BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Head women's basketball coach Alex Simmons completed her first recruiting class today, welcoming three new faces to the Gardner-Webb program for the 2019-20 season.
 
Lauren Bevis (High Point, N.C. / Homeschooled), Ki'Ari Cain (Sumter, SC / Sumter HS) and Grace Knutsen (Alpharetta, Ga. / Alpharetta HS) will all wear Gardner-Webb red once their high school careers are complete.
 
Bevis, the lone in-state signee, becomes the third member of her family to compete in athletics at Gardner-Webb. Her grandfather, Maurice Bevis, and father, Shep Bevis, both played football for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Bevis has played for coaches Rodney Rivers and JT Grimes for the Forsyth Home Educations. The High Point, N.C. native averaged 31 points per game during her junior season and has career stats of 22.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 4.2 steals per game. She has earned Central Carolina Conference All-Conference honors each of the past three seasons and was the Forsyth Home Educators Player of the Year last season. She also earned additional honors from the MaxPreps as a Player of the Week and was the 2017-18 NC High School girls points per game leader. She played AAU basketball for the Winston-Salem Stealers.

"Lauren is a dynamic guard with an ultra high basketball IQ," said Simmons. "She is passionate about the game and works hard at her craft. I anticipate Lauren being a huge asset as soon as she steps foot on campus."
 
Cain, who hails from Sumter, SC, played for Jeff Schaffer at Sumter High where she primarily saw time at the point guard and shooting guard positions. She was named the team MVP and also received the defensive player award during her time with the Fighting Gamecocks of Sumter HS. Following her junior season, Cain earned All-Conference honors and was selected to play in the Junior Showcase in Columbia, SC. Cain played on the AAU circuit for SC Future. The oldest of three children, Cain has an impressive 3.7 GPA and desires to major in communications with plans to be a sports anchor.

"Ki'Ari is the type of guard that any program would love to have," Simmons noted. "She is coachable and wants to learn as much as possible to improve her game. The game of basketball has allowed Ki'Ari to experience great things, and we are glad she chose to be a Runnin' Bulldog.
 
Knutsen, an Alpharetta, Ga. native is the 37^th ranked wing in the Class of 2019 and a three-star recruit with an overall grade of 87 according to ESPN. She played for coach David Walden at Alpharetta High School, primarily getting time at the forward positions. The 6-0 senior once hit seven three-pointers in a game for the Raiders. Knutsen played AAU basketball for the Georgia Pistols Gold and led her team to a 2018 national championship. With her commitment to play at Gardner-Webb, she became the third member of the Georgia Pistols to sign with a Division I program for the 2019-20 season. She is the youngest of three children and is a member of Alpharetta's chapter of the National Honor Society. Knutsen plans to pursue an exercise science degree and wants to become a physical therapist.

"Grace is very versatile and can play both on the wing and in the post," Simmons said. "She has played at a high level throughout her travel and high school basketball career. I have no doubt that Grace will contribute to our basketball program in multiple ways."
 
Gardner-Webb will return to action more than a week off from play when it hosts the Pfeiffer Falcons on Monday, November 26 at 6 p.m for the final game of its four-game homestand.