As #1 Duke plays in the NCAA Tournament this year, the Blue Devils are competing in the event for the 48th time. For North Carolina, it was Big Dance #55, second to only Kentucky on the all-time list.

When Queens University of Charlotte (that’s the full, official name) takes on #2 seed Purdue on Friday, it will be participating in the Big Bracket for the first time ever … in its first year of Division One eligibility!

Under fourth-year head coach Grant Leonard, whose tenure started just as the Royals were making the jump from Division Two, the Royals claimed the Atlantic Sun Tournament title on March 8, defeating #1 seed Central Arkansas 98-93 in overtime in the championship game.

“It’s a life-changing moment for us,” Leonard told the Charlotte Observer. “It’s going to be unbelievable for our admissions (department) and for the publicity for the school. I’m just so proud of everybody for believing.”

More than a half-century ago, in 1973, the NCAA created three divisions, with the goal of enabling its member schools to align themselves with like-minded universities on sports-related matters.

Most North Carolina-based schools have remained at the same level they chose 53 years ago. A handful, though, have opted to make bold moves up the NCAA ladder.

Queens, which had made seven straight appearances in the Division Two tournament and two trips (2003, 2018) to its Final Four, became the latest school to make the jump, in 2022. The Royals are now in their fourth and final season of an NCAA-mandated four-year transition process to Division One, and they’re in their first year of postseason eligibility.

The Atlantic Sun Conference’s membership has changed significantly over the past two decades. Among the ASUN’s champions over the past 20 years, Belmont (Missouri Valley), East Tennessee State (Southern Conference), Kennesaw State (Conference USA), Liberty (Conference USA) and Mercer (SoCon) have departed for higher-profile leagues, while Bellarmine, Florida Gulf Coast, Lipscomb and Stetson are among the remaining members.

Coach Bart Lundy, who led the Queens program from 1998-99 through 2002-03 and again from 2013-14 through 2021-22, left the Royals four years ago to take the Milwaukee job in the Horizon League, where he had three consecutive winning campaigns prior to this one.

Leonard, Lundy’s long-time assistant, then was promoted to lead Queens into its exciting new era.

Leonard’s 2026 team is his best yet, despite losing his best player (fifth-year senior Leo Colimerio) from a year ago. The Royals’ eight-man rotation (see below) includes four returnees, which is unusual in the portal era. Two key players are former junior college stars, two are international signees, and several major college transfers were only backups at their previous schools.

Sophomore guard Yoav Berman (second team), junior forward Avantae Parker (third team) and rookie guard Jordan Watford (all-freshman) earned All-ASUN recognition at the conclusion of the regular season.