{"id":189237,"date":"2026-04-08T05:40:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/189237\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T05:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:40:57","slug":"queens-university-of-charlotte-heads-to-the-big-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/189237\/","title":{"rendered":"Queens University of Charlotte Heads to the Big Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Mar 14, 2026
\n By Queens University Communications\n <\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Spring break looks a little different at Queens University of Charlotte this year. The usual silence of mid-March has been replaced by a whirlwind of energy. Between impromptu planning meetings, a surge of national media interviews, and relentless practice sessions, the Queens University men\u2019s basketball team is preparing for what Cherie Swarthout, director of athletics, describes as an \u201cabsolutely epic\u201d milestone.<\/p>\n

Since making the leap to Division I, the Royals have been steadfastly carving their path into the history books. By securing their spot in the NCAA Tournament, they have become only the third program in NCAA history to advance to \u201cMarch Madness\u201d in their very first year of eligibility.<\/p>\n

The Game That Changed Everything<\/p>\n

Fans across the country watched with bated breath on Sunday, March 8, as the Royals battled through a grueling overtime period to secure a stunning 98-93 victory against the University of Central Arkansas.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was unreal,\u201d said Nasir Mann \u201926, a standout student-athlete studying sports communication. \u201cIt honestly still doesn\u2019t feel real. I need somebody to pinch me so I can live in the moment. It\u2019s a great opportunity for us, and we\u2019re all excited to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

The victory was particularly emotional for Head Coach Grant Leonard, now in his fourth year leading the program. Having been part of the transition from Division II to the national stage, he noted that the \u201croad bumps\u201d along the way only fueled the team\u2019s fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat an amazing experience for not only our players, but the entire university and the Charlotte community,\u201d said Leonard. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t easy and never is, but a true testament to our team\u2019s fortitude. I just couldn\u2019t be more proud of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Win for the Queen City<\/p>\n

The impact of this win transcends the court. Swarthout noted that the university has already seen its profile \u201craised exponentially\u201d across the country, a move that typically triggers surges in admissions and recruitment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis championship is a historic milestone not just for Queens University, but for the entire city of Charlotte,\u201d said Queens University President Jesse Cureton \u201902. \u201cOur student-athletes have earned the honor of representing this city on college basketball\u2019s biggest stage, and we couldn\u2019t be prouder to be Charlotte\u2019s team in the Big Dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preparing for Selection Sunday<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, campus partners have been in overdrive to prepare for the bracket reveal. This Sunday, March 15, the university will host a community Selection Sunday Celebration.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are extremely excited to welcome our community to campus to join us in celebrating this joyous occasion,\u201d Swarthout said. \u201cEarning a bid in just our first year eligible is no easy feat. This is a moment that is great for our athletic department, our university, and just as important, it\u2019s great for the broader Charlotte community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The festivities kick off at 4 p.m. on the Levine lawn with complimentary food and refreshments, music, and even a special appearance by Buddy the Street Dog.<\/p>\n

A Packed House at Curry Arena<\/p>\n

The momentum is undeniable. Over 1,200 Royals fans have already secured complimentary tickets to fill Curry Arena, and at 6 p.m., the live CBS broadcast will reveal where the Royals are headed next.<\/p>\n

As the team prepares to see their name on the bracket, Mann has a message for the younger fans watching him and the Royals make this historic run: \u201cNo matter your circumstances, just always work hard. It\u2019ll all work out.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mar 14, 2026 By Queens University Communications Spring break looks a little different at Queens University of Charlotte…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":189238,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[9,24,63,122,124,123],"class_list":["post-189237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=189237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=189237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=189237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=189237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}