 and 1,464, respectively.
 
Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Sparrow distinguished herself academically. A four-year member of the Presidential Honor Roll, she graduated from Queens with a bachelor's degree in psychology before obtaining her master's degree. Currently, she works with autistic children as a Board Certified Behavior Analysis (BCBA). She and her husband, Alex Sparrow, a former Queens men's lacrosse player, have two children, Rylee and Cade.
 
Jeannie Taylor King
Director of Athletics (1998-2016)
Head Women's Basketball Coach (1993-2003)
Induction Class of 2027
Royals Coach and Administrator
 
Coach Jeannie Taylor King enters the Queens Athletics Hall of Fame following a 23-year career with the Royals marked by transformative change for the department. Serving as Director of Athletics from 1998 to 2016 and as head coach of the women's basketball program from 1993 to 2003, King helped transform Queens into a nationally recognized athletics department while leaving a lasting impact on generations of student-athletes, coaches, and administrators.
 
During her tenure as director of athletics, Queens Athletics experienced unprecedented growth. Under King's leadership, the department expanded from 10 varsity sports to 24 sport programs while increasing student-athlete participation by 280 percent to more than 500 athletes. By the conclusion of her tenure, student-athletes represented nearly one-third of the university's student body. King also restructured the department's organizational model, resulting in a 400 percent increase in coaches and staff while creating an environment focused on both competitive and personal success.
 
The Royals flourished on the field, on the court, and in the pool under King's guidance. Queens' student-athletes captured 34 NCAA Division II individual national championships, two NCAA Division II team national championships, four NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances, 69 NCAA Division II Tournament berths, and 51 conference championships. Additionally, 312 Royals earned All-American honors during her time leading the department.
 
Academics remained a cornerstone of King's vision. Queens student-athletes earned national recognition in the classroom, including an NCAA Elite 89 Award and 26 Academic All-American honors. The Royals also recorded a cumulative department GPA of 3.0 or higher for six consecutive years, reflecting King's commitment to excellence in every facet of the student-athlete experience.
 
A visionary leader, King played a pivotal role in more than $42.5 million in athletics facility enhancements, serving on the design and construction task forces responsible for the Queens Sports Complex and Conference Center at Marion Diehl Park and the Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation. These facilities continue to serve as catalysts for the Royals' athletic success and student-athlete development.
 
Beyond Queens, King was an active member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) and served on the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, as well as NCAA Site Coordinator for Men's Soccer (MSOC) Championships.
 
Before transitioning into administration, King built the foundation of a successful coaching career with the Royals. As head women's basketball coach from 1993 to 2003, she led Queens to its highest regional ranking at the time, No. 8 in the Southeast Region, and served on the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee. King was named Conference Coach of the Year twice, guided the Royals to a conference championship in 2001, and still holds the program record for most wins in a season. She remains the winningest women's basketball coach in Queens' history.
 
In 2003, King also briefly served as head coach of the Queens men's basketball team during a European study abroad tour, guiding the team to an undefeated record.
 
King's leadership philosophy also reached a national audience. In 2011, she published an article in Athletic Management magazine titled "Raise the Bar," offering a game plan for navigating tough conversations in athletics administration.
Following her time at Queens, King became the founder and creator of IGNITE Transformational Performance, LLC, where she continues to mentor individuals and organizations through leadership development and performance coaching. She serves as Executive in Residence and Adjunct Faculty in the Sport Management Program at Catawba College. This entrepreneurial path gave King the opportunity to serve as the primary caregiver for her parents, Isaiah and Velma Taylor. She remains deeply engaged in the greater Charlotte community, currently serving as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner with the City of Concord. She also takes great pride in having helped raise three of her great nephews — who are also her Godsons — and remains close with her extended family, including her two brothers and their families. Outside of athletics, King enjoys golfing, spending time with her horse, Hank, and her lab mix, Maui Tux.
 
King completed her Executive MBA while leading the Royals. She also holds a master's degree in sports management from Georgia Southern, where she served as a graduate assistant basketball coach for the Eagles. As an undergraduate, King was a starting forward on the women's basketball team at Texas Christian University, where she competed at the USA Olympic Trials, advancing through the third cut before being eliminated, and in 1988 traveled with Athletes in Action to Seoul, South Korea, competing against the Korean Olympic Team. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work at TCU and began her coaching career following her playing career.
 
King's vision and commitment to excellence established Queens Athletics as one of NCAA Division II's premier programs and laid the foundation for the institution's continued success. Her dedication to leadership, service, and student-athlete development leaves a momentous legacy at Queens and across collegiate athletics.
 
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