Queens University of Charlotte Athletics

Joe Fortier enters his seventh season as a member of the Queens men’s basketball staff in 2012-13. The Royals have earned bids to the NCAA Tournament in three of Fortier’s six years on the bench, and have won back-to-back Conference Carolinas regular season championships in the past two years. Those same three NCAA Tournament teams all eclipsed the 20-win mark and finished in the top three of the Conference Carolinas standings.
 
Success has followed Fortier at nearly every stop of his coaching career. Prior to joining the staff at Queens, Fortier spent three seasons as the head boys’ basketball coach at South Mecklenburg High School. Before his stint at South Meck, Fortier served as an assistant coach at Providence Day School between 1998 and 2003, where he coached Queens head coach Wes Long when Long played at PDS in 1999. During his years with the PDS program, Fortier helped lead the Chargers to back-to-back NCISAA 3A state championships and three consecutive state championship game appearances.
 
“I am extremely lucky to have a person of Coach Fortier’s caliber on my staff,” said Long. “I learn something valuable about how to treat people from Joe nearly every day. Our staff and program wouldn’t be the same without him, because he possesses the uncommon ability to connect with each player and coach in a unique manner. He is definitely a glue guy for us in a lot of ways. He is a straight-shooter, but carries himself with a humility that makes you know he genuinely cares about our people.”
 
The 43-year old native of Mexico, New York graduated from Brockport State University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He received his associate’s degree in liberal studies from Alfred State in 1989. Fortier currently teaches physical education at Charlotte’s Eastway Middle School.