Athletics

Charlotte 49ers redshirt junior guard Dazia Lawrence has been named to the USA Women’s Basketball team that will compete at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup, Sept. 27 through Oct. 1, in Lublin, Poland.
“We are thrilled that Dazia has been selected to represent USA Basketball,” said 49ers head coach Cara Consuegra. “Last year Dazia worked hard to become one of the best players in our conference, and we firmly believe that she is one of the best players in the country.  She now has the opportunity to showcase her abilities against the best athletes in the world.”

Charlotte 49ers defensive end Markees Watts, the program’s all-time sacks leader, has made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 53-man roster.

The Niner Club presented by Modelo offers 49er fans a premium hospitality space.

Charlotte 49ers Executive Associate Athletics Director Ragean Hill is among 21 individuals selected by the NCAA for the 2023-24 Pathway Program, a yearlong initiative to prepare senior-level athletics administrators for their next career step as directors of athletics or conference commissioners.

A total of 117 Charlotte 49ers student-athletes earned a Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for the 2022-23 academic year, while 291 student-athletes were named to the Commissioner’s

Scott Kull will join the Charlotte 49ers as deputy athletics director for external affairs. Recognized as a “power player” by the Sports Business Journal in 2019, he has served in similar roles at the University of Utah, South Florida and TCU during his 30-year career in intercollegiate athletics. Experienced in fundraising and external operations, Kull will oversee the Athletics Department’s external units and development, and he will have sport supervision duties.

Charlotte’s Bailey Vannoy will continue her softball career in the professional ranks following her selection by the Florida Vibe. 

Vannoy, the first Niner named an all-American, was named a Second Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association following the 2022 season. Vannoy is the Conference USA career leader in home runs with 67. She is Charlotte’s career leader in hits (257), RBI (187), runs scored (193), games played (237), slugging percentage (.745) and on-base percentage (.462).

For the first time in program history, the Charlotte 49ers baseball team is Conference USA Tournament Champions after the 49ers defeated regular-season champion Dallas Baptist 5-2 in the title game May 28.

Charlotte (34-26, 17-12 C-USA) leaves Conference USA with its first conference tournament title and has punched its ticket to an NCAA Regional for the seventh time in program history and second time in the last three years under head coach Robert Woodard.

The Charlotte 49ers third class elected to its Athletics Hall of Fame includes the first inductees for the baseball and women’s soccer programs, a 2000-point scorer who led the 49ers to three NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments, Charlotte’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach and the largest individual donor to the athletics program.

The Charlotte 49ers will hold their annual Football Spring Game at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 22, at Richardson Stadium.

Admission is free for the event with gates opening at 6 p.m.; stadium seating will be general admission.

Fans of the 49ers will see head coach Biff Poggi and the team in action. Poggi, named head coach in November 2022, has assembled a roster with more than 40 new players, including 15 transfers from power five schools.