Duke highlights women's basketball schedule

The 49ers' women's basketball schedule was released Wednesday, with Charlotte opening its season with a home game in the Preseason Women's NIT against Iona on Nov. 13. Two weeks later, the 49ers will play host to Duke on Nov. 27.
Charlotte's Atlantic 10 season begins Jan. 7 with a home game against Temple.
The A-10 tournament is Feb. 4-7 in Lowell, Mass.

Nov. 13, Iona (Preseason WNIT); 15, 17, 21 Preseason WNIT, TBA; 23, Savannah State; 27, Duke; 30, at N.C. A&T.

Dec. 2, at UNC Wilmington; 5, East Carolina; 8, at Western Carolina; 11, Virginia Commonwealth; 19, at Arkansas State; 22, Md.-Eastern Shore; 28-29, at Tulane Classic (Old Dominion, Tulane/Nicholls State).

Jan. 2, Virginia Tech; 7, Temple; 12, Fordham; 15, at Saint Joseph's; 19, at Rhode Island; 22, Xavier; 26, at Richmond; 30, at Saint Louis.

Feb. 5, at Massachusetts; 9, George Washington; 12, Dayton; 16, at La Salle; 19, Saint Louis; 23, Duquesne; 26, at St. Bonaventure.

March 4-7, Atlantic 10 tournament (at Lowell, Mass.).

Major's 2nd freshman recruit 'still growing'

Mike Thorne, a 6-10 center who verbally committed to Charlotte's men's basketball program earlier this week, isn't close to finishing growing or developing his game, his high school coach says.

"He's one of those kids who has developed late, like most 'bigs' do," said Heath Vandevender, the coach at Fayetteville's Trinity Christian, where Thorne will be a senior this season.

Vandevender confirmed that Thorne became new 49ers coach Alan Major's second freshman recruit (following guard Luka Voncina) earlier this week after making his official visit over the weekend.

"He's taking a while to catch up with his body," said Vandevender, who said Thorne averaged 5.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a part-time starter as a junior last season.

"He's about 244 pounds now, so he looks skinny. But he's still growing. He might be 6-11 by the time he gets to Charlotte."

Vandevender said Thorne has a 2.9 GPA -- and size 18 shoes. He transferred to Trinity Christian after his freshman year at Fayetteville Westover.

Vandevender said Thorne had narrowed his college choices to Winthrop, Tulane, Western Carolina, Marquette and James Madison. He had already visited Winthrop, Tulane and James Madison.

Elijah Carter, a guard from Brewster (N.H.) Academy is making his official visit to Charlotte this weekend

Major has already signed guard DeMario Mayfield, a transfer from Georgia who will sit out this season. The 49ers are also in the running for shooting guard Terrence Williams of West Mecklenburg and small forward E. Victor Nickerson of Norcross, Ga.

49ers' 1st football game: Campbell

The Charlotte 49ers' first-ever football game will be at home against Campbell on Aug. 31, 2013.

The game is scheduled to be played in a new, on-campus stadium. A time for the game hasn't been set.

The Camels -- an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision program -- are the second Pioneer League team the 49ers will play in their first season. They are already scheduled to play at Morehead State later that season.

"Each day, we get closer and closer to our first football season," said 49ers athletics director Judy Rose in a statement. "Today, we have our first opponent in sight. We are thrilled to be able to get this first game scheduled and are excited to announce that it will be at home so our fans can celebrate what is sure to be an historic occasion."

The 49ers will play at Campbell, Sept. 20, 2014.

Weinraub nearing scoring record

Charlotte's Whitney Weinraub continued to close in on the school scoring record Friday, getting her 33rd career goal Friday afternoon in the 49ers' 2-1 women's soccer victory against Towson in Philadelphia. Weinraub is three goals shy of the school mark. Sam Huecker also scored for Charlotte (5-2), which plays Villanova on Sunday.

N.J. guard taking official visit

Point guard Elijah Carter will make an official visit to Charlotte on Sept. 24, according to his prep school's Twitter account.

Carter (6-foot-2), who will play this season at Brewster (N.H.) Academy, reportedly had already committed to St. Bonaventure, but backed out of that. He includes Charlotte with several other schools he's now considering, including Cincinnati and Virginia Tech. The school's tweet said he'll visit the Bearcats on Oct. 11.

Carter played in high school at Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony.

Observations on a big soccer win

A few observations from the 49ers' convincing 2-0 men's soccer victory against No. 12 Wake Forest on Tuesday at Transamerica Field:

-- As smothering as Charlotte's attack was, the 49ers' defense obviously had just as much to do with the victory. Coach Jeremy Gunn thinks center backs Isaac Cowles and Charles Rodriguez are as good a pair as there is in the country. Charlotte hasn't allowed a goal in over two games.

-- Goalkeeper Patrick Eavinson, a former Charlotte Catholic player, got the shutout in his first start. He made a couple of crucial saves in both halves.

-- Charlotte's attack feeds off the energy of Jennings Rex, Evan James and Andres Cuero (the team's only senior). T.J. Beaulieu, Will Mayhew and Owen Darby came off the bench to add a dose of it, too.

49ers get late game in Charleston

Charlotte's men's basketball team will play George Mason at 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 18 -- the final game of the first round of the Charleston Classic. The winner of the 49ers-Patriots game will play the winner of Thursday's 6 p.m. game between East Carolina and N.C. State at 6 p.m. Nov. 19 (Friday). The losers will play at 8:30 Nov. 19.

Other first-round games include Coastal Carolina-Georgetown (noon) and USC Upstate-Wofford (2:30 p.m.).

The tournament takes the day off Saturday, Nov. 20. The championship game is Sunday at 8 p.m., with games for seventh, fifth and third places at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.