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Charlotte 49ers

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Charlotte 49ers
Logo
UniversityUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
ConferenceConference USA
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorJudy Rose
LocationCharlotte, North Carolina
Varsity teams18 (9 men's, 9 women's)
Football stadiumJerry Richardson Stadium
Basketball arenaDale F. Halton Arena
Baseball stadiumRobert & Mariam Hayes Stadium
Soccer stadiumTransamerica Field
MascotNorm the Niner
ColorsGreen and white
   
Websitewww.charlotte49ers.com

The Charlotte 49ers represent the NCAA Division I sports teams of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A founding member of Conference USA (C-USA), Charlotte rejoined the conference in 2013 after spending eight years as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Previously, Charlotte was a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference and was a member the Metro Conference.

Sports teams

A member of Conference USA, Charlotte sponsors teams in nine men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[1]

Overview

Name

The athletics department officially changed its name to simply Charlotte in 2000.[2] The school's identity suffered from years of constant confusion before then. While UNCC and UNC Charlotte were the officially accepted athletic names, media outlets frequently used unofficial nicknames such as N.C.-Charlotte, N.C.-Char, North Carolina-Charlotte, UNC, UNC-C, UNCC at Charlotte, and others. When the name change was made official, Athletics Director Judy Rose summarized the sentiment that drove the name change:

"We're proud to be members of the University of North Carolina university system. But, frankly, we are tired of being confused with other institutions or having our own identity misused and misconstrued. It's harder to make a name for yourself, when your name keeps getting confused. Not only will this logo simplify matters, but it gives the program an exciting new look that better captures our essence."

The official school name remains the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Nickname

The nickname "49ers" derives from the fact that the university's predecessor—Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina (CCUNC – established in 1946) was saved from being shut down by the state in 1949 by Bonnie Cone, when the Charlotte Center became Charlotte College. Due to this "49er spirit" that Cone felt embodied the University, referring to the settlers that endured much hardships in traveling across the United States to seek fortune in the California Gold Rush, students of the fledgling UNC Charlotte chose "49ers" as the school's mascot. The fact that the site of the U.S.'s first major gold discovery, Reed's Gold Mine, is located nearby may also be a contributing factor to the nickname. The fact that the University's Main Campus front entrance is located on North Carolina Highway 49 is pure coincidence.

Prior to the "49ers" moniker, the athletic teams were known as the "Owls" due to CCUNC's beginnings as a night school.

Fight song

Charlotte 49ers Fight Song

Hail, Char-lotte 49ers. proud as we can be,

We'll stand to fight for the green and white

'Til we win the vic-to-ry, "GO NINERS!"

We pledge our trust in you

And wave your colors high,

The loyal Niner Nation cheers

Forever! We'll Fight-Fight-Fight!

File:Charlotte 49ers (old logo).png
49ers Old Logo

The primary athletics logo contains a miner's hand and pick-axe as a reference to the Gold Rush. The arm of the Miner forms a "C" representing Charlotte. This logo is frequently used to replace the C in Charlotte when referenced to the university or the athletics programs.

Three secondary logos are also present: The "C" as a stand-alone logo, a "4-9-e-r-s" word mark and a logo that incorporates both the "C" and the "4-9-e-r-s" logo. In addition, each sport has a sport-specific logo, consisting of the "C" with the specific icon contained inside.

The new logos replaced the face of a grizzly old Miner and a "4-9-e-r-s" script logo.

Rivalries

Charlotte has had its fair share of intense rivalries. In men's basketball, one of their most heated rivalries was with Conference USA rival Cincinnati, who was coached by Bob Huggins for most of this period. From 1995-96 to 2004-05, after which Charlotte and Cincinnati left C-USA, Charlotte managed to upset Cincinnati teams ranked #3, #8, #18, #20 in the country.[3][4][5][6] In what became known as the Cincinnati Incident, a brawl broke out between Cincinnati and the Charlotte student section, when a Cincinnati player threw the basketball into the stands. This led to the creation of a 'buffer zone' being implemented behind the visiting team's bench.[7] ESPN commentator Andy Katz provided this explanation on why Charlotte-Cincinnati was one of the juiciest rivalries in the country: "The games are hotly contested usually and the fans in Charlotte don't like Cincinnati. They get up for this game more than any other."[8]

Charlotte's 29-year men's basketball rivalry with the Davidson Wildcats sees Mecklenburg County's only two Division I schools go head-to-head for the Hornet's Nest Trophy. Charlotte leads the series 26-11.[9] Due to a scheduling conflict, the series was on hiatus until the 2010-11 season.[10]

During Charlotte's move to the Atlantic 10, Charlotte has also had some newer non-conference rivals. Such as Tennessee Volunteers, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Clemson Tigers and baseball rivals North Carolina Tar Heels, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Duke Blue Devils.

Conference affiliations

Conference realignment

Despite a popular and competitive Conference USA in which Charlotte enjoyed rivalries with the likes of Memphis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and others, the collegiate sports landscape underwent a major restructuring in 2004–2005. C-USA took the most serious hit of any conference,[11] losing many of its most successful members, including Charlotte.

After this dramatic reshuffle, Charlotte received an invitation to join the Atlantic 10 Conference, which it accepted.[12] Since joining the A-10, Charlotte has experienced much success in nearly every category with the exception of the signature sport of men's basketball.

With football upgrades on the horizon, and an attempt to restore geographic rivalries, Charlotte returned to a revised Conference USA starting with the 2013–2014 academic season, except for football, where they join in 2015, and will be fully eligible in 2016.[13]

Conference membership

Facilities

Athletic facilities at Charlotte have improved dramatically over the past decade. In 1996 men's basketball returned to campus full-time for the first time in nearly 20 years with the opening of Dale F. Halton Arena. A new outdoor sports facility, the Irwin Belk Track and Field Center, opened in 1999 and serves as the home to the 49ers track and field teams in addition to both men's and women's soccer. Tom & Lib Phillips Field, the baseball facility, underwent a $6 million overhaul that was completed in 2007; the facility was renamed Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium in honor of the renovation's benefactor and her late husband. The golf team's new practice facility at Rocky River Golf Club in Concord was completed in October 2006.

Sports overview

Sport Coach (since) Facility
Baseball Loren Hibbs (1993) Hayes Stadium
Basketball (M) Mark Price (2015) Halton Arena
Basketball (W) Cara Consuegra (2011) Halton Arena
Cross Country (M/W) Alex Gibby (2014)
Football Brad Lambert (2011) Jerry Richardson Stadium
Golf (M) Ryan Cabbage (2011) Rocky River Golf Club
Golf (W) Holly Clark (2015) Rocky River Golf Club
Soccer (M) Kevin Langan (2012) Transamerica Field
Soccer (W) John Cullen (2009) Transamerica Field
Softball Aimee DeVos (1995) Phillips Field
Tennis (M) Billy Boykin (2010) Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex
Tennis (W) Michaela Gorman (2004) Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex
Track/Field (M/W) Robert Olesen (2003) Belk Track
Volleyball (W) Karen Weatherington (2015) Halton Arena

Baseball

Main article: Charlotte 49ers baseball

Overview

Hayes Stadium has been the home of the 49ers' baseball team since 1984. A major renovation finished in 2008.
  • First season: 1979
  • Conference Championships (5)
    • 1993, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances (5)
  • Retired Jerseys
    • 5 Joey Anderson
    • 7 Barry Shiflett
    • 31 Adam Mills

Men's basketball

Main article: Charlotte 49ers men's basketball

Overview

Halton Arena has been the on-campus facility for basketball and volleyball since 1996.

Women's basketball

Overview

  • First season: 1975
  • Conference Championships (4)
    • 1990, 2003, 2006, 2009
  • NCAA Appearances (2)
  • WNIT Appearances (7)
    • 1990, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 (WNIT Final Four), 2012, 2013

Football

Main article: Charlotte 49ers football

The first football program developed in 1946 and lasted until 1948. In 2006 students and alumni began a push for football to return to the school. The Board of Trustees approved it in 2008, and with funding approved in 2010, the school fielded its first official varsity football program since 1948 in 2013. The team would go 5 and 6 in their first season under coach Brad Lambert.

Overview

Jerry Richardson Stadium opened in 2013 with the 49ers' Inaugural Season.
  • First season: 2013
  • Conference Championships (0)
  • Bowl Games (0)
  • Retired Jerseys (0)

Men's Golf

Overview

  • Consensus #1 in the nation by three major polls: Golfweek, Golfstat, and Nike – Fall 2007 (First National Number 1 Ranking in any varsity sport for Charlotte)
  • Conference Championships (6)
    • 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
  • NCAA Championship 3rd Place – 2007
  • NCAA Championship 8th Place – 2008

Women's Golf

  • Women's Golf was added to the Charlotte sports lineup for the 2016–2017 NCAA season. Holly Clark was hired to be the program's first coach.[14]

Men's soccer

Main article: Charlotte 49ers men's soccer

Overview

Transamerica Field opened in 1996.
  • First Season: 1976
  • Conference Championships (6)
    • 1983, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2010, 2013
  • NCAA Appearances (10)
  • NCAA Men's College Cup 1996, 2011
  • NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Game, 2011
  • Atlantic 10 Men's Tournament Finalist 2007
  • Charlotte alumnus Jon Busch named MLS Top Goalkeeper[15]

Women's soccer

Overview

  • First Season: 1994
  • Conference Championships (6)
    • 1997, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
  • NCAA Appearances (4)
    • 1998, 2002, 2007, 2008
  • Women's 3-time defending Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champions
  • Women's 2-time defending A-10 Tournament Champions

Further reading

References

  1. ^ "(49er logo) Charlotte". UNC Charlotte. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  2. ^ Charlotte 49ers Debut New Logo
  3. ^ "UC timid in big loss at UNCC". Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. ^ "BASKETBALL: COLLEGE MEN; Undefeated Bearcats Are Upset Wildcats Prevail". New York Times. January 15, 1999. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Charlotte Upsets No. 8 Cincinnati, 86-83". Archived from the original on November 23, 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "49ers Topple #18/#17 Cincinnati, 91-90". Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. ^ NinerOnline – The story of section 103
  8. ^ These eight rivalries have juice
  9. ^ 49ers game may be in doubt – again
  10. ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/423/story/161895.html
  11. ^ Compensating C-USA key to '04-05 moves
  12. ^ Charlotte accepts A-10 expansion invitation
  13. ^ McMurphy, Brett (1 May 2012). "Conference USA reloading by adding 6 schools". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  14. ^ "Women's Golf Added as 18th Sport; Holly Clark Named as Head Coach". University of North Carolina at Charlotte Department of Athletics. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  15. ^ Former 49ers All-American Jon Busch Named MLS Top Goalkeeper
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