The Charlotte 49ers football program represents the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in college football. The UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees officially voted to add a football program on November 13, 2008, after a unanimous recommendation by the Football Feasibility Committee. It was made possible by Student Government initiatives starting in 2006 by then-student body president Benjamin Comstock and student body vice president Jordan Van Dyne, namely the first step of organizing a transparent student vote on football that disclosed possible hikes in tuition fees as a result of football.[4] The online poll was approved by the Student Senate and administered in collaboration with the University's IT Department.[5] Despite the possibility of potential rises in student fees, the vote clearly displayed a student interest in a football team.[6] The program began play during the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season.[7]
On July 12, 2006, a group of 15 UNC Charlotte students and alumni held the inaugural Charlotte 49er Football Initiative (CFI) meeting. The mission of this group was to "promote the creation of a Division I college football program at Charlotte," eventually employing methods such as a promotional website, merchandise sales and a pledge campaign. A student organization, Charlotte Football Advocates (later CFI Students), became a part of the larger CFI group during the fall of 2006.[9] In February 2007, UNC Charlotte students voted overwhelmingly in favor of football in an official campus-wide vote and the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees voted to authorize $150,000 to study adding 49ers Football, and establishing a Football Feasibility Committee to be headed by outgoing board president and prominent Charlotte businessman Mac Everett. The committee held several meetings throughout the summer of 2007, plus three public forums in the fall of 2007.
In December 2007, the Football Feasibility Committee voted unanimously to recommend the addition of 49ers football. In September 2008, a major student-led March to the Endzone rally was held on campus.[10] On September 18, 2008, Chancellor Dubois officially recommended adding a 49ers football program with the condition that its fans first raise $5 million to help fund the stadium complex.[11] On November 13, 2008, the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees voted to add a Charlotte 49ers football program by 2013.[12]
Chancellor Dubois originally recommended that the university start Division I football at the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level with no timeline to move up to FBS. The team played their first full season in the fall of 2013 as an FCS Independent.[13] On May 4, 2012 Charlotte agreed to rejoin Conference USA for all sports except football in 2013, with football joining in 2015 (the first year the 49ers would be eligible due to the NCAA requirement that start-up programs play a minimum of two years in FCS).[14] Charlotte moved to the FBS in 2015 and became FBS bowl eligible in 2016. The 49ers were founding members of C-USA from 1996 to 2005, but they did not compete in football during that time period. Other schools to join C-USA with Charlotte include Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Louisiana Tech University, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of North Texas, and Old Dominion University.
On March 1, 2011 the 49ers introduced Wake Forest defensive coordinator Brad Lambert as the program's first head coach.[15]
The 49ers played as an Independent during their two years in the FCS subdivision.[16] Charlotte Football officially joined the FBS subdivision and C-USA Football on July 1, 2015.[17]
On November 18, 2018, Charlotte Athletics Director Mike Hill announced that after 8 years and 6 seasons as head coach, Lambert would not be retained following the season.[18] Lambert had compiled a record of 22–48 during his tenure, including the program's first win in the inaugural game and winning the program's first FBS game.[19] Lambert would finish his career at Charlotte a week later with a season-ending road victory against the previous season conference champion FAU.[20]
On August 29, 2019, Healy recorded his first win as the head coach of Charlotte in a 49–28 victory against Gardner–Webb.[23] On September 14, he recorded his first career victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent with a 52–17 win against UMass.[24] Healy would record his first C-USA win against North Texas on October 26.[25] Healy and the 49ers both would reach bowl eligibility for the first time following a home victory over Marshall November 23 in his first season at the helm.[26] Then on September 3, 2021 in his third season, he would lead the 49ers to their first ever win over a Power Five opponent with a score of 31-28 against Duke at home.[27]
Charlotte fired Healy on October 23, 2022, after a 1–7 start to the season. Healy compiled a 15–24 record at the helm of the 49ers. Pete Rossomando was named interim head coach for the final four games of the season.[28]
News was released on November 15, 2022 that Michigan associate head coach Francis "Biff" Poggi was named Charlotte's third head coach in the modern era.[29] Poggi got his first win as an NCAA head coach against South Carolina St. in his first game leading the 49ers.[30][31] Poggi recorded his first FBS and conference win on October 21 with a 10 to 7 road win over in-state rival ECU. [32]
Charlotte fired Poggi on November, 18 2024, after a 3–7 start to the season. Poggi compiled a 6–16 record at the helm of the 49ers. Tim Brewster was named interim head coach for the final four games of the season.[33]
Additionally, Brandon Banks signed with the Washington Redskins and recorded one career tackle, and Austin Duke signed with the Carolina Panthers, as an undrafted free agent in 2017. Benny Lemay signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Ben Deluca signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021 with the Chargers and participated in 3 games
Since coming back as a program in 2013, the 49ers have had a Homecoming Game, generally held in the middle of the season. They have a 3–8 program record on Homecoming.
(*)Annual rival game, (°)Non-conference game, (•)Includes C-USA games, (†)No longer an AAC member
Forty Niner Seat Licenses
To generate financial support for the launch of the football program, Chancellor Dubois created a program called Forty Niner Seat Licenses, or FSLs, which essentially served as seat deposits for season tickets. The Chancellor initially set forth a goal of 5,000 FSL reservations within 6 months. However, due to the tremendous level of support for the new program, the goal was met in only 2 months.[47]
In February 2008, a fundraising capital campaign was established and led by prominent community leaders. These leaders included Mac Everett, Johnny Harris and Gene Johnson. Additionally, three other UNC Charlotte alumni were introduced as executive chairs: David Hauser, chief financial officer for Duke Energy Corporation; Bob Hull, chief financial officer for Lowe's Companies, Inc.; and Joe Price, chief financial officer for Bank of America Corporation.[48]
Seat licenses are being sold in three tiers of seating: Green, Gold and White Gold. Green seat licenses are being sold at $1,000 per seat and will be located between the 30 yard line and the end zone; Gold seat licenses at $2,500 per seat and will be located between the 30 yard lines; and White Gold seat licenses at an undisclosed amount in a block of exclusive seating.[49] Seat locations will be determined by the ticket holders' Charlotte 49ers Athletics Foundation rank which is determined by the amount of the cumulative financial contribution the donor has made to the foundation.[7]
Chancellor Dubois conducted a lengthy review process of the committee's results before making his final recommendation to the board of trustees. He presented the findings of his own internal review to the board at a June meeting which included estimates from stadium design firm Populous. The estimates significantly increased facilities construction numbers from the feasibility committee figures. They were also significantly higher than those for a much larger facility recently constructed for the University of Central Florida's Bright House Stadium.
On February 12, 2010, the University of North Carolina's board of governors approved a debt service fee increase to fund the construction of the football stadium and football center,[50] and on August 2, 2010 GovernorBev Perdue signed the debt service fee bill into law to clear the way for stadium construction.[51] Designed by the architecture teams of Jenkins-Peer Architects and the DLR Group, its location was shown near the campus entrance at Highway 29 north of Hayes Stadium.[52] On April 28, 2011 Charlotte held a groundbreaking ceremony for the football stadium.[53] The stadium was completed in summer 2012. The 49ers' first game was a 52–7 win over Campbell on August 31, 2013.
The largest crowd for a Charlotte football game at Jerry Richardson Stadium is 19,151, which was achieved on September 8, 2018, against Appalachian State University.[55] The previous record was 18,651, set in the season home opener in 2017.[56]
† 2020 season attendance figures were affected by state and university quarantine decisions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For specific details see the 2020 season page
Notes and references
↑ The team played in its first three years of existence (1946–1948), but folded in 1949. The football program was restarted in 2013; 11years ago.[1]
The Charlotte 49ers are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 49ers compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the American Athletic Conference.
Peter Rossomando is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the eleventh head coach at NCAA Division I FCS member Lamar University, named on December 10, 2022. He served as the interim head coach at University of North Carolina at Charlotte for the final four games of the 2022 football season. He had been the 49ers' offensive line coach for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He was previously the offensive line coach for Vanderbilt University during the 2020 football season. Rossomando served as the head football coach at the University of New Haven from 2008 to 2013 and Central Connecticut State University from 2014 to 2018. In 2012, he was awarded the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award for NCAA Division II as head coach of the New Haven Chargers.
McColl–Richardson Field at Jerry Richardson Stadium is a college football stadium in University City, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States and the home field of the Charlotte 49ers football team representing the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The team became a Football Bowl Subdivision member in 2015 and competes in the American Athletic Conference.
The 2015 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the school's third overall season of NCAA football, their first season of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) play, and their first season as a member of Conference USA for football. The team was led by third-year head coach Brad Lambert and played its home games on campus at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. As part of their transition to FBS they were ineligible to participate in the College Football Playoff and bowl games, but could have qualified for the Conference USA Football Championship Game. They finished the season 2–10, 0–8 in C-USA play to finish in last place in the East Division.
The Charlotte 49ers football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Charlotte 49ers football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single season and career leaders. The 49ers represent the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the NCAA Division I FBS Conference USA through the 2022 season, after which Charlotte will join the American Athletic Conference.
The 2016 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the school's fourth season of NCAA football, their second season of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) play, and their second season as a member of Conference USA's East Division. The team was led by fourth-year head coach Brad Lambert and played its home games on campus at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. This was the first season the 49ers were eligible to participate in a bowl game. They finished the season 4–8, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in fifth place in the East Division.
The 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The FCS Championship Game was played on January 6, 2018, in Frisco, Texas. The North Dakota State Bison beat the James Madison Dukes, 17–13, to capture their sixth title in seven years.
The 2017 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the school's fifth season of NCAA football, their third season of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) play, and their third season as a member of Conference USA's East Division. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Brad Lambert and played its home games on campus at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 49ers finished the season 1–11, 1–7 in C-USA play to finish in last place in the East Division.
William Livingston Healy is an American college football coach. He is the head coach for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, a position he has held since 2024. He previously served as assistant to the head coach and senior offensive analyst for UCF. He was the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2019-2022) and Austin Peay (2016-2018).
The 2019 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, NC, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by first-year head coach Will Healy.
Ashley Chastain is an American, former collegiate softball pitcher and current head coach at South Carolina. She played college softball and was a pitcher for South Carolina.
The 2020 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by second-year head coach Will Healy.
The 2021 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by third-year head coach Will Healy.
The 2022 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and competed in Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by fourth-year head coach Will Healy. Charlotte fired Healy after eight games; offensive line coach Peter Rossomando finished out the season.
The 2022 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Tribe, led by fourth-year head coach Mike London, played their home games at Zable Stadium. By finishing 7–1 in regular season CAA games, the Tribe tied with New Hampshire as conference co-champions. They went 6–0 on the road in the regular season for the first time in program history. William & Mary earned the FCS playoffs automatic bid. They made it to the quarterfinals before losing 55–7 to the #3 team in the nation, Montana State. The 11 wins tied a school record previously set twice, in 2004 and 2009.
Francis Xavier "Biff" Poggi is an American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Poggi coached for over twenty years at the Gilman School (1996–2015) and Saint Frances Academy (2017–2020) in Baltimore, and also three seasons as an off-field analyst for the Michigan Wolverines under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Poggi's initial contract included a base salary of $500,000 with an additional $500,000 coming from the athletic foundation with additional performance incentives. Poggi announced he would return $500,000 to the program in order to enhance the salaries of his assistants.
The 2023 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and compete in their first season as a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). They were led by first-year head coach Biff Poggi. The Charlotte 49ers football team drew an average home attendance of 12,471 in 2023.
The 2024 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and competed in their second season as a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
The 2025 Charlotte 49ers football team will represent the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers play their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will be competing in their third season as a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
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