Yahoo Sports Charlotte 49ers’ basketball schedule is out. Here’s the complete slate for men and women
You can almost hear Aaron Fearne, in his first full season as head coach for the Charlotte 49ers, getting after his team, shouting instructions to tag up, block out and get out on the break.
And now, we know against which teams Fearne will direct the 49ers.
With college hoops returning in just over a month, Charlotte’s 2024-25 schedule has been released, littered with big opportunities to showcase the program’s resurgence under Fearne, who was promoted to full-time head coach in February — early in American Athletic Conference play a season ago.
With the resurgence of success and program interest last season — winning 19 games, selling out Halton and notching third place in the first year of AAC play — Fearne has nearly a whole new crop of talent and multiple key contributors returning in bigger roles.
The schedule features 13 non-conference bouts, headlined by a trip up 77 to take on Davidson, and 18 conference games with reigning league champion South Florida, Memphis, Wichita State, and in-state rival East Carolina, among others, visiting Halton Arena this season. Ahead of conference action, Charlotte will compete in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, spending Christmas in Honolulu with matchups against Hawaii and Murray State or Nebraska, with the latter rostering former 49er Brice Williams.
Return of a Halton craze
After posting an 8-1 home record against AAC opponents a season ago, featuring the first sellout since 2013 and the inaugural “Fearneville,” where students camped outside of Halton ahead of Charlotte’s blowout victory over East Carolina, the 49ers host 17 matchups in the Queen City — and Fearne can’t wait.
“We are excited for The American to reveal our league slate,” Fearne said. “Halton Arena will be the site of high-quality basketball versus high-quality opponents and we cannot wait to have Niner Nation back in the stands cheering us on.”
Charlotte hosts Memphis, South Florida and UTSA, has road trips to Tulsa, UAB and North Texas, and features home-and-aways against Rice, Florida Atlantic, Wichita State, Temple, Tulane and East Carolina.
With practice tipping off earlier this week, Charlotte’s sights are set on two events ahead of the season opener, with the Niner Jam Tip-Off Event on October 17th, followed by a charity exhibition against Georgia at Halton on Saturday, Oct. 19th.
Nov. 4th marks the season-opener, welcoming Presbyterian to Halton as a first true test with Charlotte’s revamped roster.
Women’s schedule
After 13 years under former head coach Cara Conseugra, Charlotte’s women’s hoops program is entering a new era under Tomekia Reed.
With returnees few and far between, Reed’s new staff and roster are adjusting to the challenges of the AAC.
“It has been an anxious and curious time awaiting the announcement of our conference schedule,” said Reed. “I am very excited to see dates and locations for our opponents. This is such an amazing, new feeling for me, and I’m thrilled to embark on this journey with an amazing staff and team.”
Charlotte’s women’s schedule features home-and-away clashes against South Florida, Florida Atlantic, Temple, Tulsa, Wichita State and East Carolina.
With a non-conference slate featuring road trips to Columbus to take on Ohio State, Coral Gables to match up with Miami, Davidson to face the Wildcats and a home bout against Wake Forest, the women have a much more intense non-conference slate than Charlotte’s men’s team.
Reed’s first season as head coach tips off on Nov. 4th against Presbyterian, starting a double-header in Halton followed by the men’s season opener.
