It was the dawn of a new era. Charlotte was adding its first sport of the decade and the women’s soccer team was set to join its male counterparts as another tradition-rich program in 49ers’ history.
After the program was announced Nov. 17, 1993, head coach Robbie Church was hired Feb. 5, 1994, with a goal of fielding the first squad that fall. The quick turnaround resulted in the first recruiting class, signed April 24, 1994.
Without much lead-time preparation, and a handful of transfers on his roster, Church and his Charlotte squad traveled to Lynchburg, Virginia, for the program’s first game.