UNC Charlotte and Chancellor Sharon Gaber have announced that "Mike Hill will no longer serve as the athletic director for the Charlotte 49ers effective immediately." You can read the full statment here. The timing of the firing has caught most everyone I've spoken with off-guard, especially on the heels of a multi-year extension just 13 months ago.

I have no idea if it means anything, but the interim will not come from Athletics, instead Jesh Humprehy, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and General Counsel, will take over. For those wondering, no, Mike Hill did not report to Humprehy, he reported directly to Chancellor Gaber.

Prior to last Football season, I blogged that I thought Hill and then Head Coach Biff Poggi were entering a pivotal season. Two weeks later Mike Hill's extension was annouced, and Poggi was fired middle of November. I personally felt that the extension at that time wasn't warranted based on the lack of success in Hill's key for Football and Men's Basketball. Let's be honest, those drive the bus. Football or Men's Basketball doing well drives eyeballs, ramps up pagentry, creates more interest from potential students, etc. Under Mike HIll's leadership, Charlotte football has gone 26-47, yielding one winning season and bowl appearance. Men's basketball has gone 102-112, with zero NCAA and NIT berths.

I know that expansion for Jerry Richardson Stadium is ongoing, which is amazing and needed, but the fundraising for the project seemed very slow, and if not for the $25 million gift from Smoky and Margaret Bissell, as well as the SCIF funds from the NC Legistature (please correct me if I have any of that wrong, going off memory here), which was championed by Jason Saine while he was in the North Carolina General Assembly. Without those parties, expansion doesn't happen. Outside of the funds from those 2 donations, Charlotte's athletic department raised approximately $10 million. I've always felt this was a red flag.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts coming on X, but I'm still processing the change, and what, if anything, Humprehy being the interim means for Charlotte 49ers Athletics.

The Numbers

Based on Mike HIll's latest extension in September, 2024, his base salary was $400,000. On July 1, 2025, that was moved up an additional $20,000, which puts him at $420,000 base salary, plus an annual supplemental of $250,000, which is paid out in monthly installments. Before looking at additioanl benefits and bonuses, at a minimum, Mike Hill was set to make $670,000 this year from Charlotte. That's a really healthy number and should not be a deterent for future candidates, assuming Charlotte stays in or above this range.

TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE
Mike Hill is due his full and partial contract years of BASE SALARY, but due to an added clause (11.5) in his first agreement, his monies owed will be limited to $1,000,000, excluding, any bonuses earned by not yet paid.

EDIT: the Clause that was added in the first agreement (11.5) was REMOVED in the latest extension, so Mike Hill will be owned his full base salary ($420,000 annually) over the remainder of his deal, which ends June 30, 2030. For years 2026-2030, Hill is due $2.1 million, and owed approximately $87,500 for the remainder of 2025.

TERMINATION BY UNIVERSITY FOR CAUSE
Charlotte would owe nothing, but in return, the university and athletics department would have a black eye for something not so great occuring by Hill, or someone under him.

Hunter Bailey has confirmed via Chancellor Gaber that Hill is fired without cause and will be owed the full amount listed above. - source

Mike HIll's original agreement, plus amendments 1, 2 and 3 are here.

His latest extension/agreement can be found here.