Queens University of Charlotte head men’s basketball coach Grant Leonard announced the addition of Nick Lorensen as General Manager of the Royals’ men’s basketball program. Lorensen returns to Queens after previously serving as a men’s basketball coaching intern with the Royals during the 2023-24 season. He joins Queens after spending the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant and video coordinator at La Salle University.
“So glad Nick is returning to Queens. He has a bright future in basketball and as the landscape of college basketball changes, Nick will be at the front of it,” Leonard said. “The general manager role is an important one, as he helps identify talent, have important business conversations and help organize our front office. So glad Nick is with us.”
During his time with the Explorers, Lorensen helped La Salle post its best record into February since 2017 and earn the first Quadrant 1 victory in program history. He also helped the program reach its first Big 5 Championship Game.
In addition to his work with video, Lorensen was involved in scouting, scheduling, daily operations, recruiting visits, gear distribution and player development. He kept statistics for every practice and multiple grades for every game while working under Hall of Fame head coach Fran Dunphy and later Darris Nichols.
Lorensen previously helped the Royals earn the highest conference tournament seed in program history and the program’s second Division I postseason victory during the 2023-24 season. He assisted with personnel scouting, transfer-portal recruiting, daily operations and video distribution while also working with NBA talent visiting Charlotte. He additionally played a role in the development of 2024 ASUN Newcomer of the Year Deyton Albury.
His basketball background extends beyond the college coaching level. Lorensen served as a basketball scout for The Portal Report, distributing statistics and recruiting information to more than 100 Division I coaching staffs and connecting with more than half of the 1,600 players in the transfer portal at the time.
“I am honored that Coach Leonard invited me back to be a part of the Queens University and Myers Park Community,” Lorensen said. “I love this school with all my heart and am excited to help raise more banners at the Levine Center. We have a super exciting team, coming off a super exciting season. Come support! Royals Rise!”
He also spent several years with SB Nation’s Mid-Major Madness, where he built the publication’s verified social media account to 80,000 followers while covering college basketball nationally.
Lorensen earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management with a minor in communications from the University of South Carolina in 2024 before earning a master’s degree in strategic communication from La Salle University in 2026.
The Royals are coming off a 21-14 season where they finished 13-5 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. Queens captured their first ASUN Tournament title and made their first appearance in the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament. In just four Division 1 seasons, the Royals have put together back-to-back 20-win seasons and have become the fourth school in NCAA history to advance to the NCAA D1 Men’s Basketball Tournament in their first-year as a full NCAA DI member institution. During the Royals’ three-year reclassification process, they were not eligible to compete for NCAA Championships.
