So I guess there’s some kind of soccer tournament happening this weekend. Creighton will play UNC Charlotte, who are endearingly nicknamed the 49ers, in the national semifinals.
Charlotte are the underdog of this year’s College Cup, though I have no shame in pointing out that I predicted them to make the final four this year. That prediction was based on absolutely no knowledge, and I can’t prove that I did it, so you’ll have to take my word for it. Anyway, Charlotte finished third in the Atlantic Ten, and came into the NCAA Tournament unseeded, though they spent all season bouncing around the top twenty-five. Charlotte beat Furman, UAB, defending national champion Akron, and UConn on their way to the College Cup.
They’re led by freshman Giuseppe Gentile, who is just racking up the individual accolades this year. The six-foot forward has scored ten goals this season, five of which have been game-winners. His supporting cast includes forward Evan James and fullback Charles Rodriguez, who were both recently invited to January’s MLS Combine. (They’ll meet up there with Ethan Finlay, Greg Jordan, and Andrew Duran, who were also invited to participate.) The 49ers pride themselves on possession in the midfield, unselfishness, and determination.
Charlotte, you may know, was the first Division I coaching gig for a young upstart named Bob Warming. Warming would leave the Queen City for a small Catholic university called Creighton, where his legacy need not be extolled. Charlotte is also only a quick two-hour jaunt down I-85 from Chapel Hill, where Coach Bolowich coached for seven thousand years before coming to the Hilltop.
Predictions are useless anymore, so I won’t even bother making one. You can be sure both teams will give it everything they’ve got tomorrow, as both Charlotte and Creighton will be seeking their first national championships in school history.
Stick with WBR for the best and latest coverage of this weekend’s events, including our running diary from Hoover, exclusive interviews, and tons more. Or maybe just a little more.