Charlotte 49ers/Athletics
The Charlotte 49ers Department of Athletics provides competition in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports for men and women. Each sport competes under the governing powers of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, which is the highest competitive level for collegiate varsity sports. Scholarships are available for all varsity sports, male and female.
Male student-athletes compete in nine sports: baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. Female student-athletes compete in eight sports: basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.
The Charlotte 49ers are affiliated with the Conference USA with play in the league beginning during the 2013-14 season. Conference USA is comprised of 14 schools: UNC Charlotte, UAB, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Mississippi, UTEP, UTSA, and Western Kentucky. Conference USA tournament champions in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, and volleyball receive automatic bids to the NCAA post-season tournaments. Bowl bids are available to Conference USA schools in football.
Facilities
On-campus facilities play host to Charlotte 49ers athletics, with the exception of golf and cross-country. Sites for home competition for the 49ers include:
- McColl-Richardson Field at Jerry Richardson Stadium (football)
- Halton Arena (basketball and volleyball)
- Irwin Belk Center and Transamerica Field (soccer and track and field)
- Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex (tennis)
- Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium (baseball)
- Phillips Softball Diamond (softball)
For more information about the Charlotte 49ers, please visit Charlotte49ers.com.
UNC Charlotte students receive FREE ADMISSION to all regular-season home athletic contests. Football, men’s basketball, and baseball tickets are obtained by students via an online process at ticketreturn.com/49ers. For all other events, students gain admission with a valid UNC Charlotte student ID.
Recreational Services
Recreational Services develops and conducts programs and services that provide opportunities for University students and faculty/staff members to participate in recreational activities. Five major program areas offer a variety of structures in which members of the University community may pursue recreational interests. Intramural Sports and Tournaments are scheduled throughout the year for individual, dual, and team participation. The leagues and tournaments are organized to provide separate competition among coed, men’s, and women’s teams. Sport Clubs provide an opportunity to participate in a single sport on a continuing basis. Approximately forty clubs, ranging from equestrian to lacrosse to tennis, are active each semester. Fitness and Wellness opportunities include Group Fitness, mind/body courses and Personal Training. Three major Special Events are offered each year: RecFest, 49er Gold Rush 5K Run/Walk, and a Spring Golf Tournament. The Special events are open to the public and may involve food, games, prizes, entertainment, and competition. In addition to structured sports programs, the division promotes the concept of informal use of recreational facilities through the Open Recreation Program. Recreational Services hires hundreds of students each year for jobs such as referees, group fitness instructors, personal trainers, lifeguards, office assistants, and more. For additional information, visit recservices.uncc.edu.
Recreational Facilities
Indoor Facilities
Belk Gymnasium
The Belk Gymnasium (renovation completed 2016) features multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, and badminton; an indoor swimming pool; racquetball courts; group fitness studio; cycling studio; a state-of-the-art fitness center; multipurpose room; and lockers for students, faculty, and staff. It also houses newly renovated classrooms and an auditorium for meetings and presentations.
Student Activity Center
The James H. Barnhardt Student Activity Center (SAC) is a multi-purpose facility designed to meet the diverse social, cultural, and recreational needs of students at UNC Charlotte. The SAC is home to the Halton Arena, a 9,000 seat venue hosting athletic events, concerts, lectures, and a variety of other university functions.
Retractable seating in the area folds back to reveal four recreational courts that may be used for Intramural Sports, open recreation, sports clubs, or for special events including job fairs, trade shows, etc. Other recreational offerings include a state-of-the-art fitness center, group fitness studio, indoor track, and indoor climbing wall. In addition to the physical fitness and wellness facilities, the SAC also serves as a meeting place for students and the campus community. The third floor of the SAC is comprised of a large and gracious hospitality area that can be sub-divided into five separate meeting salons. Adjacent to the hospitality area is a campus catering kitchen, serving the special events in the SAC as well as other campus events.
Outdoor Facilities
Northeast Recreational Field Complex
A 21-acre complex with lighted synthetic turf fields that can be used for Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, and open recreation.
Hayes Recreational Field Complex
Located off Phillips Road above the Wells Fargo Field House, these lighted fields combine nearly 5 acres of natural turf with five and one-half acres of synthetic turf for a great outdoor experience. Available for Sport Clubs, Intramural Sports, and open recreational use when not reserved.
