BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – With 35 days left until the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs' season opener at Charlotte, head coach Alex Simmons conducted women's basketball's first official practice Tuesday afternoon.
 
THE PRACTICE
The practice, which took place inside Paul Porter Arena, last just over two hours and saw the 10 returnees take the court with the five newcomers that will join the Runnin' Bulldogs for the 2019-20 campaign.

"We were really focused on enthusiasm and having energy," stated Simmons. "We had a longer preseason than we expected, and I felt like we needed to get better at some things. Now we're understanding that if we want to go where we think we can, we're going to have to work extremely hard."
 
TOP SCORERS RETURN
This year's team features 10 returning players, including three of the top four scorers from last season. Carley Plentovich (Clearwater, Fla. / Calvary Christian) led the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2018-19 with an average of 14.0 points per game. She exploded for a career-high 36 points in a come-from-behind win over USC Upstate in January, and earned First-Team All-Big South and North Carolina Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) All-State honors. Her twin sister Savannah Plentovich (Clearwater, Fla. / Calvary Christian) averaged 10.8 points per game, while Big South All-Freshman honoree Jhessyka Williams (Augusta, Ga. / Laney HS) contributed 9.1 points per game as a true freshman.
 
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
The 2019-20 edition of the Runnin' Bulldogs features four seniors. Morgan Pointer (Greensboro, N.C. / Northwest Guilford HS) and Corinna Wiegand (Neuhof-Giesel, Germany / FT Fulda) join the Plentovich twins as four-year members of the Gardner-Webb women's basketball program. Pointer appeared in 31 contests as a junior with four starts. She averaged 3.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Wiegand, who is one of two international players on the roster, played in eight contests for a total of 42 minutes and averaged 1.3 points per game.

"They're taking ownership that this is their team; this is their season," noted the second-year head coach. "It's their last year. They shouldn't have anything else to give except to each other."

LETTER WINNERS
Three-point shooting threat Mikayla Dyson (Lincolnton, N.C. / Lincolnton HS) along with guard Lauren Adam (Caro, Mich. / Union-Sebewaing Area HS) both lettered as freshmen and will look to build on the success of last season.
 
A trio of returning juniors will see time in the frontcourt for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Gabrielle Caponegro (Allenwood, N.J. / LIU Brooklyn) played her first season in the red and black in 2018-19 after transferring from LIU Brooklyn. She started 29 of 31 contests and averaged a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game. She pulled down a career-best 16 boards in a win against Davidson (Nov. 16). She also contributed 15 points in that contest and swatted away a career-high four shots. Nia Lee (Lawrenceville, Ga. / Collins Hill HS) and Alexis Hueston (Roanoke, Va. / Northside HS) both earned starts last season. Lee started 22 contests and averaged 4.9 rebounds per game, while Hueston saw time in 27 contests with five starts.
 
THE NEWCOMERS
Simmons and the coaching staff signed five players, with three committing to Gardner-Webb in the early signing period last November. Ki'Ari Cain (Sumpter, S.C. / Sumpter HS) is a dynamic guard who earned All-Conference recognition during her time at Sumpter High School and was selected to play in the Junior Showcase in Columbia, South S.C. Guard Lauren Bevis (High Point, N.C. / Homeschooled) averaged over 30 points per game as a junior and finished her career with averages of 24.1 points, 3.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. She will become the third member of the her family to play a sport at Gardner-Webb.
 
On the wing, Grace Knutsen (Alpharetta, Ga. / Alpharetta HS) came to Gardner-Webb from Alpharetta High School. The three-star recruit was given a scout's grade of 87 by ESPN and led the Georgia Pistols Gold to a 2018 national championship.
 
Freshman forward Laura Kozo (Ontario, Canada / J. Addison School) and transfer Lyrissa Deans (Waldorf, Md. / Charlotte) both committed to Gardner-Webb in May. Kozo averaged 14 points and seven rebounds as a senior, while Deans appeared in 19 contests over two seasons with the Charlotte 49ers.

"I could not have asked for a better group of newcomers," said Simmons. "They came in ready to work and are willing to do whatever they need to do to make the team successful. That's all you can ask for. Our freshman class is very strong; they're hard working. They love each other, and they love the team. All they want to do is win."
 
THE SCHEDULE
Gardner-Webb will begin play on November 5 when they travel to Charlotte for a non-conference contest with the 49ers.

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