March Madness: Where and What Is Fairleigh Dickinson?

Add Fairleigh Dickinson to the list of giant-killing New Jersey schools in To install March Madness.

The 16th-seeded Knights pulled off a mammoth upset Friday night, top-seeded Purdue 63-58 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Undersized FDU played big against the Boilermakers and became only the second No. 16 seed to topple a No. 1 seeds. Maryland-Baltimore County was the first, knocking off Virginia in 2018.

The school has two campuses in New JerseyTeaneck and Florham. The school’s website lists a total enrollment of 11,400 students, though US News & World Report lists the number as 7,860 as of fall 2021. The Teaneck campus is close to New York City; The Florham campus is on a former country estate of socialites Florence Vanderbilt and Hamilton Twombly. FDU has owned the campus since 1958. FDU also has campuses in Wroxton, England, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Founded in 1942, notable alumni include billionaire and NFL Minnesota Vikings owner Zigi Wilf; Peggy Noonan, journalist and speechwriter to former President Ronald Reagan; former college basketball coach and ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg; and US Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Delaware Democrat.

Demetre Robinson (16.6 points per game), Grant Singleton (14.3), Ansley Almonor (14.1) and Joe Munden Jr. (10.6). Sean Moore, the Knights’ leading scorer in the Purdue game with 19 points, came in averaging 6.7.

HOW DID THE KNIGHTS GET HERE?

The FDU win is just the latest in eye-catching victories by New Jersey schools.

A year ago, Saint Peter’s toppled No. 2 seed Kentucky in overtime to bust a bunch of brackets and then became the first 15-seed to reach the Elite Eight by beating … Purdue. FDU’s shocker also came just a day after No. 15 seed Princeton defeated No. 2nd seed Arizona, 59-55.

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