April 3, 2008

Charlotte, N.C. - Charlotte 49ers Director of Athletics Judy Rose announced that the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees has approved a multi-year contract, signed by Charlotte 49ers head golf coach Jamie Green. Green, a two-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year who guided Charlotte to a 3rd-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships and a consensus #1-ranking in the fall of 2007, is in his fifth-year as 49ers head coach. The contract will carry Green through 2011, his eighth year with the program.

"Jamie Green has provided outstanding leadership for our golf program, both on the course and in the classroom." Rose said. "We value his type of leadership that expects and demands success. Consistent national rankings are the product of his leadership and a multiple year contract assures us that he will lead the 49ers through 2011."

This is the first long-term contract signed by a 49ers head coach in any sport other than basketball.

"The support from Chancellor (Phil) Dubois, (Director of Athletics) Judy Rose and (Senior Associate Athletic Director) Darin Spease that I and this golf program have received since I got here has been tremendous. Since day one, the adminstration has worked as diligiently as our players have in lending their support. This is another significant step," Green said. "My family and I could not be more excited about knowing we are going to be here for a long time."

Charlotte has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three years, reaching the 30-team NCAA Championships in each of the last two years. Each season has seen a steady progression under Green. In 2005, the 49ers earned their first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament, placing 17th at the NCAA Regionals. In 2006, the 49ers returned to the NCAA Regionals, placing fifth to earn a spot in the NCAA Championships, where they finished 22nd. In 2007, the 49ers placed 7th at the NCAA Regionals to once again advance to the NCAA Championships. They made history with a third-place finish, matching the highest NCAA finish ever for a 49ers sports program. In 2007-08, the 49ers were ranked 10th in the GCAA/Golf World Coaches' preseason poll, their highest preseason rank ever. During a perfect fall in which the 49ers won all four stroke-play events they entered, Charlotte rose to a consensus #1 ranking -- a first for any Charlotte athletic program. Charlotte is currently ranked 3rd in the nation by Golfweek and 4th by both Golfstat and the Golf World Coaches' Poll.

"I'm excited to continue every day helping our players in any way I can," Green added. "Being able to recruit the kind of players that we have and support how energetically they work to get better is what I look forward to every day. There is not a better place in the country to coach a golf team than Charlotte."

The 49ers have won back-to-back Atlantic 10 Championships and posted 15 tournament victories under Green. All school records for individual and team play have fallen, including individual 18-hole, 54-hole and single-season scoring records and team 18-hole, 54-hole and single-season scoring records.

At the same time, Green has overseen a tremendous improvement in the team's off-field activities. The golf team won the department's Life Skills Award in 2004 and 2006 and recorded the department's highest male team GPA in both 2004 and 2005. In 2006 and 2007, the 49ers honored their first four GCAA all-America Scholars. Charlotte has boasted the 2006 and 2007 A-10 Scholar Athlete of the Year in men's golf and had five players named to the league's five-player all-Academic Team over the last two years. Over the last seven semesters, the golf team has boasted a team GPA of 3.2 or higher. Every player on this year's team has a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher.

Jamie Green and the Charlotte 49ers

Year TitlesNotes2007-084Preseason A-10 Favorite; Preseason #10 national ranking; Consensus #1 ranking (October, 2007) 
2006-075NCAA Regional (7th-place); NCAA Championship (3rd-place); A-10 Champs
2005-064NCAA Regional (5th-place); NCAA Championship appearance (22nd-place); A-10 Champs
2004-052NCAA Regional Appearance (17th-place); C-USA Runner-up
2003-040 C-USA Runner-up
Individual Notes:GCAA all-Americas: Andrew DiBitetto (2007); Corey Nagy (2007)
GCAA Freshman all-America: Corey Nagy (2007)
GCAA all-America Scholar: Andrew DiBitetto (2007), Jonas Enander Hedin (2007), Matt Mincer (2006), Ray Sheedy (2006)
A-10 Medalist: Matt Mincer (2007)
A-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Andrew DiBitetto (2007), Ray Sheedy (2006)
Golf World Mid-Year National Player of the Year: Stefan Wiedergruen (Dec., 2007)