Summertime Charlotte 49ers news, notes

 I've been off for a few weeks. Aside from the big news of the unveiling of the football helmets (Is everyone good with the decision to go with white? I kind of liked the green option), here's some of what has been happening around Charlotte's athletic department:

-- Charlotte signed a 10-year marketing and sponsorship deal with IMG College that, a source confirms, is worth $8.15 million. The deal starts this coming school year and comes as Charlotte prepares to play football in 2013.

IMG College is based in Winston-Salem and represents more than 200 other schools, including Duke, Appalachian State, East Carolina, South Carolina, Clemson, Furman, Wofford and Wake Forest. It will handle all manner of multimedia and sponsorship rights for the 49ers, including radio advertising, the athletic website, venue signage, PA announcements, video boards (most visibly the football stadium's), game programs and event promotions and hospitality.

IMG already has worked with Charlotte. Its licensing group has handled the 49ers' trademark licensing program since 1987. It also means the 49ers' long association with Charlotte-based Signature Sports Group, with whom Charlotte has worked since 1997, will end.


-- The 49ers men's basketball team will be without center Chris Braswell (broken foot) when it plays four games in the Bahamas in August. Charlotte will play games against all-star teams from the Bahamas on Aug. 14 and 16. Although they'll be without Braswell, the 49ers will have their incoming freshmen -- Willie Clayton, Denzel Ingram, Shawn Lester, Darion Clark and Ivan Benkovic. The Bahamas trip will cap what should be a productive summer for the 49ers: The NCAA is now allowing coaches to work with players on a limited basis in the summer months. The 49ers are also permitted to practice for the Bahamas trip. The 49ers, incidentally, will stay at the famous Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.

-- Mark Bialkoski is the 49ers' new director of men's basketball operations. He replaces Rob Perron, who left in the spring to become an assistant at Newberry. Bialkoski will be assisted by Stephen Doughton. Both Bialkoski and Doughton have been with the program for the last few years.

-- Former 49ers basketball player K.J. Sherrill is transferring to Division II Augusta State, where he hopes  to play with his younger brother Keshun, who will be a freshman next season. K.J. Sherrill will redshirt this coming season to completely rehab a balky knee that plagued him his last two years at Charlotte.

Sherrill recently told the Salisbury Post (he played at nearby West Rowan High) that playing time was the main reason why he decided to transfer.

“Nothing against the coaches, I just felt like they didn’t give me the opportunity I deserved,” he said. “I thought the coaches would realize I should be on the court. It just didn’t work out.”

Charlotte's other player who transferred out, guard Jamar Briscoe, will play for Division II Mountain (W.Va.) State next season.


--  Charlotte's cross country schedule:
Aug. 31, at Western Carolina Invitational.

Sept. 8, Charlotte Duals (at Concord); 21, at Toledo (Ohio) Regional Bubble Buster; 28, Charlotte Invitational.

Oct. 13, at Chili Pepper Festival (Fayetteville, Ark.); 27, at Atlantic 10 championships (Philadelphia).