The men’s college basketball team at Queens University of Charlotte punched its ticket to March Madness for the first time in school history with an overtime win in the ASUN Tournament championship on Sunday. This may or may not be the (first and) last time this happens with the future of athletics still uncertain as Queens prepares to merge with Elon.
There is a scenario where the Royals cease to exist.
However, it seems like both Elon and Phoenix will be able to continue with separate college basketball programs. The plan is to have two different athletic programs operate under the same umbrella.
Queens University made March Madness for the first time ever.
Queens University of Charlotte — better known as just Queens — is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was established in 1857 as school for women. The university, which is directly affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, started to allow men in the 1940s. Full co-education was achieved by 1987.
The Royals used to compete on the Division-II level of NCAA competition as members of the South Atlantic Conference. They made the transition to Division-I competition in 2022 and achieved full active member status with the ASUN Conference on July 1, 2025.
The men’s basketball program, led by fourth-year head coach Grant Leonard, won 20 games last season. Queens followed it up with 21 wins in 2025-26 with six different players who average 10 or more points per game. The Royals distribute the rock and knock down shots.
That is especially true from beyond the arc. All seven of the team’s top scorers average at least 30% from three. There may not be a player in college basketball with a greener light than Chris Ashby. The true senior guard attempted 291 three-pointers this season for an average of 8.6 per game.
He was on fire during the ASUN Tournament Championship.
Queens ultimately defeated Central Arkansas in overtime to earn an automatic bid to March Madness. The team’s unofficial mascot, Buddy the Street Dog, is going dancing!
The Royals will likely be a 15-seed in the NCAA Tournament. They could absolutely pull an upset if they get stupid hot from beyond the arc.
Will the college basketball team still exist after the merger with Elon?
Queens University of Charlotte will compete in March Madness for the first time next week. It could also be the last. Probably (hopefully) not.
Elon University and Queens University announced a plan to marge by the summer of 2026. A definitive agreement was signed by both schools at the end of December. Trustees approved the legal transaction agreement to effect the merger but the agreement is subject to certain closing conditions, including both institutions receiving all necessary regulatory approvals. That is not expected to be an issue.
Assuming all things go smoothly, Elon will operate Queens in partnership with existing leadership. Neither school will cease to exist. Both schools will keep their respective names. Both campuses will exist independently.
The plan is also to have two separate athletic programs.
“We are going to ask the NCAA to allow us to operate two DI programs,” Elon president Connie Book said during a Student Government Association meeting Sept. 18. “The NCAA has, in the last three years, been much more flexible in this regard as universities merge. Our plan is to ask for permission from the NCAA to continue to be one program.”
Should the NCAA approve the proposal to operate two Division-I athletic departments for two different schools under the same umbrella, Queens and Elon will have separate basketball programs. Nothing will change.
Thus, unless the proposal gets denied by the NCAA, this is not the Royals’ only opportunity to make March Madness. They can (and likely will) earn the right to compete for a national title in the future!