Miller named new Charlotte 49ers coach
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Wes Miller was scheduled to be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday at Halton Arena.
Fired Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller during the Big 12 Tournament.
Then Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller talks to his players during a game against Utah at the Big 12 Conference tournament on March 10 in Kansas City, Mo. On Monday he was named the coach for the Charlotte 49ers.
CHARLOTTE — Charlotte has turned to a familiar name in North Carolina basketball circles to lead its men's program.
Charlotte Athletic Director Kevin White announced Monday that Wes Miller has been hired as the 49ers' head coach, becoming the 15th leader in program history.
Miller, 43, brings a track record of consistent success, including seven 20-win seasons and eight postseason appearances as a head coach. Most recently at Cincinnati, he averaged 20 wins per season over the past five years and guided the Bearcats to three postseason appearances. Before that, he built UNC Greensboro into a Southern Conference power, compiling five straight 20-win seasons and leading the Spartans to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2018 and 2021. "I'm incredibly honored to lead the Charlotte basketball program," Miller said. "There is a shared vision to build a program defined by toughness, passion and relentless energy. The foundation is here for something special."
White said Miller's combination of experience and ties to the state stood out during the search.
"Wes Miller is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the game and strong ties to basketball in our state," White said. "He has a clear vision for building a championship culture here at Charlotte."
Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber echoed that sentiment, calling Miller the right fit to elevate the program.
His departure from Cincinnati
Miller spent the past five seasons at Cincinnati before being fired on March 13 with three years left on his contract after failing to get the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament.
He was 100-74 at Cincinnati. The Bearcats finished 18-15 this season. They had recovered from a disappointing start to win seven of nine games down the stretch and were considered an NCAA Tournament bubble team heading into the Big 12 Tournament. But the Bearcats lost to UCF 66-65 in overtime in the second round after surrendering an eight-point lead in the final two minutes of regulation, paving the way for Miller's departure.
Considered by many as one of the brightest young coaches in college basketball, Miller posted the most wins (217) by a coach by the age of 40.
A consistent winner
Miller has posted winning records in each of the past 10 seasons and has averaged 22.5 victories per year during that stretch. He has coached 26 all-conference players and was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year twice.
At UNC Greensboro, Miller set a school record with 185 wins and averaged 25 victories per season over his final five years. He also earned national recognition as ESPN's top coach under 40 in 2020.
A former North Carolina player under Roy Williams, Miller was part of the Tar Heels' 2005 national championship team and later served as team captain. After graduating in 2007, he played professionally in London before beginning his coaching career.
Miller replaces Aaron Fearne, who served as head coach from 2023-26 after initially taking over in an interim role.
He is scheduled to be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday.
Niners coming off a 17-17 season
The 49ers finished 17-17 this season. "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 in announcing Fearne's departure earlier this month.
A native of Australia and longtime head coach in that country's top basketball league, Fearne first joined the 49ers as an assistant coach under Ron Sanchez. When Sanchez suddenly left in June 2023 to join Tony Bennett's staff at Virginia, Fearne was appointed as the team's interim coach. Then-AD Mike Hill gave him the permanent Charlotte job when Fearne began his first season with a 15-8 record and 9-2 conference mark.
That 2023-24 season turned out to be Fearne's best of his three years in charge of the program. The 49ers finished 19-12 (13-5 in the American Conference), but again didn't make the NCAA Tournament. The next season, Charlotte fell back into its losing ways, going 11-22, followed by this year's .500 season. The team has often struggled with attendance at Halton Arena as well during the tenure of the last several head coaches.
Fearne was hired by Athletic Director Mike Hill, who was fired last fall. White became AD earlier this year, coming from Clemson, where he was associate athletic director.
NIL losses to the roster
One of Miller's first missions is likely to be stabilizing the roster. Fearne was able to get good talent to Charlotte but was unable to keep them. Several players left the program for bigger money offers through Name Image and Likeness (NIL) from Power 4 conferences.
There are already reports that the 49ers center Anton Bonke plans to enter the transfer portal. The 7-2 big man averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Many thought his game was improving, and he could become an even better player.
Charlotte men's basketball head coaches
Harvey Murphy (1965–70) Bill Foster (1970–75) Lee Rose (1975–78) Mike Pratt (1978–82) Hal Wissel (1982–85) Jeff Mullins (1985–96) Melvin Watkins (1996–98) Bobby Lutz (1998–2010) Alan Major (2010–15) Ryan Odom (interim, 2014–15) Mark Price (2015–18) Houston Fancher (interim, 2017–18) Ron Sanchez (2018–23) Aaron Fearne (2023–26) Wes Miller (2026–present).
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
