Salvaggione invited to MLS combine

Four Atlantic 10 Conference men's soccer players, Calum Angus, Brandon Barklage and Kyle Patterson from Saint Louis and Charlotte's Chris Salvaggione have been invited to participate in the 2009 adidas MLS Player Combine as announced by Major League Soccer.

The combine, which will be held at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Jan. 9-13, will be attended by the coaching and management staffs of all 15 MLS teams in preparation for the MLS SuperDraft slated for Jan. 15 in St. Louis.

Saint Louis is one of just three schools that will send three or more players to the combine, joining Wake Forest (5) and Duke (3).

Salvaggione was named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year as well as first-team All-A-10 for the second straight season. The native of Monument, Colo., led the league in goals (15) and points (38) and ranked among the nation's leaders in points (2.00 per game).

Notes off 49ers' win at Mississippi State

There were many things Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz liked in the 49ers' 70-64 win against Mississippi State. He was somewhat disappointed with Charlotte's play in the final five minutes, when the 49ers mustered four points on offense - all from the free-throw line.

"That was a team that for 35 minutes tonight we thought we could be," Lutz said. "We've struggled through a lot of close games. I'm not happy with the way we finished but it was nice to have a working margin and have enough lead to win the basketball game."

Lutz said down the stretch the 49ers fouled too much. "We gambled a little more and weren't quite as solid and paid for it," he said. "They attacked a little more aggressively. The fouls I wasn't thrilled with."

- Former Concord High star and 2007 Observer Male Athlete of the Year Dee Bost had a tough time against the 49ers. He scored a team-high 15 points for Mississippi State but made just 3 of 10 shots from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers in the final 15 seconds when the outcome was determined. He had one assist and two turnovers.

- Charlotte point guard DiJuan Harris played all but four minutes of the game. He finished with 11 points, three rebounds, five assists and no turnovers.

"We actually have been doing the same thing that we have been doing all season," Harris said. "It's just the last two or three games coach has really emphasized on making things more simple on defense and making it more of a team effort, and we came out with a victory."

- Charlotte (3-6) will take a break for exams and next plays Youngstown State at Halton Arena at 2 p.m. Dec. 21. The 49ers' last home game was a one-point loss to Clemson on Nov. 22.

Charlotte-Mississippi St. not on MASN

Wednesday night's game between the Charlotte 49ers and Mississippi State is not on MASN as some original schedules (including schedule cards and the media guide) had it listed. That fell through just before the season began.

Instead of Mississippi State, MASN has switched that game with Charlotte's Atlantic 10 road game at Saint Louis. More recently, MASIN also added Charlotte's game at Xavier to its programming list.

MASN has three Charlotte games remaining on its schedule:

Jan. 28 at Xavier

Feb. 11 at Saint Louis

Feb. 25 at George Washington (game time for GW may change back to 7:30 p.m.)

Beam honored as 3rd-team all-American

Charlotte 49ers junior midfielder Hailey Beam has been named third-team all-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Beam was also named first-team All-Southeast Region, while sophomore teammate Whitney Weinraub earned second-team region honors.

Beam and Weinraub played integral roles in helping the 49ers to their third consecutive Atlantic 10 regular season title this season, second straight A-10 tournament title, second NCAA bid and first NCAA victory.

Beam is the second Charlotte player to receive all-America honors. Courtney Crandell was named first-time all-America in 2002.

Checking in with A-10

Some Atlantic 10 and Charlotte 49ers basketball notes:

• According to RealTime RPI, the Atlantic 10 ranks fourth among Division I conferences in strength of schedule. A-10 teams have faced 11 ranked opponents since the season opened Nov. 11.
• Entering play Sunday, 16 of the league’s 44 nonconference losses have been by four points or less. A-10 teams also have dropped six overtime contests, including two by Charlotte.
• Charlotte will enter its Dec. 10 game at Mississippi State averaging 8.25 steals per game, good for second in the conference. Junior DiJuan Harris leads the 49ers with 19 steals (2.38 per game), including five versus Providence on Nov. 28. Last season, Charlotte registered 271 steals, its highest total since 1991.
• Charlotte junior guard Ian Andersen has averaged 16.5 points and shot 10 of 21 from 3-point range over his past two games, including Saturday’s win at Southern Illinois.

Niners sign 6 for softball

The Charlotte 49ers softball team this week signed six players to national letters of intent for next season's class - three infielders, a pair of outfielders and a pitcher.

The class includes one local player, Chelsea Stamey from Matthews Butler High. She was twice named all-conference as a second baseman and played on Butler's three state championship teams. During Butler's state title run last season, Stamey batted .364 and had a perfect fielding percentage.

Also joining the 49ers are middle infielder Brittney Brinkley of Chesapeake, Va.; outfielder Nikki Gayle of Bear, Del.; infielder Brianna Gwaltney of Anaheim Hills, Calif.; third baseman Lindsey Holloman of Suffolk, Va.; and first baseman Virginia Prince of Cumming, Ga.

Charlotte opens the 2009 season on Feb. 13 when it hosts the Green and White Tournament at the D.L. Phillips Softball Complex.

Spriggs is A-10 women's player of week

Charlotte 49ers women's basketball player Ashley Spriggs was named the Atlantic 10 Conference player of the week following her performance over the weekend in the Hoops for the Cure Tournament in Dallas, Tex.

Spriggs, a junior forward, was named most valuable player of the tournament, hitting the game-winning shot as time expired to give the 49ers a 76-74 win over host Southern Methodist in the championship game. For the week, she averaged 16.7 points and seven rebounds in three 49ers games, including a home loss to Wake Forest last Wednesday.

-- Fans interested in attending the 2009 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament in Atlantic City, N.J., can purchase all-session group tickets now at (609) 348-7021. Prices are $300 for Gold, $140 for Silver and $120 for Bronze. Individual session tickets will go on sale in early 2009. The tournament is March 11-14.