Sports Charlotte

The bad: Charlotte 49ers limp into South Florida as injuries pile up. The good (or more compelling): Johnson C. Smith squares off against Virginia State in a key CIAA clash. And we've got Week 6 of the Magnificent Seven rankings.

The Carolina Panthers have a win to build on (finally!). It's homecoming for J.C. Smith after a loss to nationally ranked Virginia Union and the high school game of the week is No. 2 West Charlotte against No. 4 Mallard Creek.

The 49ers are off from football this week, but not far from our panel's thoughts as we review their 1-3 start and look ahead to American Conference play. Preseason basketball drills get underway this week; what must Charlotte do to turn the corner?

Hough High's on top of our weekly Mecklenburg County football rankings. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers (0-2) are in catch-up mode with the Atlanta Falcons coming to Bank of America Stadium.

Nationally-televised game on ESPN. First win of the season in hand. American Conference opener on campus. We're previewing Charlotte 49ers vs. Rice Owls, which also happens to be a homecoming of sorts for Rice coach Scott Abell, who led Davidson football to its most successful era.

Johnson C. Smith's 28-16 takedown of Valdosta State is the Golden Bulls' biggest win in the Maurice Flowers era and catapulted them into the Division II national rankings. The work isn't done though, with a game at CIAA rival Elizabeth City State followed by a road trip to nationally ranked Virginia Union. Could they get caught looking past ECSU?

The Charlotte 49ers try to break into the win column against Monmouth, a nationally ranked FBS program. Charlotte fans are restless after a pair of lackluster results against Appalachian State and North Carolina, but should they be salty three games into the Tim Albin era? Also, another spirited debate about the Magnificent Seven high school football rankings and who should – and shouldn't – be in...

Big football weekend for the city's two collegiate programs. The Charlotte 49ers take on Bill Belichick's North Carolina Tar Heels while Johnson C. Smith squares off against NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State. The best part? The games are separated by seven hours – no conflicts!

Garinger High School football has been irrelevant for a long time but first year coach Jupiter Wilson is determined to write a new narrative. After six straight winless seasons, the Wildcats opened 2025 with a victory and Wilson wants to galvanize the campus through football. Also, there's a new entry in the Magnificent Seven rankings.

One week into the 2025 high school football season, and Hough High moves to the top spot in the weekly Magnificent Seven rankings. There's no rest for the Huskies, though. They travel to No. 4 Independence Friday.

Charlotte's college football teams kick off their seasons this week! The Duke's Mayo Classic brings the Charlotte 49ers and Appalachian State Mountaineers to Bank of America Stadium while Johnson C. Smith and Morehouse College square off in the Essence HBCU Classic at Harvard Stadium. That game is the first Black college football contest in Boston history.

How much was learned from the preseason opener between Carolina and Cleveland? We're handing out grades. What to look for with Game 2 when the Panthers travel to Houston for a date against the Texans?

Shedeur Sanders gets the hype for his NFL debut, but what do the Carolina Panthers need for success? Also: a preview of the new Meck Power Six high school football race.

Before Friday Night Lights, we're looking into Mecklenburg County's football programs on the first week of practices: Who's going places, who's on the come-up and who needs work. Also, a look back at the Charlotte 49ers' first week of preseason drills.

The Charlotte Hornets won the NBA Summer League title, but the real reward might be realized at training camp. Also, we're handicapping the ACC football race during the conference's annual media gathering in Charlotte.

Major League Soccer's summer showcase is coming to Charlotte in 2026, further cementing the region as a hotbed for the sport. Johnson C. Smith has the respect of CIAA football coaches with a predicted second-place finish in the preseason poll. Will the Golden Bulls live up to the hype?

NBA Summer League is around the corner, and which young Hornets need to produce a strong campaign? Also, we preview the ACC's football media extravaganza on July 24-25 as well as the AAC's media showcase, which will include the Charlotte 49ers.

The Charlotte Hornets introduced their draft class and dealt for Collin Sexton and brought back Mason Plumlee to add veteran depth. Why is Charlotte FC as likely to sell the services of MLS All-Star forward Patrick Agyemang than give him a proper contract? Also: Impressions from the FIFA Club World Cup in Charlotte.

The FIFA Club World Cup is bringing international soccer back to Charlotte, and we're bringing in Queen City Football Chronicle's Steve Goldberg to talk about what it means to Charlotte. There's also the tournament's long history and implications for clubs on and off the pitch.

More college basketball in Charlotte with Duke taking on Texas in the Dick Vitale Invitational. Carolina Ascent was done wrong in the USL Super League semifinals, which prompts the question: Where's the accountability for bad refereeing? Also: Who should the Charlotte Hornets take with the fourth pick in the NBA draft?

The Carolina Panthers are giving young players opportunities to shine at OTAs. Will Charlotte turn out for the Carolina Ascent's first-ever postseason game? The CIAA's decision to keep its basketball tournament in Baltimore is less about Charm City than it is the Queen City's lukewarm effort to bring it back.

After going 15-13 as interim basketball coach in 2024-25, Johnson C. Smith promoted Antwain Banks to the position on a permanent basis. Discussion includes overachieving in his first season, transitioning to the CIAA and roster building in the age of NIL and the transfer portal.

We review the PGA Championship run of Scottie Scheffler at Quail Hollow Club and why the world's top golfer is a worthy No. 1. Meanwhile, Charlotte FC's struggles on the pitch continue while the Charlotte Independence and Carolina Ascent are trending in the opposite direction. Also, we look ahead to the HBCU All-Star Weekend, a baseball showcase (with battle of the bands!) in Charlotte and Kannapo...

Johnson C. Smith reached into its past to stabilize women's basketball with the hire of Vanessa Taylor. From 2001-12, she coached the Golden Bulls to a 215-112 record and the 2009 CIAA tournament title. Her challenge: put the program on solid footing after going through five coaches the last three seasons.

Quail Hollow Club is jumping as the world's best golfers are in Charlotte for the PGA Championship; the Hornets still can't catch a break in the NBA Draft lottery and the Panthers' 2025 schedule presents opportunities.