Gentile named A-10 rookie of year

49ers freshman forward Giuseppe Gentile has been named the Atlantic 10 men's soccer rookie of the year, while three of his teammates made the A-10's first-team all-conference team.

Gentile, who played at Ardrey Kell High, has seven goals and an assist for the 12th-ranked 49ers (13-3-2), who open play Thursday in the conference tournament against Xavier in St. Louis.

Senior forward Evan James, sophomore midfielder Tyler Gibson and senior defender Charles Rodriguez made the all-A-10 first team. Gentile and junior midfielder Donnie Smith were second-team selections.

Gibson and sophomore midfielder Aidan Kirkbride were named to the league's all-academic team.

Offensive player of the year is Duquesne's Joshua Patterson; defender of the year is Fordham's Ryan Meara; midfielder of the year is George Washington's Yoni Berhanu and coach of the year is George Washington's George Lidster.
 

49ers to face X in A-10 soccer quarters

The third-seed Charlotte 49ers will face No. 6 Xavier (10-4-3) in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament Thursday in St. Louis. Charlotte (13-3-2, 6-1-2) had 20 points and finished behind co-regular-season champs Fordham (11-6, 7-2) and George Washington (9-6-2, 7-2), which both had 21 points.


Thursday’s other quarterfinal has No. 4 Temple (9-9, 5-4) facing No. 5 La Salle (6-8-4, 4-2-3). The semifinals are Friday and the championship is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.

Charlotte beat Xavier 1-0 earlier this season.

49ers women play exhibition against JCSU

The 49ers women's basketball team plays a preseason exhibition Saturday at 7 p.m. against Johnson C. Smith at Halton Arena.

The 49ers, who advanced to last season's Women's NIT semifinals, will be playing under first-year coach Cara Consuegra, who comes to Charlotte from Marquette, where she was an assistant.

Charlotte won a school-record 27 games last season and returns three starters. Guard Epiphany Woodson was chosen to the preseason all-Atlantic 10 first-team and forward Jen Hailey made the second team.

The 49ers open the regular season next Friday at Halton against Presbyterian as part of a doubleheader with the men's game against N.C. Central.

Vols next for 49ers football?

49ers football coach Brad Lambert gave a speech Thursday, during which he said Charlotte would be playing FBS teams in the future like Virginia Tech (which we knew) and Tennessee (which we didn't know).

No contracts have been signed yet by the two schools. But if Lambert said it (or let it slip), he probably knows something, right? Look for something to be announced soon, probably for the 2018 season. Charlotte is already scheduled to play at Virginia Tech in 2019.

The 49ers' 2014 schedule is about to be finalized with a 12th game. Expect it to be against a Division II school not too far from Charlotte's campus.

Observations from Belmont Abbey victory

Observations on the 49ers' 104-52 exhibition victory Thursday against Belmont Abbey:

-- The reason freshman Pierria Henry started ahead of Deuce Briscoe at point guard is because Henry is 6-3 and Briscoe is 5-10. Coach Alan Major wants more height on the defensive perimeter. Whether that's permanent, we'll see.

-- Coach Alan Major put all the new players to work. Eleven players played double-figure minutes (yes, it was a blowout against an overmatched DII team).

-- Worried about all those 3s the 49ers were taking (they made 17 of 29 and didn't make a two-point basket until seven minutes remained in the first half)? Don't be, because, A) Belmont Abbey was guarding anybody out there and, B) they were going in. Javarris Barnett was six-of-seven for 24 points and Derrio Green was four-of-seven for 12.

-- Transfer DeMario Mayfield and Henry look like they'll be the kind of athletic players that haven't been seen around Halton for a few years. E. Victor Nickerson also has a smooth, polished game that will improve when he puts on a few pounds. Two other freshmen, Mike Thorne and Terrence Williams, also had their moments. Thorne blocked two shots and Williams was 2-of-3 from the field.

-- The noseguards worn by Henry and Luka Voncina were to protect broken noses they suffered in practice recently. Mayfield also took stitches in his chin during one practice.

-- Season opener is next Friday against N.C. Central. Briscoe played at Central as a freshman in 2008-09 before transferring to Charlotte. He was the nation's second-leading freshman scorer behind Liberty's Seth Curry, who's now at Duke.

49ers-Belmont Abbey: What to watch for

 A few things to watch for in tonight's Charlotte-Belmont Abbey men's basketball exhibition at Halton Arena (7 p.m.):

-- The new guys -- there are a lot of them. Charlotte's three freshmen guards --  Pierria Henry, E. Victor Nickerson and Terrence Williams -- are going to be counted on for early contributions this season. Henry, especially, might have the best chance for major minutes. He's a physical player and loves to play defense ("A beast," according to senior guard Derrio Green.

-- Another freshman, big man Mike Thorne, is a "big hunk of clay," according to coach Alan Major. The 6-9 Thorne spends a lot of time before practice with assistant coach Ryan Odom working on his skills.

-- Biggest impact by a new player, I'd think, will be wing DeMario Mayfield, a transfer from Georgia. Although he didn't play last season (per NCAA regulations), he has a year of practicing Major's system under his belt. Although right now the starting lineup would appear to be Chris Braswell (center), K.J. Sherrill (power forward), Javarris Barnett (small forward), Green (shooting guard) and Deuce Briscoe (point guard), Mayfield could crack that.

-- Major says he's got "3 1/2 point guards" -- Briscoe, Henry, Luka Voncina and Green (the half).

-- If the 49ers beat the Division II Crusaders, it will be for the first time. OK, so it's not an official game, but Belmont Abbey is 8-0 against Charlotte (they last played in 1969).

It's McColl-Richardson Field

When the Charlotte 49ers play their first football game in their on-campus stadium in 2013, they'll do so on McColl-Richardson Field.

The school announced Tuesday the football field will be named for two Charlotte business and sports icons -- Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl.

"Can you think of two people more associated with the development of Charlotte over the last 30 years?" said UNC Charlotte chancellor Phil Dubois. "I can't imagine finding two better."

49ers athletics director Judy Rose wouldn't reveal how much money Richardson and McColl have contributed to the program. The school is valuing the naming rights on the field at $2.5 million, and Rose said Richardson and McColl's donations put the program "well on our way toward that."

The school also is selling naming rights to the 15,000-seat stadium (which began construction in April) for $5 million.

"With their names going on the field, other (potential sponsors) will say, 'Gosh, look at the names they have associated with this school," said Rose. "They add tremendous value and credibility to our program."

When Richardson first considered bringing NFL football to the Carolinas in 1987, McColl was the first person whose advice he sought.

"We haven't failed on a lot of things we've tried to do together," said McColl. "So I doubt we will on this, either."