Card edge connector assembly with support structure

A card edge connector assembly comprising:

• a card edge connector having a housing defining a card slot configured to receive a paddle card of a pluggable module, the housing having a base configured to be mounted to a host circuit board, the housing holding contacts in the card slot to electrically connect to the paddle card, the housing having a locating surface on an exterior of the housing;
• and
• support hardware coupled to the housing, the support hardware having a base including a cavity receiving the card edge connector, the support hardware includes a locating surface in the cavity engaging the locating surface of the housing to register the location of the support hardware to the card edge connector, the support hardware having a support beam extending from the base, the support beam having a pocket receiving the pluggable module, the support beam having a support surface configured to support the pluggable module independent of the card edge connector such that the paddle card is oriented in the card slot relative to the contacts for electrical connection therewith, the support hardware having a latch coupled to the support beam latchably coupled to the pluggable module to secure the pluggable module in the support hardware electrically coupled to the card edge connector, wherein the latch includes a latch handle and a latch tab coupled to the latch handle, the latch tab having a latching finger configured to engage the pluggable module to latchably secure the pluggable module in the support hardware, the latch handle having a tether coupled thereto configured to pull the latch handle and the latch tab to release the pluggable module.