49ers losing strength coach to Stanford

The Charlotte 49ers are losing an integral member of their athletics department and a particularly important member of the school's men's basketball program.

Preston Greene, head strength and conditioning coach the past six seasons, is resigning effective Friday to take a similar position at Stanford, athletics director Judy Rose announced Tuesday.

Greene, a 1999 graduate of Clemson, received his master's degree from Minnesota in 2000. He was an assistant strength coach at Arizona for two years before joining the 49ers. While at Charlotte, the department's strength and conditioning program has seen dramatic improvements.

Greene is a protege of Canadian strength training coach Charles Poliquin, who has trained many world class athletes, including Olympic Gold medal sprinter Donovan Bailey, the NFL's David Boston, and the NHL's Chris Pronger, among others.

Rose said a search for Greene's replacement will begin immediately.

- Jim Utter