CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The Queens University men’s basketball team is on the road in its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
Wednesday was an exciting day on campus, and the energy was high as fans waited to see if the Royals could shock the world in the tournament.
Students and fans sent the team off with cheers and high-fives for round one of the tournament.
“The vibes have just been really fun,” said graduate student Catherine Thompson.
A historic week for Queens University as the men’s basketball team heads off for their first trip to the NCAA tournament.
“I obviously want them to win it all,” said Emily Thompson, a graduate student. “One of my brackets is them going all the way, winning the tournament.”
The university officially became a Division 1 school in July 2025. In their first eligible season, the team hopes they can be the Cinderella story of the tournament.
“Queens being really small and, being the size of a city block, this is definitely big,” Emily said. “I’ve seen people be like, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know that was a school. I thought it was in New York.’ So having another school in North Carolina in the tourney is big.”
It’s also a big moment for the future Royals from Meyers Park Traditional Elementary School, who went next door to cheer on the players as they loaded the bus.
“This is who they get to look up to, and so making sure that there’s representation for them as well,” said Abigail Lemon, a Queens alum and teacher at Meyers Park Traditional. “A lot of them want to aspire to be athletes just like them. So knowing that this can be a goal in their life is exciting.”
As they make the trek to St. Louis, the team and fans are ready for a battle on the hardwood.
“Playing Purdue, it’s going to be tough, but I have faith. I think we can definitely give everybody a good show on Friday night,” Emily said.
The Royals face off against the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday at 7:35 p.m. Queens is hosting a watch party at Legion Brewing in South Park for anyone who wants to come out and cheer on the team. You’re asked to register in advance if you plan on attending.
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