Notable Queens University athletes and graduates
A Major League Baseball draftee and Charlotte’s mayor are among the people Queens University can claim as products of the school.
The Queens University Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2010 to highlight the athletic accomplishments of Royals at the school. To date, 58 inductees have been honored, including one entire team (the 1989-90 inaugural men’s basketball team).
Some of the more prominent athletes to play for Queens include basketball and baseball players, and Olympic swimmers.
Notable athletes
Tanner Jacobson
Queens University of Charlotte right handed pitcher, Tanner Jacobson became the first player in program history to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft after being taken with the 307th pick in the 10th round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022. The pick was a milestone as Jacobson was the first Royal to embark on a professional career following the program’s fourth year in existence.
Todd Withers
Former Queens University of Charlotte All-American Todd Withers, a 2018 graduate, signed a contact with the Detroit Pistons in 2019. Withers became the first former Queens player to sign a contract with an NBA team.
Hannah Aspden
Hannah Aspden competed at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and won two gold medals — in the 100-meter backstroke and 4x100-meter medley relay.
Dion Dreesens
Dreesens competed for the Netherlands in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2012, he finished 27th in heats for 200-meter freestyle, failing to qualify for the semifinals. In 2016, he finished 27th in heats again for 200-meter freestyle, and seventh in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Patricia Castro-Ortega
Castro-Orgega competed for Spain in the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2012, she finished 14th in the 4x200 freestyle relay. In 2016, she was 34th in the 200-meter freestyle, 13th in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and 16th in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay.
Marius Kusch
Kusch competed for Germany in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 100-meter butterfly, 4x100-meter freestyle relay and 4x100-meter medley relay.
Anabel Knoll
Kroll competed for Germany in the triathlon in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing sixth in the mixed relay and 31st in the women’s individual.
Felix Duchampt
Duchampt competed for Romania in the triathlon in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing 36th in the men’s individual event.
Notable alumni
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Class of 1973.
Jeffrey J. Brown, MBA 2003. Ally Financial CEO and Queens Board of Trustees chair.
Conrad Ricamora, Class of 2001. Actor known for his portrayal of Oliver Hampton on the ABC television series “How to Get Away with Murder.”
Chuck Wendig, Class of 1998. Author, comic book writer, screenwriter and blogger. He is best known for his online blog Terribleminds, for his 2015 “Star Wars: Aftermath,” a trilogy of Star Wars science fiction novels. is a trilogy of “Star Wars.”
Judge Shirley Fulton, MBA 1988. The first Black woman to win a Superior Court seat in North Carolina.
Malek Jandali. Composer and pianist, he founded the nonprofit organization Pianos for Peace, which aims to build peace through music and education.
