49ers' men's soccer faces difficult schedule

Charlotte's men's soccer's schedule has been released and the 49ers will face seven teams that played in last season's NCAA tournament.

The 49ers' first game is Aug. 31 at Denver, the first of three long road trips the team will take. Charlotte will play Conference USA games at New Mexico (Oct. 4) and Tulsa (Oct. 13). Charlotte's league opener is Sept. 13 at Alabama-Birmingham -- which Charlotte beat in last season's NCAA tournament -- in the Blazers' Soccer For A Cure tournament.

Charlotte plays a tough stretch that includes five consecutive games against NCAA teams from last season, beginning with a home game against Wake Forest (Oct. 1), then with league games at New Mexico, home against Old Dominion (Oct. 19), at Tulsa and home against Kentucky (Oct. 19).

Charlotte's first league home game is Sept. 27 against South Carolina. The Gamecocks, New Mexico and Kentucky are all associate Conference USA members in men's soccer.

The 49ers will play at Coastal Carolina, another NCAA tournament team, Sept. 7.

The 49ers, who lost in the second round of last season's NCAA tournament and finished with a 15-4-3 record, will play exhibitions against local rivals Winthrop (at Rock Hill) on Aug. 20 and home against Davidson on Aug. 24.

The seven-team Conference USA tournament is at Charlotte's Transamerica Field Nov. 13-17. The College Cup is scheduled for Philadelphia's PPL Park Nov. 13 and 15.

The schedule:

Aug. 30, at Denver.

Sept. 4, UNC Greensboro; 7, at Coastal Carolina; 13, at Ala.-Birmingham; 15, Memphis (at Birmingham, Ala.); 21, Campbell; 24, Central Florida; 27, South Carolina.

Oct. 1, Wake Forest; 4, at New Mexico; 9, Old Dominion; 13, at Tulsa; 19,  Kentucky; 22, Clemson; 30, at Florida Atlantic.

Nov. 2, Marshall; 8, at Florida International; 13-17, Conference USA tournament (at Charlotte.)

-- The 49ers' women's soccer team has signed six freshmen for the 2013 season: MF Rebecca Beatty (Mandeville, La., Saint Scholastica Academy); F Perri Bonner (Atlanta, Grady High); F Anna Dedmon (Shelby, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy); D-F Shelby Hicks (Chapel Hill, Durham Jordan High); MF-F Ari Reilley (Woodstown, N.J., High); MF-F Kaitlin Walker (Apex High).

The 49ers open the season Aug. 23 at home against Liberty.

 

Don't expect to see the Carolina Panthers at Jerry Richardson Stadium

   Despite the fact his name now adorns the Charlotte 49ers' new 15,000-seat football stadium thanks to a $10 million donation, Jerry Richardson said Tuesday it was unlikely his NFL Carolina Panthers would utilize the facility or move its annual training camp from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C.

   The Panthers have held their training camp at Wofford, Richardson's alma mater, each summer since their inaugural campaign in 1995.

   "It's an opportunity when we go to South Carolina because we call our team the Carolina Panthers and it's an opportunity to reach out to (those residents)," Richardson said. "I don't think that would be the right thing to do.

   "Plus, the people at Wofford have been very good to us and they graduated me with a 'C' average."

   - Jim Utter

Hibbs staying put with Charlotte 49ers

49ers baseball coach Loren Hibbs got some interest from Wichita State about the Shockers' vacant coaching job recently. But Hibbs, a former Wichita State player and assistant, said in a statement Monday he's staying at Charlotte.   Wichita State athletics director Eric Sexton had asked for and received permission from Charlotte's Judy Rose to speak to Hibbs about replacing long-time coach Gene Stephenson, who recently retired or was forced out (it's not clear which).   “First of all, it was an honor for me to play and coach in such an outstanding program,” said Hibbs. “I learned from the best. Gene Stephenson will be remembered as one of the greatest coaches in college baseball history. Wichita will always hold a special place in my heart.”   "After speaking with Eric (Sexton) and our own administrators at Charlotte, I want to reaffirm my position as head coach with the 49ers," said Hibbs. "I love Charlotte. Our players, our coaches, our administration and our alumni have allowed us to create a special environment here. I am excited about the future of our baseball program and the continued growth of UNC Charlotte.”   Hibbs just completed his 21st season at Charlotte. He helped the Shockers to the 1982 College World Series and was named to the all-tournament team. The 125 runs he scored that season remains an NCAA record.

Charlotte 49ers' Seager drafted by Mariners

49ers junior infielder Justin Seager was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball draft Saturday.

Seager, who hit .351 last season with 40 RBIs and two homers, was the 357th overall pick. A Northwest Cabarrus High product, Seager was the Atlantic 10's co-player of the year and an all-conference selection.

UPDATE:

Charlotte junior pitcher Tyler Barnette was taken by the Chicago White Sox in the 14th round, the 423rd overall pick. Barnette was 6-3 with a 3.97 ERA last season. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox three years ago coming out of Hickory High, but chose to play for the 49ers instead.

Right-handed pitcher Ryan Butler, an Ardrey Kell High grad who is transferring to Charlotte after starting his college career at Marshall, was taken by the New York Yankees in the 16th round.

 

 

 

Charlotte 49ers' football stadium name announcement coming

A few 49ers notes:

-- The name of Charlotte's football stadium will be announced next Tuesday (June 11) at a news conference. Assuming it's a naming-rights deal, athletics director Judy Rose had said the name will be worth $5 million to the school. The news conference is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on the stadium concourse and is open to the public.

-- Three 49ers teams were honored by the NCAA for outstanding Academic Progress Rate (APR) -- men's and women's tennis and men's cross-country.

It's the fifth consecutive year the women's tennis program has been honored, the third in a row for the cross-country team and second for the men's tennis team. Charlotte has had at least one team honored in the eight years of the NCAA's program, which takes into account retention and academic eligibility.

-- The men's soccer program has signed nine players for the 2013 season, including two transfers from N.C. State: midfielder Connor Agnew (Fort Mill Nation Ford, transfer from N.C. State); forward Monbo Bokar (Durham Jordan, transfer from N.C. State); midfielder Brandt Bronico (High Point Wesleyan Christian); defender Ryan Enriquez (Southwest Ranches, Fla., Cypress Bay), defender Matt Gerrish (East Chapel Hill); forward Hans Honer (Vance); midfielder Eduardo Iturbide (Ardrey Kell), midfielder Maximilliano Rodriguez (San Antonio Warren) and goalkeeper Justin Savinon (Wilmington Ashley).

The schedule hasn't been released yet, but Charlotte's season opener is Aug. 30 at Denver.

 

Charlotte 49ers' Basen earns A-10 scholarship

-- Former 49ers baseball player Shane Basen has earned one of four Atlantic 10 Postgraduate Scholarships.

Basen, an infielder who just finished up his senior season at Charlotte, is the fifth 49er in Charlotte's eight seasons in the Atlantic 10 to win one of the league's postgrad scholarships.

Basen will receive $5,000 for his post graduate education. Other former 49ers to earn the scholarship are Macey Ruble (2011-12) and Lamarra Currie (2008-09) in track and field, men's soccer's Adam Gross (2009-10) and cross-country/track and field's Jane Daniels (2006-07).

Basen, who is from Waxhaw and played at Marvin Ridge High, will attend UNC Charlotte's Master's of Accounting Program.

-- The 49ers' women's soccer schedule has been released, with the season opening Aug. 23 against Liberty at Transamerica Field. Charlotte opens its season in Conference USA with a game Sept. 27 at Florida International. The C-USA tournament is Nov. 6-10 at Houston.

Here's the full schedule:

Aug. 23, Liberty; 25, UNC Wilmington; 27, Gardner-Webb.

Sept. 1, at Elon; 6, at Virginia Tech; 8, at Western Carolina; 13, James Madison; 20, College of Charleston; 22, at Davidson; 27, at Florida International; 29, at East Carolina.

Oct. 4, Texas-San Antonio; 6, Middle Tennessee; 11, at Texas-El Paso; 13, at North Texas; 18, Ala.-Birmingham; 25, Marshall; 27, Florida Atlantic.

Nov. 1, at Old Dominion; 6-10, Conference USA tournament (at Houston).