Queens University of Charlotte is celebrating as its men’s basketball team prepares for its first-ever NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — March Madness has arrived, and one Charlotte university is preparing to write its own Cinderella story.
Queens University of Charlotte is heading to its first-ever Division I NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearance, marking a historic milestone for the school’s men’s basketball program.
On Wednesday, students, alumni, and supporters gathered on campus to send off the Queens Royals as they departed for St. Louis, where they will play in the first round of the tournament.
The celebration featured cheers, pom-poms, and a sense of pride for a program that has reached new heights.
For Abigail Lemon, a former Queens volleyball player, the moment was especially meaningful.
“This is really exciting, they’ve worked really hard, and they’ve worked really hard as a university,” Lemon said.
Now a fifth-grade teacher at Myers Park Traditional School, Lemon brought her students to campus for the sendoff, hoping to inspire them.
“This is who they get to look up to… now they know this can be a goal in life and it’s a really positive experience for them,” she said.
Students on campus said the team’s success is shining a spotlight on the university, which is often overlooked due to its small size.
“Queens being the size of a city block… people say they didn’t even know it was a school… so it’s cool to see it in the NCAA,” graduate students Catherine and Emily Thompson said.
As the team boarded buses, supporters gave one final sendoff, hoping the Royals’ first tournament appearance is just the beginning.
Queens will face No. 2 seed Purdue at 7:35 p.m. on Friday. An official watch party is scheduled at Suffolk Punch in SouthPark.