My View From the Press Box

As I post the release of the 2010 Charlotte 49ers baseball schedule today, I'd like to add some views following the fall practice schedule.

Watching three of the Niner World Series games, one thing I noticed right away is that the coaching staff took notice of the lack of depth at the end of last season and bulked up the number of guys who can play multiple positions. When certain guys were injured, it caused problems fielding a complete team that was experienced at every defensive position. This fall, regulars were playing at different spots on the field to get valuable innings at different locations. If an infielder plays at second, third, or at shortstop, they plays the other two spots in that rotation. That's not an entirely new thing for Coach Hibbs and the staff to do, but there was some focus on moving guys around within games to be sure they got valuable time at spots in case of emergency or need.

I would not categorize Charlotte as a "power-hitting" team in my three seasons of covering the team, but they seemed to have more power in the line-up this go around. Power for the Niners has tended to come in pairs the last few years... McElroy and Taylor (with a slight nod to Kris Rochelle) in 2007, Taylor and Lyerly (with a smaller nod to an injured McElroy) in 2008 and Lyerly and Ryan Rivers (with assistance from Zane Williams) last season. I see three or four power hitters able to generate some numbers this season, with Rivers, Williams, Ross Steedley and possibilities from Justin Wilson or Zach Semenza or any of a few young players trying to crack the starting lineup.

The Niners won a the nation's ERA title in 1997. You can chase that for the rest of time and not reach a lofty goal such as that. The starting pitching went young in 2008 and made some improvements in 2009, though injuries took their toll in that department as well. The fall roster
had 18 pitchers on it, and it is apparent that Charlotte will not lack for pitching depth this coming season. Charlotte has some choices to make as to what the weekend rotation will look like. The early experiment last season was to have four starters and rotate them depending on when the next game took place, and that could be an option for the Niners in 2010. Or, Charlotte can settle on three for the weekend and have about 12 guys ready to pitch to a hitter or for an inning and keep fresh arms and keep forcing favorable matchups throughout a series. That should be a very interesting dynamic to the season.

Defensively, Charlotte will still show off its speed, which is what I consider a trademark of the program these days. All three outfielders (whomever they will be) will have wheels. My three would be Shane Brown in left, Cory Tilton in center and Justin Wilson in right (the three most experienced), but there are numerous options that the staff could employ depending on performance, matchups, situations, health or a combination of those.

And that's not even talking about the teams on the schedule for 2010. Click here to see the release and click here for the actual schedule. I'll save those thoughts for another blog.

--Ryan Rose
Media Relations Office

Atlantic 10 Women’s Soccer Tournament Time

For the second time in three seasons, the Charlotte 49ers are hosting the Atlantic 10 Women’s Soccer Championship at Transamerica Field. The Championships begin with two quarterfinal games, Thursday, November 5 beginning at 5:30 pm. Then, the semifinals will be played on Friday, November 6 beginning at 5:30 pm. The A-10 Championship game is set for Sunday, November 8 at 1 pm.

With the A-10 Championships set to begin this week, here are some interesting notes about the 49ers women’s soccer program.

* Charlotte is attempting to become only the second team in A-10 history to capture three straight A-10 Tournament titles. Massachusetts captured three straight A-10 titles from 1993-95. Last season, Charlotte joined Dayton, Massachusetts and Saint Louis as the only four teams in league history to capture consecutive A-10 Championships.

* 49ers finished second in the A-10 standings in the regular-season to earn a first-round bye. Due to the first-round bye, the 49ers have made at least the semifinals of the conference tournament 13 times in the program’s 16-year history. Actually that number is 13 times in 15 Tournament appearances since in 1994, the 49ers inaugural women’s soccer season; Charlotte was not a member of a conference.

* Charlotte captured conference tournament titles in 1995, 1998, 2007 and 2008. The 49ers reached the finals of the 1999 Conference USA Tournament.
* Senior Hailey Beam was named A-10 Tournament MVP in each of the past two seasons. She is one of only two players in league history to be named A-10 Tournament MVP twice.
* Junior Whitney Weinraub was just named A-10 Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She is the first player in league history to repeat as A-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
* Beam was just named A-10 Midfielder and Women’s Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year for the second straight season. Older sister former 49ers standout Lindsey Ozimek claimed both honors as a senior in 2007. So a member of the Beam family has been named A-10 Midfielder of the Year and Women’s Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year for three straight years.
* Junior Megan Minnix joined Beam and Weinraub as first-team All-Atlantic 10 selections. This marked the second consecutive season and the third time in school history that Charlotte has had three first-team all-league players in the same season.
* The 49ers are currently in the midst of a 27-game unbeaten streak against Atlantic 10 competition. The 49ers have not lost to an Atlantic 10 foe since the end of the 2007 regular-season. During that stretch, the 49ers are 25-0-2 against A-10 teams. Charlotte has gone 20-0-2 over the last two Atlantic 10 regular-seasons. They join Massachusetts as the only two teams in league history to post consecutive unbeaten A-10 seasons.
* First-year head coach John Cullen became the fourth straight 49ers women’s soccer coach to post double-figure wins in their first season with the 49ers. He has guided the 49ers to 15 wins which is the most wins by a first-year head coach in the program’s history.
* Charlotte’s 15 regular-season wins marked the 13th time in school history that the 49ers have reached double-figures in wins.
* The 49ers defense has recorded 13 shutouts this season which tied last season’s school-record.
* Charlotte’s senior class of Hailey Beam, Lauren Brown and Leah Zappone rank among the nation’s leaders in victories by a senior class. These three seniors have helped the 49ers win 62 games and claim three A-10 regular-season titles and two A-10 Tournament titles during their careers.

Ramblin' Man

Ramblings from my office above Hayward Memorial Practice Court.

Can't believe soccer season is winding down and all the home games are over -- save for the A-10 Women's Soccer Championship which starts up at Transamerica Field, Thursday. Not for nothing, but it is worth the price of admission to watch Whitney Weinraub play. Yes, the 49ers women's soccer team is extremely talented front to back --but the moves Weinraub puts on defenders on a daily basis is the 49ers version of Must See TV. Of course, this weekend, you could see Hailey Beam make history as the 49ers all-time goals scored leader -- and watch the women defend the A-10 title and vy for an NCAA berth.

Basketball is literally, right around the corner. At least tomorrow night it is. Turn the corner onto Mallard Creek Church road and head up to Wild Wing Cafe where the 49ers will host a Lutz LIVE! tip-off party at 7:00 p.m. The 49ers exhibition game is the following evening, so take advantage of this unique opportunity to talk with coach Lutz and radio voice Matt Swierad before the season gets underway -- and then head to Wild Wing Cafe every Thursday night (starting Nov. 12) to catch the Lutz LIVE! radio show in person.

Heard a good crowd turned out for Monday's Let Me Play luncheon. Golf guru Dana Rader was the keynote speaker and 49ers women's basketball star Aysha Jones shared her story of life as a student-athlete. The event attracts women from throughout the community in an effort to show them the importance that athletics can play in the development of young women. Several in the audience were athletes in their day -- and current players, like Jones, are shining examples of the great impact athletics can have. The event is part fundraiser, part friendraiser -- and part eyebrow raiser -- as the impact of athletics is illustrated for notable key community and corporate leaders.

Spent part of the afternoon taking photos of the golf team. Can't help but wonder where Corey Nagy will be next year -- but sure am glad we have another semester to enjoy his play. What Corey has done with and for the 49ers program is incredible. He has one more tourney this fall, then the whole spring season -- and then, who knows. As nice a guy and as hard a worker as he is, he deserves everything he gets.

Finally -- since I started with soccer, I'll end with soccer. The MLS playoffs are underway and yet again, former 49ers all-America Jon Busch has led his Chicago Fire into the tournament. They are playing New England in the first round, and have their backs against a wall after a 2-1 loss in game one. But if ever the 49ers had a player who could respond with his back to the wall, it's Busch -- who has risen above so much to excel in his field.

Fans -- see you at Halton Thursday night. The show is about to begin!

Everybody Needs A Good Closer Sometimes

So I have been watching the World Series with no emotional ties to a winner or a loser. Don't get me wrong, I hate the Yanks. I am an Orioles fan and ever since this moment our franchise has been cursed!


Damn Jeffery Maier. Damn him. So yea, GO PHILS!

But you need to appreciate the dynamic of Mariano Rivera. When 'Enter Sandman' (arguably the greatest sports hype song of all time) hits the loud speakers, the game is over. Journalists start writing the game story. Visiting fans begin to exit. The game is done before he makes a single pitch.

So who are some good 'closers' in Charlotte athletics? Thinking beyond literal translation...better yet who are some 'clutch' performers for Charlotte, people who when you see on the floor, field or court your confidence of pulling out the win is at an all-time high?

The list would include...

Erik Walker- The all time saves leader who left our lives too early is a no brainer on this list. The scene went something like this...Bottom 8th draws toa close, players shuffling about between innings, Lil Flip cues up, E-dub bounces out of the dugout, hat crooked, high socks, clean shaven, batter steps in, slider, slider, slider, game over, lets go home. He did it a program high 103 times.
Leemire Goldwire- He hit some big time shots. Especially in his senior season. This is most memorable by far...




A night I will not soon forget. Picassos was rocking! Amidst the craziness after the shot, for some reason I proceeded to pour my entire frosty beverage on Jesse Garber which was followed not by a fist in the face, but an embrace. He still hasn't gotten me back for that...maybe he forgot?

Emily Jeffery- If you haven't seen her pitch, do yourself a favor and get out to the softball field. You won't need to block out much time, her seven inning games usually only last about an hour. She pitches fast and throws even faster. Double-digit strikeouts 16 times last season and a sub 1.40ERA is legit. Everytime she steps in the circle I feel like we are going to win.

Bob Olesen- The guy doesn't need to do anything. When I see him on the track before a meet I know we are winning. I'm convinced whatever he touches turns to gold. Literally turns into gold medals because that's the only thing his men's and women's track and field teams do.

The Best Sports Time of the Year?

If you ever get a job in the Sports Information business, there are a few things you learn right away. I can't list them all here, but one of them is when your busiest time of the year will be.

There are two busy times in the sports media relations cycle each year, and they are in the crossover periods of the calendar. At the end of basketball season, you get the start of spring sports, which means that February is a very busy time. The other busy time of the year is upon us. As basketball begins, a lot of fall sports get into their championship season.

The one good thing that all of the sports do (for our sanity, and to bring the maximum amount of exposure to each championship), is to stagger them. The cross country teams will compete in conference championships this weekend (at Saint Louis), while women's soccer will have the tournament the following weekend (at Transamerica Field in Charlotte) .

Here's where it starts to get tricky...
The men's soccer tournament (at Rhode Island) will be the following weekend, while women's soccer starts their first weekend of NCAA Tournament play. The volleyball tournament will take place the following weekend (at Dayton) while men's soccer begins their NCAA Tournament opening rounds and the women's soccer tournament second round is underway. The following weekend, volleyball starts the NCAA tournament and you can just advance the other fall sports championships one weekend and a couple of rounds.

All of these fall sports championships of course are going on while the two basketball teams get the season underway. No matter what school you work for, everyone has high hopes and expectations in those first few games, and you tend to get bigger crowds at the start of the season as people are introduced to a new season and a new team. That keeps us busy.

At a school the size of Charlotte, you also get baseball and softball playing their fall scrimmages, and those coaching staffs want to be put in the forefront to remind people that they are making improvements and to get people's appetites excited for their sports (and the more attention they get in the fall, the better recruiting can go for them).

So, soak it in. This is one of the two most exciting times of the year, as sports are crossing over and you have a full plate. Watching teams vie for tournament seeding can make their matches become more intense. Others are getting their season started, so hopes and expectations are high. Each team wants and needs your support (and some of the events are free, so use it as an excuse to get back on campus if you haven't been in a while.) Come and sit in your basketball seats (or closer, to tease you in a better location) and watch a volleyball match. Come out before it gets too cold and enjoy a couple of nationally-ranked soccer programs and scope out your parking options for hoops. Get oriented with the traffic flow on campus and use it as an opportunity to revisit the lay of the land. We'll be here, making programs and preparing tournament notes for the upcoming weeks of a very busy time of the year.

--Ryan Rose
Media Relations Office

The Elusive Repeat Championship

Repeating as a champion is an extremely hard thing to do because once you have won a title everyone is gunning for you the following year and it is impossible not to be a blip on someone’s radar. Only several great teams or individuals are capable of accomplishing the feat. The Chicago Bulls repeated several times as did the Los Angeles Lakers not to mention the New York Yankees, who are kings of repeat titles.

Although professional sports are vastly different from that of the collegiate variety the principles are the same when it comes to trying to claim a title in consecutive years. It has only been accomplished by seven teams in NCAA Men’s Basketball, while football is even rarer now a day with no team winning back-to-back BCS Championships.

However, I digress because as fall championship season gets underway here at Charlotte and in the Atlantic 10 this weekend I look towards St. Louis, Mo. where not one but two Charlotte 49ers will have the chance to accomplish the elusive repeat in the Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship.

Adu Dentamo and Amanda Goetschius both claimed the 2008 titles by running blistering times that both registered as the third fastest in A-10 Championship history for their respective race. Dentamo defeated the field by running the 8,000m course in 24:01, while Goetschius claimed her title in a mere 17:37 for the 5,000 meter run.

The duo has the chance this weekend to be Charlotte’s first two repeat champions in the 25 years since the women’s cross country program was started in 1985. (The men have been running since 1978.)

Dentamo, a senior, has claimed All-Atlantic 10 honors every year of his career including a 13th place finish as a freshman, 4th as a sophomore and of course last year’s title as a juionr, while this season he has already won one race, when he claimed the Charlotte Invitational winning by 15 seconds.

Goetschius also claimed all-conference honors as a freshman placing 7th before claiming last year’s title in her sophomore season. She has only competed in two races this year and took second in her best race, the Charlotte Invitational.

So if Goetschius is able to come away with a repeat title on Saturday we won’t be talking about a one-peat, or a two-peat as Atlantic 10 Champion we would be talking about a three-peat for her.

The Charlotte 49ers Athletics Media Relations Department sat down with third-year Head Coach Karen Aston to get her thoughts on the upcoming season and several other topics. Aston guided the 49ers to the program’s first-ever conference tournament title after Charlotte captured the Atlantic 10 Tournament title last season. Charlotte won 23 games en route to a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

What did last year’s Atlantic 10 Tournament title, NCAA Tournament appearance and a 23-win season mean to you personally as well as the program? As far as the program is concerned I feel it was an enormous step. Charlotte 49ers women’s basketball had been in great hands when I arrived here, but that was a step that needed to be taken. The players really set some high goals last year. I think that everybody understood that you can only talk about going to the NCAA Tournament so much before it becomes just talk. Winning the A-10 Tournament and going to the NCAA Tournament was validation for the program in terms of moving forward. It was a great satisfaction for me personally, because the players really talked about specific and attainable goals. The team understood there were steps throughout the year that needed to be taken to achieve their final goals. It was fun to watch them take those steps little by little. You could see their confidence growing and the team’s chemistry was tremendous which made it fun. It was very memorable for all of us that were a part of the journey.

Last year’s seniors were three-time All-Atlantic 10 selection center Danielle Burgin and the program’s career leader in three-points, shooting guard Traci Ray. What did Burgin and Ray mean to you as well as to the 49ers women’s basketball program? Last year’s junior and senior classes will always be very special to me. This was my first head coaching job and those players had been through a lot by having two coaching changes in their careers and their commitment to me as their coach and our staff was tremendous. Danielle and Traci said that we are going to have a great senior year and leave a mark on the program and I think that’s what they did. They were leaders who brought different things to the table, but the combination of the two was really good. They were humble everyday which is the best thing I can say about them. The way they lived every day on and off the court was something to be respected and we miss them.

Any changes to your approach as you enter your third season at Charlotte? I think that is the one thing that you learn quickly as a coach is that every year is different. Our first year obviously I thought that we had to establish as a staff how things were going to be run here at Charlotte. I think with that first year under our belt we all became more comfortable. Last year, we had some older players that understood what the expectations were and knew what every day was going to be like. It was very different from the in terms of our approach every day with the group. As you graduate two players and you bring in new ones, all of a sudden this year seems dramatically different. The one thing that I understand about coaching is that it is all about chemistry and how the players approach every day. It will take some time to figure out what this team’s personality is going to be but I am excited about the potential.

Juniors Kendria Holmes and Epiphany Woodson and freshman Jaquaria Forney all are from the City of Charlotte. What does it mean to have three players on the roster from the Charlotte area? It shows that Charlotteans feel that our University is a great choice for them. Playing for the 49ers is a choice that allows them to play closer to home and have their families watch them play. I think the missing piece has been for Charlotte area high school players to feel secure in the fact that they will be able to play at a high level of basketball, on top of getting a great education. I think that it is a tribute to our players that are in the program now and were in the past. I’m thrilled that Kendria, Epiphany and Jaquaria saw the vision that all of us have, and they want to come back here and represent the city and this University.

What does the program need to do to take that next step forward which is advancing in the NCAA Tournament? At the beginning of every season you have goals of taking steps forward. Last year winning the A-10 Tournament and making the NCAA Tournament was obviously a huge step. I’m not so sure that you don’t have to spend a couple of years just getting to NCAA Tournament before you can advance. Obviously we would love to just jump to the Sweet Sixteen, but I feel it is definitely a process with the players and the coaches. I think the next step in the long-term vision is that going to NCAA Tournament has to become a regular occurrence. We have to get to the NCAA Tournament two or three years in a row and then all of a sudden you can stop being amazed by being there and start thinking about winning. So again, we are striving for consistency.

What are the team’s goals for the season? Each season is unique with different goals. Our first goal is to develop the chemistry that I saw in our team last year. That is a challenge and will always be, because each year the players are different and they bring along new challenges. I think we have been fortunate here that are whole coaching staff has remained intact. You have consistency in what you’re doing when your staff remains together and we have been extremely blessed to have all been here together for three years. Everybody’s goal is to win a conference championship and go to the NCAA Tournament, but we also have academic goals. I was really proud of our team last year. We had a 3.0 GPA as a team and that is a goal that we will always have as a team. Of course we want to finish in the top three in the A-10, make the NCAA’s, etc. But, I also think we need to take a step up in our non-conference schedule. If I had a specific goal it would be to continue to challenge ourselves against Top-25 programs and win some of those games. The conference has established itself nationally, and non-conference success makes a big difference.

What about strength of the Atlantic 10 conference which had eight postseason teams including three NCAA Tournament teams last season? I think we should have had four teams in the tournament last year, and the leagues’ performance in the NIT was a reflection of that. I am proud to be in the conference, and I believe that the best is yet to come for the A-10!

What are your overall thoughts on the 2009-10 schedule which features 13 teams that reached postseason play last season? I thought the first year I was here that our non-conference schedule was tough. However, I believe that we put together a schedule that could be the toughest so far. Part of that stems from the draw that we got in the Bahamas tournament which made our schedule very tough. Opening up on the road at East Carolina is never easy. Then, we play South Carolina at home and Duke on the road in the first ten days which will obviously be good for our team. We are going to have to take it one game at a time. Playing these teams will make us better and prepare us for A-10 play. Every step we take in the non-conference schedule helps our RPI and helps in gaining respect. Conference-wise I believe that every night has become a challenge. The biggest change since we entered the league is that the so-called "bottom half" has become tougher and no one can be taken lightly. It becomes a challenge, but one that I think we all welcome.

The 2010 Atlantic 10 Tournament will be played at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. What are your thoughts on a neutral site for the A-10 Tournament? Well, if we can’t have it in Charlotte, this is the next best thing…HA! It was huge plus for our team to play the A-10 Tournament at home last year. However, it is a step in the right direction for our conference and the league coaches wanted that challenge. I think the players will like it because it will be a new site for them, and its neutral, but more than anything we want it to be a great student-athlete experience, which is what this is all about.

What are your thoughts on the senior class (Erin Floyd, Jabrenta Hubbard, Aysha Jones and Ashley Spriggs)? The seniors are special people to me personally, first and foremost. I have a great deal of respect and love for this class. They were on that bubble here in my first year, where they could have chosen to go somewhere else and play because I wasn’t who they came to play for. They stuck it out with a great deal of pride and patience. They are a workhorse group and you won’t find four players with better work ethic, better morals and everything about them speaks of class. It’s hard to talk about each one of them individually because to me, they are a group. I admire the way they carry themselves and their commitment to being the best that they could be during their time spent at Charlotte.

What are your thoughts on the juniors (Kelsey McAdoo, Shannon McCallum and Kendria Holmes)? First of all, Kelsey came in with the senior class, but she redshirted so she is a veteran as far as understanding how things work in the program. I have a great deal of respect for her fortitude because she has had several complications due to her high school injuries and has pressed on through it all. We need her to contribute to the team this year. We obviously will have a size disadvantage on most nights and she can really help us in that area. Kendria and Shannon are very talented and I think everybody saw what Shannon was capable of toward the end of last year. I think she began to change her approach in practice and in games. I have had the privilege of coaching some talented players and Shannon is right up there at the top with any of them. I am anxious to see Kendria in a game because she had been on the floor last year but it was just in practice. It should be fun to see how she takes the reins at the point guard position this year. She is a terrific passer and sees the floor as good as unbelievably well. She will add a different dimension to our team because of her passing and creating ability.

What are your thoughts on the sophomore class (Rachelle Coward, Nicole Hargraves and Katie Meador)? This class obviously did not get a lot of playing time last year due to our veteran team. I have seen them mature from last year. They stayed here this summer and put in a lot of work in the gym. We need them to contribute this season. Nicole is expected to help us in the paint. I think that Katie really has matured a lot and hopefully will be able to contribute at the point guard position. Rachelle has the ability to stretch the defense because she can really shoot the basketball. She has gotten stronger and is in better shape. I expect this group to play a bigger role this year.

What are your thoughts on the newcomers (Epiphany Woodson, Amanda Dowe, Jaquaria Forney, Jennifer Hailey, Jessica Johnson)? First of all let me touch on Epiphany, who transferred here from the University of Miami. Epiphany is a Charlotte native and I couldn’t be more excited about her in a lot of ways. She came from a traditional high school power in Providence Day. She won a lot of basketball games there and is well known here in the community. I’m looking forward to seeing her grow as a basketball player. She is one of those players that saw a vision of what we are trying to do here and I am excited that she decided to come home and contribute to our program. As far as the freshmen are concerned I think the sky is the limit with this group. They are an extremely athletic group and all have different qualities they bring to the table. You will see that they have athleticism, length and quickness. Jaquaria Forney is another Charlotte native that chose to come here that committed early to us and never looked back. She had a lot of opportunities to go elsewhere, but she decided on Charlotte. She will be an early contributor at the guard position. She is an excellent defender and has the ability to create her own shot. Amanda and Jennifer are two players that will be thrown into the fire quickly. They both have a high-level of athletic ability in the paint but they will have some growing pains. I’m expecting tons from those two, but we all will have to be patient as they grow. As far as Jessica Johnson is concerned she is an unknown in regards to rankings because she is recovering from an injury during her junior year of high school. She has a tremendous upside because she is a great athlete. JJ actually jumped in the state track meet last year! All four of these players are long, athletic and fit great in our up-tempo system. Again, I repeat, the sky is the limit with this class!

What are fans going to expect to see when they watch us this year? We have a lot of new players on the team. If I had to guess, we are going to be a lot thinner across the board! When you see the freshmen you are going to want to feed them. Our up-tempo style of play will continue, however, my question is how frenetic the pace is going to have to be with this team and that depends upon the play of the guards. The difference may be in the way we play defensively. I believe we will press more, continue to run, and probably rebound by committee. Our success will be determined on the defensive end when it is all said and done.