Athletics

Lee Rose, former Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball coach who has devoted more than 50 years to the sport, has been nominated for enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The list of candidates for the 2016 class was released by the Basketball Hall of Fame, and included Rose, who guided the 49ers to the 1976 NIT Finals and the 1977 NCAA Final Four.

Rose’s impact on the sport spanned every level across six decades, including experience at the high school, NAIA, NCAA Div. I, II and III, NBDL, NBA and International levels.

Dean Hood has joined the Charlotte 49ers football program as assistant head coach and tight ends coach. He spent the last eight years as the head coach at Eastern Kentucky and also served as Wake Forest’s defensive coordinator.

Charlotte 49ers red-shirt junior nose tackle Larry Ogunjobi and junior running back Kalif Phillips are the first football players in 49ers history to earn all-conference honors; they were named to the 2015 all-Conference USA Second Team.

“It’s a good honor for them individually and for us as a program, as we take the next step” said 49ers head coach Brad Lambert. “These are two guys that have been here since our first season in 2013, and they’ve worked extremely hard and put themselves in position to be successful. They’re both humble guys who show up and work every day.”

Charlotte 49ers red-shirt junior quarterback Lee McNeill was named to the Conference USA all-academic football team, becoming the first 49ers football player to receive this honor.

During televised Charlotte 49ers athletics events, audiences will learn how UNC Charlotte provides students with opportunities through a video developed by the Office of University Communications.

The video was a collaborative effort between University Communications broadcast professionals and the creative firm Tattoo Projects.

The Charlotte 49ers football program is asking fans to celebrate the life of the late Phil Ratliff, the 49ers offensive line coach who died in August, by committing random acts of kindness on Ratliff’s birthday, Thursday, Nov. 12.

Ratliff was known for reaching out and connecting with people, for his love of life and his love of others.

Employees can kick off the season with four free admission tickets to games as the Charlotte 49ers open the Mark Price era of men’s basketball. Games included in this deal are the men’s exhibition match at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9, and the Opening Day Doubleheader on Friday, Nov. 13, when the women face Ball State at 5:30 p.m. and the men take on Elon at 8:30 p.m. The first 2,500 fans in attendance on Opening Day will receive a commemorative Mark Price jersey T-shirt. 

The annual Basketball Madness event, which is presented by UNC Charlotte housing and residence life, will be at 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 22, in Halton Arena. The night consists of men’s and women’s basketball team introductions and members of men’s basketball (Braxton Ogbueze and Ridell Camidge) and women’s basketball (Lefty Webster and Ciara Gregory) participating in a three-point shootout. The Gold Dusters, Charlotte 49ers Cheerleaders and Norm the Niner will be on hand.

Monday, Sept. 21, is Faculty/Staff Night for the volleyball contest against the University of Texas at El Paso. Employees can pick up four free tickets at the Charlotte 49ers Athletic Ticket Office outside the Barnhardt Student Activity Center prior to the 6 p.m. game.

For more information, call 704-687-4949.

The Charlotte 49ers, who are making their debut in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this fall as a member of Conference USA, have scheduled a home-and-home series with UNC Chapel Hill in 2024 and 2025.

Charlotte will play at UNC Chapel Hill, Sept. 7, 2024, and the Tar Heels will return the trip to Charlotte’s Richardson Stadium, Sept. 6, 2025.