Freshman Lester ineligible

On the day that the Charlotte 49ers are departing on a five-day, two-game preseason trip to the Bahamas, the program announced Monday that freshman Shawn Lester is ineligible for the 2012-13 season.

Lester, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Mooresville High, will enroll at Charlotte, but won't be allowed to practice with the team.

"We are extremely excited that Shawn will be with us on campus this year," said 49ers coach Alan Major in a statement. "He will focus on academics and being a successful student here at Charlotte. In  addition, he will use this year to improve his game in preparation for our return to Conference USA."

Charlotte 49ers field house named for Rose

The Charlotte 49ers' football field house was named in a most surprising fashion Saturday evening

The facility will be called the Judy W. Rose Field House, for the 49ers athletics director who was instrumental in bringing football to UNC Charlotte, where the sport begins I'm 2013.

The news came at a football-related reception Saturday at the home of Chancellor Phil Dubois. Dale Halton, a long-time university and athletic department benefactor, donated the naming-rights money for the field house, but she asked that Rose's name go on the building instead.

The announcement caught Rose by surprise on a day that goalposts were erected on McColl-Richardson Field (which will have turf installed next week).

Charlotte 49ers take over new field house

The Charlotte 49ers are ready to move into Halton Field House in their soon-to-be-completed football stadium. The N.C. State Construction Office approved beneficial occupancy of the field house Wednesday. The football staff is expected to move into offices in the 46,150-square-foot field house next week, with furniture and equipment for the locker room, weight room, training rooms and meeting rooms also coming next week. The 49ers’ natural-turf practice fields are also ready, one that is full-length field and one that is 80 yards. Construction of the 49ers’ stadium is expected to be completed in September. The 49ers will begin football in 2013.

There's a media tour of the field house scheduled for Friday, so we'll have full photo coverage then.

Charlotte 49ers 6th in A-10 preseason women's soccer poll

The Charlotte 49ers have been picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10's preseason women's soccer poll by the league's coaches. Charlotte (7-10-4 last season), opens its season Aug. 18 at College of Charleston.

Here's the A-10's preseason poll:


1. Dayton (19-4-0, 7-2-0 A-10)
2. Richmond (13-5-3, 7-1-1 A-10)
3. La Salle (15-2-3, 7-0-2 A-10)
4. VCU (9-8-4, 6-2-3 CAA)
5. Massachusetts (14-5-2, 6-2-1 A-10)
6. Charlotte (7-10-4, 4-4-1 A-10)
7. St. Bonaventure (9-7-4, 4-2-3 A-10)
8. Fordham (8-8-3, 3-4-2 A-10)
9. Saint Louis (5-10-3, 3-5-1 A-10)
10. Butler (8-10-2, 3-5-0 Horizon)
11. Xavier (7-8-3, 2-5-2 A-10)
12. Rhode Island (7-10-2, 2-6-1 A-10)
13. Saint Joseph's (7-7-5, 2-4-3 A-10)
14. George Washington (5-12-2, 2-5-2 A-10)
15. Duquesne (3-14-1, 2-7-0 A-10)
16. Temple (5-12-1, 2-6-1 A-10)

FCS teams dropping from Charlotte 49ers' football schedules

As Charlotte moves to Conference USA in 2015, here are some more football scheduling changes involving games with Football Championship Series opponents:

-- The Georgia Southern and Furman series have been completely dropped, making it easier for Charlotte to schedule at least five FBS foes at home. Charlotte had games scheduled with Georgia Southern in 2014 (home) and '15 (away); with Furman in '14 (away) and '16 (home).

-- At Richmond's request, the Spiders are now off Charlotte's schedule in '16 and '17.

-- The Western Carolina home game in 2015 has been moved to a later year, which has yet to be determined. The 49ers will still play at Western in 2014.

Changes made to Charlotte 49ers football schedules

Charlotte announced a few changes to their football schedules in 2013 and '14.

The 49ers have dropped North Greenville and will instead play Division III Wesley (Del.) on Nov. 9, 2013. Wesley is ranked third in the Division III this year's preseason poll. Charlotte also moved a home game against Old Dominion from Sept. 21 to Nov. 16. That makes Sept. 21 Charlotte's bye week.

In 2014, Charlotte replaced a home game against Georgia Southern on Oct. 25 with Old Dominion. The 49ers will also play Wesley at home on Nov. 15 instead of Furman. Charlotte now has two bye weeks (Sept. 20 and Oct. 18) in 2014.

Some of these changes come as a result of Charlotte having to shuffle its still-incomplete 2015 schedule as it moves to the FBS and Conference USA that year. Charlotte will have to play at least five home games against FBS teams in 2015.

2013 schedule

Aug. 31, Campbell

Sept. 7, Chowan; 14, N.C. Central; 21, Bye; 28, at Presbyterian.

Oct. 5, Gardner-Webb; 12, UNC Pembroke; 19, Bye; 26, at Charleston Southern.

Nov. 2, at Coastal Carolina; 9, Wesley (Del.); 16, at Old Dominion; 23, at Morehead State.

2014 schedule (subject to change)

Aug. 28, at Campbell.

Sept. 6, Johnson C. Smith; 13, at N.C. Central; 20, Bye; 27, Charleston Southern.

Oct. 4, at Gardner-Webb; 11, at The Citadel; 18, Bye; 25, Old Dominion.

Nov. 1, at Western Carolina; 8, Coastal Carolina; 15, Wesley (Del.); 22, Morehead State.

Other seasons' schedules (subject to change):

2015: Georgia State (Sept. 3); Presbyterian (Sept. 12).

2019: at Virginia Tech (TBA).




 

Charlotte 49ers 8th in NCSAA preseason men's poll

The Charlotte 49ers are ranked eighth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's preseason poll.

The 49ers lost in the 2011 College Cup final to North Carolina, which is the preseason No. 1 in the NSCAA poll. The two other teams in the College Cup, UCLA and Creighton, are ranked second and third, respectively.

Charlotte returns eight starters from last season's 16-5-4 team. They begin preseason practice Friday in preparation for their season opener Aug. 25 against Denver at Transamerica Field.

The 49ers have also announced their 2012 recruiting class, which includes two transfers from 2010 national champion Akron:

  

-- MF Kyle Baccus, Waco, Texas: Helped Midway High to 27-1-1 record last season and district championship. Was All-District and academic All-State.

-- MF Dominic Bonilla, Lawrenceville, Ga., transfer from Akron: Didn’t play for Zips last season and joined 49ers in the spring. High school All-American at Collins High.

-- D Biko Bradnock-Brennan, London: Was captain of Blackpool’s U-18 team and also holds school records in 100, 200 meters and high jump.

-- GK Christian Hansen, New Bern: Had eight shutouts last season and was all-state. Also played in East-West game in Greensboro in July.

-- D Brandon Kardos, Matthews: One of the country’s top defenders at Providence High and Charlotte Soccer Academy.

-- D David Mayer, Wigan, England, transfer from Akron: Started four games for Akron last season.

-- GK Austin Pack, Alpharetta, Ga.: Helped Chattahoochee High to state 4A championship last season.

-- MF/F Kyle Parker, Marvin: Helped Marvin Ridge High to 2009 state championship and scored 76 career goals with 58 assists.

-- MF Branco Theis, Raleigh: All-conference and all region at Leesville Road High.

-- D Luke Waechter, Evans, Ga.: Helped Greenbrier High to last season’s state championship game. Sister Kelsey plays at South Florida.