The Charlotte 49ers football program is the intercollegiate football team for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 49ers compete in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and are members of the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
UNCC began playing football in 1948 as a club sport. The team became a varsity sport in 1973 and competed as an independent for its first 18 seasons. The 49ers joined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 1991 and remained in the MAC until 2013. The 49ers moved to the AAC in 2014. The 49ers play their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium. The stadium is located on the campus of UNCC and has a capacity of 15,314. The stadium was named after former UNCC chancellor and athletic director Jerry Richardson.
The origin of the nickname is unique and historical. Unlike football's San Francisco 49ers, the Charlotte 49ers earned their nickname not because of gold rushes, but because of 1949, when the University of North Carolina at Charlotte was saved from bankruptcy and transformed into the present-day university.
Learn about the history of the Charlotte 49ers football program with our collection of the top posts from around the internet. The 49ers football team represents the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and they have had some tremendous players, teams, and coaches over their time in college football.
