QUEENS ATHLETICS

Queens steps up to Division I soccer in 2022 with 11 road games on its 17-match schedule.

Queens’ first season in Division I soccer will unfold with a road-heavy schedule.

The Royals, who move up to the ASUN Conference in 2022, will play six of 17 regular season matches at Dickson Field with the remainder outside Charlotte. The Royals, who went 7-7-2 in their final Division II season, earned six conference titles and eight postseason appearances, including a pair of Elite Eight berths.

"We are looking forward to joining the ASUN Conference in men's soccer," Royals coach Oliver Carias said in a statement. "It is a great soccer conference with very competitive teams. We have worked hard to provide a balanced schedule for our team this fall, and we are excited to have a very competitive slate starting this August."

The Royals will play three exhibition games: at North Carolina State Aug. 14, Anderson Aug. 17 and at Winthrop on Aug. 20. The regular season starts with three matches on the road. – Aug. 26 at Memphis, Alabama Birmingham Aug. 28 and the Royals’ ASUN debut at Stetson on Sept. 3.

“We are coming off a great spring season and we are confident that our team is ready for our new transition to D1 soccer," Carias said.

Queens’ Division I home debut is Sept. 7 against Gardner-Webb at Dickson Field, followed by a three-game stretch of road trips to UNC Asheville Sept. 13, SEC foe South Carolina Sept. 20 and Lipscomb, last year’s ASUN winner on Sept. 24 in Nashville, Tenn.

Queens’ only pair of consecutive home matches includes Wofford on Sept. 27 and ASUN foe North Florida on Oct. 1.

The next four matches are alternate home-and-away games at UNC Greensboro (Oct. 5) and 2021 ASUN tournament runner-up Central Arkansas (Oct. 8). Queens will travel to UNC Wilmington on Oct. 11 and return to Charlotte to play Jacksonville on Oct. 15.

The final stretch will play out primarily on the road with matches at Florida Gulf Coast (Oct. 21) High Point for a non-conference game on Oct. 25 and Bellarmine on Oct. 29. The home finale is Nov. 1 against Royals ASUN rival Liberty on Nov. 1.

Queens is eligible for the ASUN tournament, which will begin on Nov. 5. The semifinals are Nov. 7 and the final on Nov. 12.

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