2024-25 North Carolina Sports Network
NC Basketball Spotlight, 10-Year Snapshot:
Charlotte


By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network


School: University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Location: Charlotte, N.C.

NCAA Division I Member Since: 1970-71

Conference: American Athletic Conference (AAC)

AAC Member Since: 2023-24

AAC Ranking Among 31 Leagues (KenPom): 10th (2025), 9th (2024), 8th (2023), 8th (2022), 7th (2021), 7th (2020)

NCAA Tournament Bids: 11 (1977, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005)

Final Fours: 1 (1977)

Conference Titles: 5 (1977, 1988 in Sun Belt; 1992 in Metro; 1999, 2001 in Conference USA)

Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 5 (1977, 1978, 1988 in Sun Belt; 1995 in Metro; 2004 in CUSA)

Head Coach: Aaron Fearne (50, 2nd season at Charlotte)

As A Player:  Western Wisconsin (1993-94), Mid-State (1994-95), Mayville State (1995-97), then professionally in Australia

Record as Head Coach (through Jan. 28): 27-24 (.529) in 1+ seasons

Previous HC Experience: in Australia; NBL1 North for Cairns Marlins (2006-09), NBL for Cairns Taipans (2009-18)

College AC Experience: Charlotte (2018-23)

Assistant Under: Ron Sanchez

2023-24 Record: 19-12, 13-5 (3rd in 14-team AAC)

2024-25 Preseason Prediction (Coaches): 8th in 13-team AAC

2024-25 Record (through Jan. 28): 8-12, 1-6 AAC

2024-25 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #241 nationally (12th in AAC)

Upcoming Schedule: at Temple (1/29), at UAB (2/1), Wichita State (2/4), Rice (2/8), at Florida Atlantic (2/10), East Carolina (2/15), Temple (2/19), at Tulane (2/26)


The Charlotte 49ers, a program that includes both a very prominent peak (a trip to the 1977 Final Four) and consistent national success (eight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1995-2005) among its historical landmarks, has been stuck in an extended lull for most of the past two decades.

Over the past two seasons, though, Charlotte trended upward.

Coach Ron Sanchez, now the interim head coach at Virginia, led the 49ers to a 22-win campaign and the CBI championship in 2022-23, during their final season in Conference USA. Sanchez’s long-time assistant, Aaron Fearne, then led the 49ers to 19 victories and a surprisingly strong finish last year in the American Athletic Conference, a similarly challenging (top-10) league in men’s basketball.

Last February, at midseason, Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill removed the “interim” tag from Fearne’s original 2023-24 title.

“Our fanbase is excited in what they see, and they should be; it’s been a lot of fun to come to Halton Arena to watch us play,” Hill said. “It just added up to this making complete and total sense; sometimes you don’t outsmart yourself, and this is a decision that felt right and is right.”

Fearne, an Australian who played and coached professionally in his native country prior to joining the 49ers as an assistant coach in 2018, signed a five-year contract in the midst of last year’s success story. Charlotte had been forecast to place next-to-last in the AAC but finished third.

“Having people out there in the community know what’s gonna be ahead for the next five years and trying to build a support system to build our program is gonna be really important,” Fearne said. “(The five-year contract) is gonna help us recruit and retain.”

As it turned out, Fearne’s promotion and new contract did help with recruiting. Jaylen Cross, an in-state guard, became the 49ers’ highest-ranked incoming recruit since 2009 when he signed with the program in November. He’ll begin his college career in the Queen City during the 2025-26 season.

The “retain” part? Not so much.

The 49ers’ top three players from last season — guard Lu’Cye Patterson (Minnesota), forward Igor Milicic Jr. (Tennessee) and center Dishon Jackson (Iowa State) — left the program last spring via the NCAA transfer portal and now have starting roles with teams in more prominent leagues. Patterson and Milicic had earned second- and third-team All-AAC honors, respectively, in 2023-24.

In the aftermath of that massive talent exodus, the 49ers have struggled badly this season. Through Jan. 28, they were 8-12 overall and, at 1-6 in conference play, tied for last in the AAC standings.

2024-25 Charlotte 49ers
(8-12, 1-6 AAC; through Jan. 28)

STARTERS (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

G Nik Graves*, Jr. (6-3/195) — 2022 in-state HS signee (Greensboro Day)
34 mpg, 16 ppg, 4 rpg, 41% FG, 75% FT, 27% threes, 57/30 ATO, 5 blocks, 19 steals

G Jaeshon Thomas, Jr. (6-3/195) — 2024 Florida Southwestern CC transfer (all-state)
28 mpg, 11 ppg, 4 rpg, 46% FG, 82% FT, 40% threes, 32/28 ATO, 2 blocks, 11 steals

F Robert Braswell IV, Gr. (6-7/210) — 2021 Syracuse transfer (backup)
26 mpg, 11 ppg, 2 rpg, 45% FG, 84% FT, 36% threes, 11/18 ATO, 15 blocks, 16 steals

F Giancarlo Rosado, Gr. (6-8/240) — 2024 Florida Atlantic transfer (backup)
27 mpg, 12 ppg, 6 rpg, 49% FG, 73% FT, 36% threes, 51/31 ATO, 2 blocks, 8 steals

F Dean Reiber, r-Sr. (6-10/235) — 2023 Rutgers transfer (backup)
16 mpg, 4 ppg, 3 rpg, 42% FG, 44% FT, 22% threes, 23/13 ATO, 6 blocks, 7 steals

KEY RESERVES (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

G Kylan Blackmon, r-Sr. (6-3/200) — 2024 Coastal Carolina transfer (starter)
23 mpg, 6 ppg, 3 rpg, 32% FG, 83% FT, 26% threes, 14/8 ATO, 0 blocks, 10 steals

F Rich Rolf, r-So. (6-7/210) — 2022 HS signee (Centerville HS in Ohio)
21 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg, 33% FG, 73% FT, 23% threes, 12/8 ATO, 6 blocks, 7 steals

F Nika Metskhvarishvili, Gr. (6-8/225) — 2024 La.-Monroe transfer (starter)
15 mpg, 3 ppg, 2 rpg, 38% FG, 100% FT, 39% threes, 8/8 ATO, 2 blocks, 6 steals

G Isaiah Folkes*, Sr. (6-4/200) — 2020 HS signee (Middleburg Academy in Va.)
14 mpg, 4 ppg, 2 rpg, 46% FG, 50% FT, 0% threes, 28/24 ATO, 0 blocks, 12 steals

Departures from 2023-24: G Daylen Berry (r-So./transfer/Charleston Southern), C Dishon Jackson* (r-So./transfer/Iowa State), F Igor Milicic Jr.* (Jr./transfer/Tennessee), F Iaroslav Niagu (So./transfer/Jacksonville State), G Lu’Cye Patterson* (r-Jr./transfer/Minnesota), G Jackson Threadgill (Sr./transfer/Appalachian State), G Sterling Young (Jr./transfer/Florida A&M)

*—2023-24 starter (started at least 50% of the 49ers’ games last season)

Charlotte 49ers
10-Year Snapshot

Season: Overall, League (Place), Postseason

2023-24: 19-12, 13-5 AAC (3rd), no postseason (Aaron Fearne)
2022-23: 22-14, 9-11 CUSA (5th), CBI champion (Ron Sanchez)
2021-22: 17-14, 10-8 CUSA (8th), no postseason (Ron Sanchez)
2020-21: 9-16, 5-11 CUSA (11th), no postseason (Ron Sanchez)
2019-20: 16-13, 10-8 CUSA (4th), no postseason (Ron Sanchez)
2018-19: 8-21, 5-13 CUSA (13th), no postseason (Ron Sanchez)
2017-18: 6-23, 2-16 CUSA (14th), no postseason (Mark Price)
2016-17: 13-17, 7-11 CUSA (10th), no postseason (Mark Price)
2015-16: 14-19, 9-9 CUSA (7th), no postseason (Mark Price)
2014-15: 14-18, 7-11 CUSA (11th), no postseason (Alan Major)

*—conference champion

NOTE: In the coming weeks and months, please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2024-25 profiles and 10-year snapshots for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina and all 18 Atlantic Coast Conference programs. The items below will become “live links” as new articles are posted.

Appalachian State Mountaineers, Sun Belt Conference

Boston College Eagles, Atlantic Coast Conference

California Golden Bears, Atlantic Coast Conference

Campbell Camels, Coastal Athletic Association

Charlotte 49ers, American Athletic Conference

Clemson Tigers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Davidson Wildcats, Atlantic-10 Conference

Duke Blue Devils, Atlantic Coast Conference

East Carolina Pirates, American Athletic Conference

Elon Phoenix, Coastal Athletic Association

Florida State Seminoles, Atlantic Coast Conference

Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, Big South Conference

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Atlantic Coast Conference

High Point Panthers, Big South Conference

Louisville Cardinals, Atlantic Coast Conference

Miami Hurricanes, Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina Tar Heels, Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina A&T Aggies, Coastal Athletic Association

North Carolina Central Eagles, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

North Carolina State Wolfpack, Atlantic Coast Conference

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Atlantic Coast Conference

Pitt Panthers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Queens Royals, Atlantic Sun Conference

SMU Mustangs, Atlantic Coast Conference

Stanford Cardinal, Atlantic Coast Conference

Syracuse Orange, Atlantic Coast Conference

UNC Asheville Bulldogs, Big South Conference

UNC Greensboro Spartans, Southern Conference

UNC Wilmington Seahawks, Coastal Athletic Association

Virginia Cavaliers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Virginia Tech Hokies, Atlantic Coast Conference

Wake Forest, Atlantic Coast Conference

Western Carolina Catamounts, Southern Conference