Four candidates who could replace Charlotte 49ers basketball coach Aaron Fearne

It has been a busy week inside Halton Arena, where the Charlotte 49ers moved on from head men’s basketball head coach Aaron Fearne and opened the first coaching search in the American Conference on Tuesday.

Less than a month after starting his new role, athletic director Kevin White made his first personnel change, moving on from Fearne following three seasons and a 47-51 record with the 49ers.

Once NCAA Tournament regulars spanning the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Charlotte’s tournament drought has now ballooned to 21 years. And despite an exciting run in the American Conference tournament — to Charlotte’s recent standards — White and the university elected to buy out Fearne’s $1.5 million contract, which originally ran through 2029.

Fearne joins a list of major buyouts on the university’s books, featuring former athletic director Mike Hill ($2.2 million) and former head football coach Biff Poggi ($1.3 million).

As White now unpacks his boxes, sets up his new office, and begins to wrap his arms around the 19 programs on Charlotte’s campus, he’s faced with a defining first task — hiring a men’s basketball coach to end the March Madness drought.

“Our men’s basketball program is critical to the department’s overall success,” said White. “It must regularly compete for American Conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths.”

With the tournament tipping off on Thursday, some of the 49ers’ reported candidates are still in contention for a national title, while others have been relieved of their previous roles and are joining the coaching carousel.

Here’s a list of candidates that could take over the Charlotte 49ers’ men’s basketball program:

Emanuel Dildy

Coaching just two hours up the road in Durham, current Duke assistant coach Emanuel Dildy is under consideration to take over the Charlotte role, per source. Dildy joined the Blue Devils as an assistant coach in 2023, before being elevated to associate head coach under Jon Scheyer last season.

“I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Emanuel the past two seasons, and his impact on our program has been tremendous,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said upon Dildy’s promotion. “He’s an elite recruiter, a detailed teacher of the game, and someone whose tireless work ethic sets the tone for our staff and players. Emanuel’s leadership, energy, and passion embody what Duke Basketball is all about, and I’m excited to elevate him into this well-deserved role as associate head coach.”

The Blue Devils’ assistant coach position has served as a springboard as of late, with current Miami Hurricanes head coach Jai Lucas making the jump last season, and Evan Bradds taking the Belmont job earlier this week — marking three straight seasons of Scheyer losing at least one assistant.

And despite no previous head coaching experience, Dildy could be the next on the move.

Currently coaching Duke’s wings, Dildy worked with Charlotte Hornets’ rookie Kon Knueppel last season, and is guiding NBA Lottery pick-hopeful Isiah Evans this season.

Prior to his time in Durham, Dildy served as associate head coach with Oklahoma (2022-23), and as an assistant with Northwestern (2018-2021), Valparaiso (2017-18), Missouri (2016-17), Loyola Chicago (2013-16), and Eastern Illinois (2012-13).

Earl Grant

Grant, recently fired by Boston College after posting a 72-92 record spanning five seasons, has deep ties to the Carolinas.

Prior to his stint with the Eagles, Grant rejuvenated the College of Charleston program (2014-2021), making it a consistent championship contender in the Colonial Athletic Association. Grant led Charleston to the NCAA Tournament in 2018, posting a 127-89 record as head coach before moving to the ACC. He is a native of North Charleston, South Carolina.

While not crossing paths with new AD White at Clemson (White was Clemson’s deputy AD from 2022-2026), Grant served as an assistant under Brad Brownell for four seasons (2010-2014), focusing on both recruiting and player development. Before Clemson, Grant made local stops at Winthrop (2004-07) and The Citadel (2002-04) in assistant roles.

It doesn’t hurt that Grant spent five seasons leading Boston College, where Red Ventures CEO Ric Elias went to school. But what would those two have in common, as it ties to Charlotte?

Elias has been heavily involved in Charlotte’s basketball program, and has formed a connection with the university after speaking on campus last year.

He has been seated courtside for several games at Halton Arena alongside athletics administrators and is considered “the man behind the curtain” with the men’s basketball program, per a source.

Grant was a target for the 49ers back in 2018, before hiring Ron Sanchez.

Wes Miller

Miller’s name has been tied to the Charlotte job since the day that the university parted ways with Aaron Fearne, originally reported by Pete Nakos of On3.

The Greensboro native spent the past five seasons as head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats, where he posted a 100-74 record, despite never reaching the NCAA Tournament (two NIT quarterfinals appearances). Cincinnati elected to part ways with Miller last week at the end of a disappointing season, finishing seventh in the Big 12 and losing to UCF in the second round of the conference tournament.

In a surprising move, Cincinnati and Miller agreed to terms on a mutual separation in which he accepted a lump-sum payment of $3.1 million rather than the $4.9 million he was owed, per The Athletic. That move effectively allows Miller to pursue a potential next stop immediately.

Miller spent 10 years as the head coach of UNC Greensboro, guiding the Spartans to a 185-135 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017-18 and 2020-21. He was a two-time SoCon Coach of the Year, winning two conference tournament titles and three regular-season championships in his time in Greensboro.

With deep ties in the Carolinas, Miller played for Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels from 2003-07, winning a national championship in 2005.

And Miller has experience in the American Conference, taking charge of the Cincinnati program before its departure to the Big 12 in 2023.

Much like Grant, Charlotte had Miller on their shortlist in 2018, but the university didn’t move forward with the interview process, prioritizing Sanchez.

Tod Kowalczyk

Kowalczyk seems like a long shot for the job today, but does have a significant tie to the university — working with Charlotte chancellor Sharon L. Gaber in her time with Toledo.

Kowalczyk has been the head coach of Toledo since 2010, leading the Rockets to a 315-211 record over 16 years, including four NIT appearances in five years from 2018-2023.

There was mutual interest between Charlotte and Kowalczyk after Sanchez unexpectedly stepped down ahead of the 2023-24 season, as the two met for a virtual interview, but nothing ever materialized. After winning the College Basketball Invitational in Sanchez’s last season, the players on the roster advocated for Fearne to get an opportunity as head coach — and with the timing of Sanchez’s departure, Charlotte elected to take a flyer on Fearne and didn’t extend any external offers, per source.

This story was originally published March 21, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Four candidates who could replace Charlotte 49ers basketball coach Aaron Fearne."