49ers men's basketball team paints for charity

Photo courtesy of Charlotte 49ers sports information

Members of the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team spent Friday morning helping paint the interior of a home in the university area as part of the Purple Heart Homes Charity, an organization that adapts and remodels homes for disabled veterans. Players and staff put several coats of paint on rooms inside the home.

For more information on the Purple Heart Homes Charity: http://www.purplehearthomesusa.org/

49ers host Coastal in men's soccer Friday; Hammonds signs pro contract

A few 49ers news items:

Men's soccer

The 49ers men's soccer team gets a stern early season test Friday, hosting ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m. at Transamerica Field. The Chanticleers (1-1) have beaten then-seventh ranked Connecticut 3-2 and lost to No. 7 Maryland 3-2 on the road.

The 21st-ranked 49ers (1-0) won their season open on Sunday, beating Radford 2-1 despite playing a man down after defender Nick Barnhorst was issued a red card for a hand ball in the penalty area.

The Chanticleers ended Charlotte's 2013 season with a 1-0 victory in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Charlotte beat Coastal Carolina in an earlier regular-season game 2-1 in Conway, S.C. One of the Chanticleers' top players is senior striker Ricky Garbanzo, who played at Rock Hill's Northwestern High. Garbanzo scored the game-winning goal against UConn.

Charlotte's volleyball team (3-2) will play in the Temple Invitational this weekend. The women's soccer team (1-2) is at Liberty on Thursday night.


Women's basketball

Former 49ers point guard Ny Hammonds has signed a pro contract with Lithuania's Kibirkstis-VICI. Hammonds, who played at Concord High, was a second-team all-Conference USA selection last season and is Charlotte's career assists leader with 496. She is the third player under coach Cara Consuegra to play professionally, joining Amanda Dowe and Jennifer Hailey, who are also playing abroad.

Charlotte 49ers men's basketball open against Elon; also faces Georgetown

Two games at Washington’s Verizon Center – against Georgetown and George Washington – highlight the Charlotte 49ers’ men’s basketball nonconference schedule.

The 49ers will face the Hoyas on Dec. 20 and former Atlantic 10 rivals Colonials on Dec. 7.

Charlotte opens its season Nov. 16 at Elon and begins its 18-game Conference USA schedule Jan. 4 against Old Dominion at Halton Arena.

Georgetown was 18-15 last season and lost in the second round of the NIT to Florida State. The game is the first of a home and home agreement between the schools, with the second to be played next season at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.

George Washington went 24-9 and was one of six Atlantic 10 teams to play in the NCAA tournament, losing to Memphis in the second round.

The 49ers’ home schedule includes a visit from Miami on Nov. 25.

Charlotte will also play in the Charleston Classic Nov. 20-23, opening with a game against Penn State.

The 49ers play their annual game against Davidson for the Hornets Nest Trophy on Dec. 3 at the Wildcats’ Belk Arena. Charlotte also plays at Georgia Tech on Dec. 30.

Other home games include Appalachian State, College of Charleston and N.C. A&T. The 49ers also visit UNC Asheville.

Charlotte 49ers 2014-15 men's basketball schedule:

Nov. 11, Newberry (exh.); 16, at Elon; Nov. 20-23, at Charleston Classic; 26, Miami; 30, at UNC Asheville.

Dec. 3, at Davidson; 7, at George Washington (Verizon Center); 16, College of Charleston; 18, Appalachian State; 20, at Georgetown (Verizon Center); 30, at Georgia Tech.

Jan. 4, Old Dominion; 8, at Western Kentucky; 10, at Marshall; 15, North Texas; 17, Rice; 22, at Ala.-Birmingham; 24, at Middle Tennessee; 29, Florida Atlantic; 31, Florida International.

Feb. 4, N.C. A&T; 7, at Old Dominion; 12, at Texas-El Paso; 14, at Texas-San Antonio; 19, Louisiana Tech; 21, Southern Mississippi; 26, at North Texas; 28, at Rice.

March, 5, Western Kentucky; 7, Marshall; 11-14, C-USA tournament (at Birmingham, Ala.).

 

 

Former star pitcher Maine joins 49ers baseball staff

Former 49ers pitcher John Maine has been added to the baseball coaching staff as a volunteer assistant.

Maine, a former Conference USA pitcher of the year for Charlotte, had a major league career that included stops with the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles and Miami Marlins. Maine won 41 games over his eight-year career, a highlight coming when he won Game 6 of the 2006 NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Maine is the latest of a few former 49ers athletes who have joined Charlotte coaching staffs recently. Mikel Hunter is a football grad assistant; Owen Darby is men's soccer director of operations; and Colby Lewis was promoted from graduate manager to assistant director of operations.

Charlotte 49ers release 2-deep depth chart

The 49ers released their two-deep depth chart Wednesday. Nothing much surprising here as the 49ers prepare to open the season Aug. 28 at Campbell, but a few observations:

 -- It looks like juco transfer Branden Dozier has overtaken Ardy Holmes for one of the safety spots. Holmes has been slowed by an injury, but figures to get plenty of playing time at what is a deep position.

-- Austin Duke and Corey Nesmith will handle the kickoff return duties and Nesmith will return punts. Freshman Arthur Hart looks like he’ll punt.

-- There are a couple of true freshmen listed as backups – receivers Juwan Foggie and T.L. Ford and corner Tre’Shun Wynn. The goal for coach Brad Lambert will be to redshirt the remainder of this freshman class, although running back Maetron Thomas might play depending on when a shoulder injury heals.

-- Sophomore cornerback Devin Pearson and sophomore linebacker Justin Bridges-Thompson aren’t listed, which means they will likely be redshirted.
 
-- The average weight of the offensive line starters is a hefty 307 pounds.

OFFENSE:

 

WR:               9 DMARJAI DEVINE                       6-3 210 Sr.

                      84 Juwan Foggie                                6-2 190 Fr.

WR:              81 TRENT BOSTICK                          6-1 195 So.
                      89 T.L. Ford                                         6-3 175 Fr.

LT:               73 JAMAL COVINGTON                   6-4 295 R-So.

                      78 Kyle Hoffman                                6-4 255 R-So.

LG:              70 CASEY PERRY                               6-2 335 R-So.

                     77  Wolfgang Zacherl                         6-4 285 So.

C:                 74 THOMAS LA BIANCA                  6-3 295 R-So.

                    50 Jarred Barr                                      6-3 290 R-So.

RG:             76 DANIEL BLITCH                            6-6 320 R-Sr.

                    55  Mason Sledge                                 6-3 295 R-So.

RT:             68 DANNY BOOK                                6-6 275 R-Jr.

                    75 Eugene German                              6-4 290 R-Fr.

H:               15 JUSTIN BOLUS                               6-3 220 R-So.

                    85  Richard Murphy                            6-3 230 Jr.

SR:              10 AUSTIN DUKE                               5-9 152 R-So.

                     2 Will Thomas                                      6-0 170 R-So.

RB:             25 KALIF PHILLIPS                            5-11 185 So.

                   32 Damarrell Alexander                      5-10 165 R-Jr.

QB:             8 MATT JOHNSON                             6-3 230 R-So.

                    5 Lee McNeill                                        6-1 200 R-So.

 DEFENSE

DE:             99 BRANDON BANKS                        6-2 270 R-So.

                    11 Mark Pettit                                       6-4 230 R-So.

NT:             65 LARRY OGUNJOBI                       6-2 275 R-So

                   97 Tanner Fleming                               6-2 275 R-So.

DE:            92 JAMES MIDDLETON                     6-4 265 R-So.

                   91 Nick Carroll                                       6-5 235 R-Fr.
                   or 95 Devin Clegg                                  6-4 235 R-So.

OLB:         34 NICO ALCALDE                               6-2 205 R-So.

                  24 Daquan Lucas                                    5-10 210 R-So.

ILB:          6 NICK COOK                                         6-1 220 Jr.

                  50 Karrington King                                5-11 215 R-Fr.

ILB:         42 CALEB CLAYTON-MOLBY             6-2 240 Sr.

                 58 Dustin Crouser                                   6-2 230 R-Fr.

OLB:        7 JALEN HOLT                                       6-4 200 R-So.

                43 Tyler DeStefani                                   6-4 210 R-Sr.

CB:          14 TANK NORMAN                                5-11 190 R-So.

                  5 Tre’Shun Wynn                                   6-0 175 Fr.

S:              13 DESMOND COOPER                       6-2 210 R-Sr.

                 21  Prince Mayela                                    5-10 170 R-So.

S:              3 BRANDEN DOZIER                           6-0 195 Jr.

                 8 Ardy Holmes                                        5-9 190 R-Jr.

CB:         28 GREG CUNNINGHAM JR.               6-2 185 R-So.

                27 Terrance Winchester                          6-0 170 R-So.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K:              86 BLAKE BREWER                             6-1 200 So.

                  69 Stephen Muscarello                         5-11 195 R-So.

P:               40 ARTHUR HART                              6-2 185 Fr.

                  37 Hayden Pezzoni                                5-9 160 R-So.

LS:            48 KEASTON SINICKI                        6-0 235 So.

                  64 Brian McDonough                           5-9 190 Fr.

KR:           10 AUSTIN DUKE                                  5-9 160 R-So.

                  4 COREY NESMITH                             5-9 185 R-So.
                  32 Demarrel Alexander                        5-10 165 R-Jr.
                   5 Tre’Shun Wynn                                  6-0 175 Fr.

PR:            4 COREY NESMITH                             5-9 185 R-So.

                   10 Austin Duke                                      5-9 160 R-So

 HLD:        5 LEE MCNEILL                                    6-1 200 R-SO.

RB Gainey to have MRI on knee; Gentile returns Wednesday night

49ers news, notes:

-- Running back Donjore Gainey is having an MRI Thursday on an injured knee. With true freshman Maetron Thomas nursing a sore shoulder, junior Damarrell Alexander will likely open the season as the backup to Kalif Phillips. Alexander gained 280 yards last season with an average of 6.8 yards per carry. He scored on a 51-yard run against Morehead State, a game in which he gained 101 yards.

-- Coach Brad Lambert said he’s pretty sure Thomas and true freshmen receivers T.L. Ford and Juwon Foggie will not redshirt this season.

-- Cook (hamstring) and receiver Trent Bostick (foot) have missed practice time, but are back. Center Thomas La Bianca  (knee) is also expected to return soon.
 

-- The 49ers are practicing in the afternoons now. Lambert is hoping the recent heat remains to better have his team conditioned for next week’s opener against Campbell.

-- The Charlotte Eagles are host to Orlando City FC in a USL Pro soccer game at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Queens Sports Complex in what is a homecoming former Eagles and Charlotte 49ers forward Giuseppe Gentile. Gentile, who left the 49ers after his sophomore season, was taken by the Chicago Fire in this season's Major League Soccer waiver draft. Gentile played in three reserve matches for the Fire before being loaned to the Eagles. He signed with Orlando City on July 11.

Gentile, who played at Ardrey Kell High, has scored twice this season for USL Pro -- including for the Eagles against Orlando City in May. Orlando City, which is moving to MLS next season, leads the USL Pro standings with 52 points (16-2-4). The Eagles (8-13-3) have 27 points and are two points out of the eighth and final playoff spot with two games remaining.

49ers picked 2nd in C-USA men's soccer race

The Charlotte 49ers are picked to finish second in this season's Conference USA men's soccer race. The 49ers, who won last season's league tournament, were chosen behind only New Mexico, which won last season's regular-season title. 49ers forward Kyle Parker (Marvin Ridge High) is a preseason all-conference pick.

 Charlotte opens its season Aug. 31 against Radford at Transamerica Field. The 49ers' league opener is against New Mexico on Sept. 26. The Lobos went on to advance to the College Cup semifinals last season.