BOILING SPRINGS - Gardner-Webb University added the final piece to its men's basketball staff by hiring former Runnin' Bulldog point guard Takayo Siddle.

Siddle replaces Michael Lee, who accepted a coaching position at the University of San Francisco earlier this summer.

Siddle joins the staff in Boiling Springs after spending one season as an assistant coach with the postgraduate team at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatam, Va. - historically one of the most successful prep school programs in the nation.

"Takayo is a great addition to our coaching staff," said GWU head coach Chris Holtmann. "He is familiar with the university, the area and knows the state of North Carolina very well. His familiarity in those areas will be of great importance to us in recruiting right away. He is also a solid young man who is eager to get his start in college coaching, and his enthusiasm for the game and for his alma mater will rub off on our players."

Serving under head coach Kevin Keatts last season, Siddle helped the Tigers to another extremely successful campaign that saw 12 players sign NCAA Division I scholarships - including five who will play in either the ACC, SEC, Big East or Big Ten next season as freshmen.

Siddle is no stranger to Boiling Springs, N.C., having played four seasons with the Runnin' Bulldogs before graduating in 2009. As a freshman, Siddle was a key part of teams that upset Minnesota and East Carolina on the road and that took defending national champion North Carolina to the final buzzer.

As a junior, Siddle helped Gardner-Webb upset No. 20 Kentucky in Rupp Arena and advance to the final four of the 2007 2K Sports College Hoops Classic in Madison Square Garden. Siddle played in 32 games that season, averaging 5.5 points for a team that won 16 games.

The Eden, N.C., native started all 30 games for the Runnin' Bulldogs as a sophomore, averaging a career-best 8.6 points per game and dishing off 104 assists. He played in 21 games as a freshman, and finished his career with 114 games played in four seasons.

Siddle's brightest moment in Boiling Springs came in a 95-90, double overtime win vs. Liberty in Paul Porter Arena - when he scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the two overtime periods to key the victory. Siddle hit a three with 10.0 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, then scored a four points in a five-second flurry at the end of the first overtime to force a final five minutes of play. Two of those game-saving points came on a 17-foot leaner after a stolen inbounds pass with just one second on the clock.

Siddle played one postgraduate season at Hargrave Military Academy under Coach Keatts before beginning his playing career at Gardner-Webb and was part of a very successful N.C. Gaters AAU program during his prep career.