CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Aaron Fearne had the interim tag removed on Monday, officially becoming the men's basketball coach of the Charlotte 49ers in the midst of the team's strong start.
Fearne's contract is for five years through 2029 at $750,000 per season, WCNC Charlotte's Nick Carboni confirmed on Monday. Fearne has served as the team's interim since June 2023. The 49ers are 15-8 overall and 9-2 in the American Athletic Conference in Fearne's first full season as coach.
"From the moment he took over the basketball program last summer, Aaron Fearne has demonstrated that he is the right man for this job," athletic director Mike Hill said. "In our first year in the AAC, he has our team competing for a league championship and has completely re-energized our fan base. The players believe in him and so do we. This is a great day for Niner Nation."
Fearne guided Charlotte to its first eight-game conference winning streak in program history, including the program's first win over a ranked opponent in over a decade when the 49ers defeated Florida Atlantic.
"It is an unbelievable honor to lead Charlotte Basketball," Fearne said in a news release. "I am thankful to the players and staff for believing in me last summer and wanting me as their head coach and I am humbled that Mike, Chancellor Gaber, and the board of trustees believe in me as well."
Charlotte has overachieved this season after being predicted to finished 13th in the 14-team AAC. The team currently sits second overall just past the halfway mark of the conference season, just one game out of the lead. Fearne's 15-8 start is the best 23-game start for a Charlotte coach since Bobby Lutz in 1998-99.
The 49ers will return to Halton Arena on Thursday to play UTSA.
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.