Shawn Guderian and UNCW fell to Charlotte 3-1 last season.

It has been a year of firsts for the UNCW mens soccer team, but UNC Wilmington’s first round opponent in the 2009 NCAA College Cup is no stranger to the Seahawks or Head Coach Aidan Heaney, as UNCW visits in-state rival Charlotte on Nov. 19, for a 7 p.m. start at Transamerica Field.
The Seahawks, who earned the Colonial Athletic Association’s automatic bid to the championship with a 1-0 win over Northeastern, concluded the regular season with an overall mark of 14-2-4 while the 49ers went 11-3-5.
“We’re excited to be in the tournament and eager to get on the field,” said Heaney. “Charlotte is a quality opponent who has a solid season. They are a dangerous opponent who already has a win at Wake Forest to their credit.”

Coincidentally, the winner will advance to play Wake Forest, #3 overall seed in the tournament, Sunday at 1:00. While UNCC has already tallied a win over the Deacons, UNCW needs a round one win first to get their shot to do likewise.

UNCW enters the match ranked as high as 18th in Soccer America’s poll and 19th in Collegesoccernew.com’s. The 49ers, who earned an at-large bid to the 48-team field, was ranked 23rd in the Collegesoccer.com rankings. Charlotte is making its first appearance in the College Cup since 1997.

Heaney has perhaps the strongest ties to Charlotte, having lettered for four seasons with the 49ers as a goalkeeper (1988-91) and having his number retired in 2003.

The 49ers hold a slim 6-5-2 mark in the all-time series, including a 3-1 win in 2008 at the UNCW Soccer Stadium in the UNCW/Courtyard by Marriott Classic. UNCW’s last win in the series came in 1983 when the Seahawks claimed a 3-1 decision in Charlotte.

Ticket information will be announced in the near future.

Information and photo provided by UNCW.