49ers vs. Davidson in football? Won't happen

There has been some sentiment -- OK, maybe by me -- that a great way for Charlotte to open its first-ever football season in 2013 would be against Mecklenburg County rival Davidson.

That's not going to happen. The Wildcats' '13 schedule has already been finalized and the 49ers aren't on it. So unless Davidson pulls a Tennessee (which recently begged out of a contract with North Carolina) with somebody, we'll have to wait a while longer for a 49ers-Wildcats game.

Davidson athletics director Jim Murphy said Tuesday that Charlotte hasn't contacted him about scheduling a football game. Charlotte AD Judy Rose won't comment on who she's trying to schedule but has said she wants the first game -- which will likely be Aug. 31, 2013-- to be at home.

Said Murphy, whose FCS football program doesn't have scholarships: "We'd be interested in the near-term, but based on the number of scholarships they're going to give, not in the long-term."

Morehead State is still the only opponent the 49ers have announced. Expect news of more games to be released pretty soon, though.

Here's a list of first-season schedules for FCS teams that have recently started programs. Remember, at least half Charlotte's schedule must include Division I teams (doesn't matter if they're FBS or FCS):

OLD DOMINION (2009, includes results of the Monarchs' 9-2 season)

at Virginia Military (FCS), 42-35 W
N.C. Central (FCS), 42-28 W
Georgetown (FCS), 31-10 W
at Savannah State (FCS), 38-17 W
Campbell (FCS), 28-17 W
Presbyterian (FCS), 34-16 W
at Fordham (FCS), 34-29 L
Monmouth (FCS), 31-28 L
Jacksonville (FCS), 28-27 W
Virginia Union (Div. II), 49-17 W
Chowan (Div. II), 36-21 W

SOUTH ALABAMA (first full season; unclassified this year; plans on moving to FBS)

Pikeville, Ky. (NAIA)
Nicholls State (FCS)
Edward Waters, Fla. (NAIA Div. II)
Kentucky Wesleyan (Div. II)
Missouri S&T (Div. II)
at Lamar (FCS)
at UC Davis (FCS)
Georgia State (FCS)
Henderson (Ark.) State (Div. II)
Ark.-Monticello (Div. II)

GEORGIA STATE (2010)

Shorter, Ga. (NAIA)
Lambuth, Tenn. (NAIA)
Jacksonville State (FCS)
at Campbell (FCS)
Morehead State (FCS)
Savannah State (FCS)
N.C. Central (FCS)
at Old Dominion (FCS)
at South Alabama (FCS)
Lamar (FCS)
at Alabama (FBS)

LAMAR (2010)

at McNeese State (FCS)
Webber International, Fla. (NAIA)
at Southeastern Louisiana (FCS)
at Stephen F. Austin (FCS)
Sam Houston State (FCS)
Langston, Okla. (NAIA)
South Alabama (FCS)
at North Dakota (FCS)
at Georgia State (FCS)
South Dakota (FCS)
Oklahoma Panhandle State (Div. II)

TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO (2011)

Northeastern (Okla.) State (Div. II)
McMurry, Texas (Div. III)
at Southern Utah (FCS)
Bacone, Okla. (NAIA)
at Sam Houston State (FCS)
South Alabama (FCS)
at UC Davis (FCS)
at Northwestern State (FCS)
Georgia State (FCS)
at McNeese State (FCS)
Minot (N.D.) State (NAIA)

49ers' Kubrick A-10 rookie of week

Charlotte freshman Alex Kubrick is the Atlantic 10's women's soccer rookie of the week after allowing one goal in 184 minutes in the 49ers' season-opening victories against Davidson and N.C. State last week.

Kubrick blanked Davidson in a 1-0 triumph, then helped the 49ers to a 2-1 overtime victory against the Wolfpack.

She had four saves against Davidson and six against N.C. State.

Cross country teams ranked regionally

Charlotte's women's and men's cross country teams are both ranked regionally as they prepare for their season-opening meets this weekend.

The 49ers women are seventh in the Southeast region's preseason rankings; the men are 13th.

"While this is exciting, it will be more important to finish this high or higher at the end of the season," said coach Ed Schlichter.

The women finished ranked 13th in the Southeast last season, while the men were 14th.

The cross country teams' first meet is Saturday at the USC Upstate Eyeopener in Spartanburg.

Strong start for women's soccer

-- The 49ers' women's soccer team got off to an impressive start this weekend with a pair of victories -- one against rival Davidson, the other against the ACC's N.C. State.

Both were one-goal victories. One winner came early; the other came late.

Sam Huecker's goal 54 seconds into the game gave the 49ers all they needed against Davidson on Friday. Then, after a planned dinner Saturday night at midfielder/forward Macky Wingo's house (she's from Raleigh), the 49ers beat the Wolfpack 2-1 on Whitney Bryant's goal in overtime Sunday.

Charlotte will take its 2-0 record into home games next weekend against Arizona State (Friday) and Pittsburgh (Sunday).

-- Charlotte's volleyball team won its first match of the season, beating East Carolina on Friday, then fell to 1-2 with losses Saturday to Liberty and Cleveland State.

The 49ers play in a tournament in Fairfax, Va., next weekend.

-- Charlotte's men's soccer team, which went 1-0-1 in the preseason, opens on the road Wednesday aganist UNC Greensboro. The 49ers beat Winthrop last Thursday 1-0 in their second exhbition after tying Coastal Carolina 0-0.

49ers will face Morehead State in football

UPDATE

The Charlotte 49ers have their first football opponent for their first season of 2013.

Charlotte will play at Morehead State on Nov. 23, 2013. The 49ers and Eagles will play a return game in Charlotte's planned on-campus stadium Nov. 22, 2014.

"The formal announcement that we are starting football in 2013 with no uncertainty was very exciting," 49ers athletics director Judy Rose said in a statement. "We quickly moved forward to begin scheduling and we are off and running. There are many more games to schedule, including our inaugural game, but it's exciting that we have our first contract in hand."

Morehead State, located in Morehead, Ky., is a non-scholarship NCAA Football Championship Series program that plays in the Pioneer League, the same conference in which Davidson plays.

The Eagles were 3-8 last season (losing 16-10 to Davidson).
Morehead State's basketball program plays in Division I's Ohio Valley Conference.

Harris playing in Finland

-- Former 49ers point guard Dijuan Harris is off to play professionally in Finland. He said goodbye Tuesday on his Twitter account.

-- Charlotte's Andy Sajevic didn't make the cut at this week's U.S. Amateur golf tournament in University Place, Wash. Although Sajevic had a 72 on Tuesday, he couldn't overcome the 84 he shot Monday at the Home Course.

Sajevic, a sophomore at Charlotte, was an all-Atlantic 10 selection last season. Charlotte's fall golf season gets underway Sept. 12-13 at the Gopher Invitational in Wayzata, Minn.

Dewhurst returning? Beavers added to schedule

49ers news and notes:

-- Charles Dewhurst, who graduated in May after playing three seasons of basketball for Charlotte, has apparently had a change of heart and wants to play one more season. Dewhurst was a redshirt junior last season who announced in February that he would forego his senior year.

Under NCAA rules, however, players are eligible for a fourth season while enrolled in a graduate program.

A few things have to happen for Dewhurst to play again: First, he must be accepted by Charlotte's Masters program. And since he hasn't been participating in offseason workouts, he's got to show new coach Alan Major that he's physically ready to play again.

Dewhurst, who played at Charlotte Latin, averaged 2.8 points and 3.9 rebounds last season. He missed most of his freshman season when he injured his lower left leg.

-- Charlotte has added a game at Oregon State to its men's basketball schedule. The 49ers will face the Beavers on Nov. 24 -- the day before Thanksgiving -- in Corvallis, Ore.

Oregon State will play in Halton Arena in 2011-12. The Beavers are coached by Craig Robinson, President Obama's brother-in-law.

The 49ers open their season Nov. 13 at home against S.C. State and will play in a tournament in Charleston the next week.

-- Charlotte's women's soccer team suffered an early blow when senior defender Katie Davies broke her ankle in preseason practice. The 49ers open their season Friday against Davidson at Transamerica Field ... Senior defender Megan Minnix has been nominated for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for women's soccer ... Fans bringing a school supply to Friday's Charlotte-Davidson women's soccer game at 7 p.m. at Transamerica Field will be admitted free.

-- The 49ers' athletic website (www.charlotte49ers.com) has added a countdown clock for its first football season of 2013. No game has been scheduled yet, but the clock is set to expire Aug. 31, 2013, the earliest weekend NCAA teams can play that season. It's set for midnight, though, which would be a strange time to play.

-- Former Charlotte 49ers golfer Corey Nagy qualified for this week's Nationwide Tour Knoxville Open by shooting a 66 in Monday qualifing. Another former Charlotte player, Trevor Murphy, is also in the field. Nagy tees off at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Fox Den Country Club; Murphy is at 2:10 p.m.

-- Sophomore golfer Andy Sajevic is playing in this week's U.S. Amateur in University Place, Wash. Sajevic, an all-Atlantic 10 selection last season, shot a 72 on Tuesday and has a chance at qualifying for match play.