A Quick Look at the Charlotte Aviators

This season, the Charlotte Aviators will be given the opportunity to prove their mettle as an MLQ Trial Expansion Team* in the East Division, following the withdrawal of Canadian teams from the league in the wake of COVID-19.

The Charlotte Aviators were created in 2020 as the Charlotte Royals with the express purpose of proving the Carolinas deserved a place in MLQ. However, due to the pandemic, the Royals never made it to the pitch. In 2021, the team rebranded as the Charlotte Aviators, better exemplifying their home city and its rich history.

Aviators Head Coach Lee Hodge chasing for Terminus Quidditch Atlanta in USQ.

“We created this team to showcase the talents of the Carolinas in hopes of forming a long standing relationship with MLQ,” said Aviators Manager Hanna Reese. “Our biggest goal this season is just to really show that the South[east] region has competitive players that can compete with anyone and become a part of MLQ permanently.” 

Both Reese and Aviators Head Coach Lee Hodge have been instrumental in their area’s summer quidditch league—the Southeast Summer Quidditch League—since the league’s inauguration in 2018. Hodge coached the SSQL’s Carolina Diamondbacks, while Reese has managed the Palmetto Phoenix since 2018. 

The pair have also been highly involved in the Carolinas’ quidditch scene for a number of years. Hodge captained University of North Carolina Quidditch from 2015 to 2017, and still coaches UNC to this day. Reese started playing quidditch at Winthrop University in 2012 and has since played for Southern Storm, Gamecock Quidditch and Carolina Heat. 

As a coach, Hodge is known for running a tight defense that creates turnovers for quick transition goals. He puts a heavy focus on conditioning, with the belief that a fit team will be a better performing one. In the past, Hodge has consistently drawn out the best in the teams that he has led.

Aviators Manager Hanna Reese playing as a beater for Southern Storm in USQ.

The Carolinas’ pool of athletes that Aviators expects to draw from come from a number of USQ teams, meaning that most of the team will have little experience working with one another.

“Many of our North and South Carolina athletes have played against each other over the years, but this will be the first time they will truly combine to compete against high-level teams,” Reese said. “It will be very interesting to see how these athletes come together and combine their skills on the field. The people that have applied seem like a group of fun, hard-working and competitive people.”

In particular, some big names to watch out for on the Aviators are beaters Celine Richards (formerly of the New Orleans Curse) and Perry Wang (most recently of the Washington Admirals). The team is also excited to work with Tony Bonadio (University of South Carolina) and Madison Burns (University of North Carolina), who were key college players for their USQ teams, despite having their college seasons cut short due to COVID-19. On the whole, the Aviators are excited to continue building their athletes’ talents and fit the pieces of high level Carolina quidditch together.

“We are hoping to create strong strategies that highlight the talents of the individual players and the team as a whole,” Reese said. “I think our biggest worry is that something will happen that prevents us from playing, but aside from that, we’re going into this season with little worry.”

The Aviators brings together talent from several local USQ teams including University of North Carolina (pictured) and Gamecock Quidditch (University of South Carolina).

MLQ Trial Expansion Teams are not official MLQ franchises, but rather teams vying for official entry into MLQ. In order to be considered successful and find their city as the target for the next MLQ franchise, a team must not only show they have the talent to compete in MLQ but they must also make sense logistically. Some additional considerations for the birth of new franchises include distance from existing franchises, existing player base (USQ teams, unofficial teams, etc.) and overall growth potential.

This is the first time MLQ has invited a team to compete officially within MLQ as a trial expansion team. In the past, third-party teams such as the Minnesota Voyageurs (whose logistical and growth potential led to the creation of the Minneapolis Monarchs) and Orlando Sirens have played in exhibition matches against MLQ teams. 

Before the Minneapolis Monarchs, the Minnesota Voyageurs represented the state and played unofficial matches against MLQ franchises. They acted as a proof of concept for the area.

However, these games were completely unofficial and held no weight in the regular season for MLQ’s official franchises. The Aviators’ games against East Division franchises will count, and the Aviators could be invited to MLQ Championship, knocking out a storied, official franchise in the process. 

When asked what the future holds for the Charlotte Aviators, Reese said, “We see the Aviators continuing to grow and develop into a powerhouse team in the East Division that rivals teams like Boston Forge and the Austin Outlaws. We hope to continue to provide this opportunity for Carolina players to be able to compete against high level teams.”