Powerhouse Queens University in the Process of Leaping to DI Rankings

The Lengthy Haul: Powerhouse Queens College within the Means of Leaping to the Division I Rankings

Queens College of Charlotte has dominated NCAA Division II swimming and diving, profitable seven consecutive nationwide championships previous to this 12 months for each the lads’s and ladies’s groups courting again to 2015. The streak might have been eight years with out COVID-19. compelled them to cancel their 2020 assembly after simply someday.

However a brand new problem has come for the Royal household. The Queens are advancing to the NCAA Division 1 regardless of having to attend 4 years to swim on the DI Championships. Ram by Jeff Dugdale To not point out all of the Energy 5 applications, together with Cal, Texas, Virginia, and Stanford.

“Our dominance in D-II was that we acted like DI,” mentioned Dugdale, who’s also called the Director of Swimming Operations. “We have been in a position to get the very best of the very best athletes. There was nobody we transferred as a result of there was no splash. We can’t have the ability to swim on the NCAA Championships till the switch is full (4 years), however whether or not it is a convention meet, the US Open or the Olympic Trials, everybody is targeted on one thing.

ONE SIZE-ONE SIZE

The transfer impacts this system in some ways.

“What made us distinctive at D-II was that we have been one measurement suits all. Now we have considerably elevated the variety of ladies. We have had a great ladies’s group, however our numbers have elevated lots now,” Dugdale mentioned.

Whereas it might look like a pure match for swimming, Queens College, a personal faculty with roughly 1,700 college students, has made the choice to maneuver to Division I in all sports activities.

“We are actually the DI in all sports activities. After COVID-19, D-II and D-III are funded by means of March Insanity. When this was cancelled, the board requested the trustees to give you a plan in case this occurs once more. We wished to outlive as a small faculty,” Dugdale mentioned.

“We took the danger and moved to DI and wished to totally enhance the variety of college students. Then there’s the advertising and marketing half. The athletics division is on guard. If we will get on TV, individuals will know us. We’ll enhance our visibility and our viability.”

PART I EXCITEMENT

Up to now, Division I pleasure has been mirrored within the athletes.

“I believe we will have arguably among the best recruiting lessons. Now we have a number of swimmers within the NCAAs who might make the highest 10 straight away. We recruit the identical individuals and with out the NCAAs we inform them we’re preparing for Paris (2024 Olympics),” Dugdale mentioned.

“We deal with the ‘why’ and the method. The ‘why’ is to construct lifelong leaders. Now we have to see issues greater than ourselves.”

Dudgale expects this system to see these greater issues proceed to be constructed every year till Queens are able to compete on the nationwide stage in Division I.

“The distinction will probably be in depth, however on the extremes, there are a number of highs. We beat Vanderbilt, we gained Tennessee, Auburn was right here. We already had that program,” Dugdale mentioned. “There will probably be expectations in a number of years. Now we have a duty to take it to the following stage.”