Charlotte moves on from basketball coach Aaron Fearne

CHARLOTTE ATHLETICS

Charlotte basketball coach Aaron Fearne was fired Tuesday after three seasons and a 47-51 record.

Charlotte basketball is moving on from coach Aaron Fearne.

Named interim head coach in June 2023 after Ron Sanchez left to become an assistant at Virginia, Fearne was named permanent coach in February and led the 49ers to a 19-12 record, 13-5 in the American Conference. In his next two seasons, Fearne went 11-22 and 17-17 for a cumulative record of 47-51. 

“We have high expectations for all of our athletic programs at Charlotte,” Charlotte athletics director Kevin White said Tuesday, “and while difficult, making a head coaching change is necessary to allow for greater success. Aaron Fearne has been an invaluable assistant and head coach at Charlotte. We thank him for all that he has done and wish him the very best in his career.”

White, the executive in charge of men’s basketball at Clemson before moving to Charlotte, oversaw the Tigers’ program during their 2024 Elite Eight run. According to a university media release, a national search is underway to find the next coach. 

“Our men’s basketball program is critical to the department’s overall success, and it must regularly compete for American Conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths,” White said. “We will continue to invest in the program and provide support to our coaches and student-athletes. We have incredible fans, a growing national brand, and an institution on the rise. I look forward to the next chapter of 49ers men’s basketball.”

Messages for White and Fearne seeking comment on Tuesday were not returned at time of publication. 

The 49ers finished fifth in the American in Fearne’s final campaign and made a run to the conference tournament semifinals with wins over Tulane and Alabama-Birmingham before losing to eventual champion South Florida in the semifinals. 

Following the loss to South Florida, The Post asked Fearne how confident he felt about being retained. His response: “We will see.”

Said Chancellor Sharon Gaber: “Charlotte Athletics is a critical part of our campus community and the success of our sports teams helps elevate the entire institution. In partnership with Director of Athletics Kevin White, and after a thorough evaluation of where our program stands and where it is headed, we made the decision to make a change in the head coach.”

“We thank Coach Fearne for his commitment to Charlotte and to our student-athletes,” Gaber said. “I am excited about what lies ahead and have full confidence that Kevin will identify a great pool of candidates from which our new head coach will emerge. We continue to be grateful to our generous donors and fans for their support of our student-athletes.”  

This story will be updated as more information becomes available. 

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