2025 North Carolina Sports Network
NC Basketball Spotlight, 10-Year Snapshot:
Queens University


By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network

School: Queens University of Charlotte

Location: Charlotte, N.C.

NCAA Division One Member Since: 2022-23 (started 4-year transition period)

Conference: Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN)

ASUN Member Since: 2022-23

ASUN Ranking Among 31 Leagues (KenPom): 24th (2025), 26th (2024), 18th (2023), 21st (2022), 26th (2021), 26th (2020)

NCAA Tournament Bids: 0 (in Division One)

Conference Titles: 0 (in Division One)

Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 0 (in Division One)

Head Coach: Grant Leonard (44 years old, 3rd season)

As A Player: William Penn University, NAIA (2002-04)

Record as Head Coach (Through Jan. 15): 43-40 (.518) in 2+ seasons

Previous HC Experience: none

College AC Experience: Washington College (2005-06), Texas-Pan Am (2006-09), Flagler (2009-10), Paine (2011-13), Queens (2013-22)

Assistant Under: Rob Nugent, Bart Lundy, others

2023-24 Record: 14-19, 7-9 (8th in 12-team ASUN)

2024-25 Preseason Prediction (Coaches/Media): 9th/9th in 12-team ASUN

2024-25 Record (Through Jan. 15): 11-6, 4-0 ASUN

2024-25 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #221 nationally (6th in ASUN)

Upcoming Schedule: at Stetson (1/16), at Florida Gulf Coast (1/18), North Florida (1/23), Jacksonville (1/25), North Alabama (1/29), West Georgia (2/1), at Central Arkansas (2/5)


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 52 years ago. A handful, though, have opted to make bold moves up the NCAA ladder.

In 2022, Queens University of Charlotte (that’s the full, official name), which had made seven straight appearances in the Division Two men’s basketball tournament and two trips (2003, 2018) to its Final Four, became the latest school to make the jump. The Royals are now in their third season of an NCAA-mandated four-year transition process to Division One.

Queens competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference, whose 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, North Florida 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 almost three years ago to take the Milwaukee job in the Horizon League, where he has had back-to-back winning campaigns.

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

Leonard’s third (current) team may be his best yet, despite losing its two all-conference players (guards Dayton Albury and AJ McKee) from last season via the transfer portal. Albury jumped to Utah State; McKee now plays for Lundy at Milwaukee.

By mid-January, only two of North Carolina’s 19 Division One teams remained undefeated in conference play: Duke (the #3 team in the nation) in the ACC and Queens in the ASUN.

The Royals (11-6, 4-0 ASUN) have won eight of their last nine games, falling only at #21 Ole Miss, and their marquee victories include road wins over Gardner-Webb and preseason ASUN favorite Lipscomb.

“Road wins are huge, and it builds up confidence,” Leonard said after the triumph at Gardner-Webb. “I think our guys are comfortable and understand that these games are equivalent to league games on the road.

“More importantly, the team that won our league in the last couple of years finished 7-6 in nonconference (games). So, we don’t have to blow it out the water but just get better, and I think that’s what everyone is seeing from our guys.”

The Royals’ 10-man rotation consists of four major college transfers (Leo Colimerio, a fifth-year senior from Fresno State, has the look of an All-ASUN player), two junior college transfers, two American high school signees and two international players.

2024-25 Queens Royals
(11-6, 4-0 ASUN; through Jan. 15)

STARTERS (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

G Bryce Cash*, So. (6-5/210) — 2023 in-state HS signee (nearby Carmel Christian)
27 mpg, 6 ppg, 5 rpg, 40% FG, 59% FT, 23% threes, 65/31 ATO, 3 blocks, 21 steals

G Chris Ashby*, Sr. (6-2/185) — 2022 Paris JC transfer (starter; HM all-region)
28 mpg, 11 ppg, 1 rpg, 36% FG, 81% FT, 37% threes, 22/21 ATO, 4 blocks, 10 steals

G Kalib Mathews, r-Sr. (6-4/185) — 2020 in-state HS signee (Henderson Collegiate)
20 mpg, 6 ppg, 3 rpg, 52% FG, 78% FT, 33% threes, 44/35 ATO, 6 blocks, 15 steals

F Leo Colimerio, Gr. (6-7/195) — 2024 Fresno State transfer (3-year starter)
28 mpg, 13 ppg, 5 rpg, 51% FG, 73% FT, 40% threes, 32/22 ATO, 4 blocks, 9 steals

F Malcolm Wilson, Gr. (7-0/215) — 2023 Georgetown transfer (backup)
22 mpg, 5 ppg, 6 rpg, 64% FG, 24% FT, 0 threes, 13/27 ATO, 59 blocks, 9 steals

KEY RESERVES (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

G/F Yoav Berman, Fr. (6-6/190) — 2024 signee from Israel (U20 National Team)
18 mpg, 7 ppg, 4 rpg, 40% FG, 56% FT, 44% threes, 21/20 ATO, 4 blocks, 15 steals

F Jaxon Pollard, Sr. (6-7/225) — 2023 Salt Lake CC transfer (part-time starter)
18 mpg, 8 ppg, 5 rpg, 47% FG, 56% FT, 28% threes, 19/21 ATO, 1 block, 15 steals

G/F Nasir Mann, Jr. (6-5/190) — 2024 McNeese State transfer (backup)
15 mpg, 7 ppg, 3 rpg, 45% FG, 72% FT, 33% threes, 14/17 ATO, 1 block, 11 steals

G Asjon Anderson, Jr. (6-2/165) — 2024 Utah Tech transfer (backup)
15 mpg, 8 ppg, 1 rpg, 29% FG, 78% FT, 22% threes, 18/16 ATO, 1 block, 11 steals

G/F Maban Jabriel, Fr. (6-9/195) — 2024 HS signee (Tri-City Prep near Toronto)
11 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg, 45% FG, 75% FT, 37% threes, 13/13 ATO, 6 blocks, 4 steals

Departures from 2023-24: G Dayton Albury* (Jr./transfer/Utah State), G Kobe George (Fr./transfer/Tallahassee State CC), F Luke Krawczyk (Fr./transfer/Georgia College), G AJ McKee* (Jr./transfer/Milwaukee), F BJ McLaurin* (Sr./Sweden), F Jacobi Sebock (So./transfer/Central Oklahoma), G Logan Threatt (r-Fr./transfer/MSU Denver)

*—2023-24 starter (started at least 50% of the Royals’ games last season)

 

Queens Royals
10-Year Snapshot

Season: Overall, League (Place), Postseason

2023-24: 14-19, 7-9 ASUN (8th), no postseason (Grant Leonard)
2022-23: 18-15, 7-11 ASUN (9th), no postseason (Grant Leonard)
2021-22: 30-4, 21-3 SAC* (t-1st*), D2 Sweet 16 (Bart Lundy)
2020-21: 16-6, 13-3 SAC (2nd), D2 1st Round (Bart Lundy)
2019-20: 24-7, 17-5 SAC (2nd), no postseason (Bart Lundy)
2018-19: 31-5, 19-1 SAC (1st*), D2 Elite Eight (Bart Lundy)
2017-18: 32-4, 18-2 SAC (2nd), D2 Final Four (Bart Lundy)
2016-17: 30-4, 19-3 SAC* (t-1st*), D2 Sweet 16 (Bart Lundy)
2015-16: 25-7, 17-5 SAC (2nd), D2 Round of 32 (Bart Lundy)
2014-15: 17-13, 13-9 SAC (2nd), no postseason (Bart Lundy)

*—conference champion (regular-season and/or tournament)

NOTE: In the coming weeks and months, please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2024-25 profiles and 10-year snapshots for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina and all 18 Atlantic Coast Conference programs. The items below will become “live links” as new articles are posted.

Appalachian State Mountaineers, Sun Belt Conference

Boston College Eagles, Atlantic Coast Conference

California Golden Bears, Atlantic Coast Conference

Campbell Camels, Coastal Athletic Association

Charlotte 49ers, American Athletic Conference

Clemson Tigers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Davidson Wildcats, Atlantic-10 Conference

Duke Blue Devils, Atlantic Coast Conference

East Carolina Pirates, American Athletic Conference

Elon Phoenix, Coastal Athletic Association

Florida State Seminoles, Atlantic Coast Conference

Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, Big South Conference

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Atlantic Coast Conference

High Point Panthers, Big South Conference

Louisville Cardinals, Atlantic Coast Conference

Miami Hurricanes, Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina Tar Heels, Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina A&T Aggies, Coastal Athletic Association

North Carolina Central Eagles, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

North Carolina State Wolfpack, Atlantic Coast Conference

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Atlantic Coast Conference

Pitt Panthers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Queens Royals, Atlantic Sun Conference

SMU Mustangs, Atlantic Coast Conference

Stanford Cardinal, Atlantic Coast Conference

Syracuse Orange, Atlantic Coast Conference

UNC Asheville Bulldogs, Big South Conference

UNC Greensboro Spartans, Southern Conference

UNC Wilmington Seahawks, Coastal Athletic Association

Virginia Cavaliers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Virginia Tech Hokies, Atlantic Coast Conference

Wake Forest, Atlantic Coast Conference

Western Carolina Catamounts, Southern Conference