Charlotte 49ers recognized for excellence in management

On the strength of eight league championships across 18 varsity sports, the Charlotte 49ers were recognized as the winner of the Excellence in Management Cup for the 2022-23 Division I FBS athletic season by a research study from the Texas A&M College Sports Lab.

The EM Cup brings awareness to NCAA athletic departments that are maximizing fiscal resources through championship victories, determining which Division I FBS athletic department is most efficient with its spending habits and how that correlates to championships won.

At the conclusion of the athletic competition year, EM Cup scores are calculated using the number of championships earned, the number of sports offered and total athletic department operating expenses.

"This is a testament to the hard work of our student-athletes, coaches and staff who punch above their weight every day and show the true spirit of being a 49er," said Director of Athletics Mike Hill. "We maximize our resources and translate that into championships. This is a national championship that we celebrate."

Charlotte is the 10th winner of the EM Cup, established in 2008. The EM Cup was last awarded in 2018.

In 2022-23, Charlotte's final year in Conference USA, the 49ers tied a school record with eight league titles in baseball, men's cross country, men's golf, men's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field, women's cross country, women's indoor track and field and softball. Regular-season and tournament titles are treated equally.

While not figured into the EM Cup calculations, Charlotte saw its women's tennis team earn an at-large bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament while its men's basketball program won the 2023 CBI Championship.

This year, the 49ers' first as a member of the American Athletic Conference, Charlotte has won four conference championships in men's soccer, women's indoor track and field, men's tennis and softball. Additional spring championships have yet to be determined. Including the titles won in 2023-24, the 49ers have won a league championship in 10 different sports in the last two years.