In a press conference held in the Student Union today, UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip L. Dubois announced that the university has accepted an invitation to join Conference USA, in all sports, beginning in the 2013-14 academic year.
“The invitation to join Conference USA is momentous in what it can do for our university,” Dubois said. “We have yet to take a snap on McColl-Richardson field, yet to play our first game, yet to have even our first practice — but … we have the unique opportunity to become one of the first programs in history to go from no football to FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football in the minimum time allowed by NCAA regulations.”
Conference USA is an FBS Conference that will provide a home for all 17 of the 49ers sports, including football. The 49ers football team will have its inaugural season in 2013 as an independent FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) program and will compete in its first FBS season in Conference USA in 2015. Charlotte will be bowl eligible for football in the 2016 season. Each of the 49ers other 16 sports will begin play in Conference USA in 2013-14.
Conference USA, which is adding four other schools, will have a 13-team membership that includes Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Rice, Southern Mississippi, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTEP and University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
Charlotte was a member of Conference USA from 1995-96 to 2004-05. The 49ers joined the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2005-06 and will remain in that league through the 2012-13 season.