March Madness: Where and what is Fairleigh Dickinson?

Add FairleighDickinson to the list of giant-killing New Jersey schools in MarchMadness.

The16th-seeded Knights pulled off a mammoth upset Friday night,upsettingtop-seeded Purdue 63-58inthe first round of the NCAA Tournament. Undersized FDU played bigagainst the Boilermakers and became only the second No. 16 seed totopple a No. 1 seed.Maryland-Baltimore County was thefirst,knocking off Virginia in 2018.

FDU’s winblew upmost of the remaining brackets.Just who arethese guys?

Entering today, only .065% of March Madnessbrackets remained perfect.Now, after No. 16 FDU’s upset victory over No. 1 Purdue, there areZERO perfect brackets remaining in ESPN’s bracket challenge.There were more than 20 million entries, but they’re all busted byDay 2. 😅

WHEREIS FDU?

The schoolhastwo campuses in New Jersey: Teaneck andFlorham. The school’s website list a total enrollment of 11,400students, though U.S. News & World Report lists the number as 7,860as of fall 2021. The Teaneck campus is close to New York City; theFlorham campus is on a former country estate of socialites FlorenceVanderbilt and Hamilton Twombly. FDU has owned the campus since1958. FDU also has campuses in Wroxton, England, and Vancouver,British Columbia.

WHAT’S FDU KNOWN FOR?

Founded in1942, notable alumni include billionaire and NFL Minnesota Vikingsowner Zygi Wilf; Peggy Noonan, journalist and speechwriter toformer President Ronald Reagan; former college basketball coach andESPN analyst Seth Greenberg; and U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, aDelaware Democrat.

WHOARE THE FDU STARS?

DemetreRobinson (16.6 points per game), Grant Singleton (14.3), AnsleyAlmonor (14.1) and Joe Munden Jr. (10.6). Sean Moore, the Knights’leading scorer in the Purdue game with 19 points, came in averaging6.7.

HOWDID THE KNIGHTS GET HERE?

FSUlost in the Northeast ConferenceTournament final to Merrimack by a single pointbut gotthe automatic bid to the NCAA tourney because Merrimack wasn’teligible as it transitions to Division I.FDU routed Texas Southern in theFirst Four play-in roundto earn a date againstPurdue.

DIDYOU KNOW?

The FDU winis just the latest in eye-catching victories by New Jerseyschools.

A year ago,Saint Peter’s toppled No. 2 seed Kentucky in overtime to bust abunch of brackets and thenbecame the first 15-seed to reachthe Elite Eightby beating ... Purdue. FDU’s shocker alsocame just one day after No. 15 seed Princeton ousted No. 2 seedArizona, 59-55.