BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Coach Alex Simmons has inked five players to National Letters of Intent for the 2020-21 season with the five student-athletes representing four different states.
Wing Micahla Funderburk is the lone signee from the state of North Carolina, while two players – Forwards Emma Capps and Alasia Smith – represent Tennessee. Guard Cierra Bell also hails from the southeast, making her way to Gardner-Webb from Hampton, Va., while guard Emily Gillis will have the furthest distance to travel to Boiling Springs as she will make the trek from Levittown, N.Y., which is over 700 miles from campus.
"I am very excited about our 2020 recruiting class," said Simmons. "We knew that the seniors that are graduating in 2020 were all pivotal to our team so it was important for us to go out and find young women who could immediately fit in our program. Our staff did a great job of putting together a recruiting class that will fit Gardner-Webb standards on and off the court."
Funderburk (Charlotte, N.C. / Butler HS) stands 5-9 and plays for coach Mark Sanders at Butler High School where she has primarily seen time as a shooting guard and small forward. She has averaged 16 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals through three seasons of high school basketball. In 2018-19, Funderburk's Butler Bulldogs team went 28-3 overall and 13-1 in conference play. The Bulldogs made a run to the Final Four of the 4A state tournament where they fell to West Forsyth. On an individual level, Funderburk racked up the accolades as a junior and also broke the Butler High School for three-pointers in a game with seven. She set a new career-high of 29 points against Mallard Creek and was named Southwestern 4A All-Conference and an All-District Third-Team member. Funderburk is the leader in three-point field goals made for the Southwestern 4A Conference. The Charlotte, N.C. native plans to major in criminal justice at Gardner-Webb.
"Micahla is a high volume shooter and can score on every level," said Simmons. "She brings a competitive edge to our team and a championship mentality."
Capps (Crossville, Tenn. / Stone Memorial High School) has had an impressive high school career at Stone Memorial HS while playing for one of the most prestigious AAU teams in the Southeast – Tennessee Flight Select. At Stone Memorial, Capps has averaged 14.6 points per game with a career high of 33 points. Entering her senior season, she has already surpassed the 1,000-point mark. Last season, she helped the Panthers to a 18-8 overall record and 6-1 mark in district play. Stone Memorial ended its 2018-19 campaign ranked 13th in the state of Tennessee according to MaxPreps. Capps, a 6-1 forward, was named to the All-Region and All-District squads as a sophomore and junior. As a freshman in 2016-17, Capps was named to the District 6 3A All-Tournament team and was the Most Valuable Player as a sophomore and junior. She has also been recognized as the tournament MVP at both the Maryville Heritage Christmas Tournament (2016) and the Daytona Beach Sunshine Classic (2017). At Gardner-Webb, Capps intends to major in exercise science.
"Emma has the potential to be one of the most versatile stretch fours on our team," noted Simmons. "She can play inside or out and has a knack for the basketball. Her basketball IQ is extremely high, and she has an incredible work ethic."
Smith (Johnson City, Tenn. / Science Hill HS) is the Runnin' Bulldogs' second signee from Tennessee. The Science Hill product intends to major in sports management. On the court, she has already won four varsity letters for head coach Scottie Whaley. By the end of her junior season, she had surpassed both the 1,000-point and 500-rebound mark. She has averaged an impressive double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. She has been named to the Big Seven All-Conference team each of the past three seasons and was a two-time conference Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, following the 2017-18 season she was named First-Team All-Northeast Tennessee and was the Defensive Player of the Year for Northeast Tennessee at the end of the 2016-17 season. From a team standpoint, Smith's Science Hill squad was the District 1 and Region 1 champions in 2017-2018 and also won substrate. The program made the Elite Eight of the TSSAA state tournament in 2018-19. Last season, the Hilltoppers finished 24-4 overall. On the AAU circuit, Smith competed with the Trotters. She intends to major in sports management.
"Alasia is extremely versatile" said the second-year head coach. "Her rebounding tenacity and instinctive prowess on the court is tough. She doesn't know anything except to play extremely hard and also comes from a historical championship-winning high school program in Tennessee."
Bell (Hampton, Va. / Hampton HS) has averaged 15.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals through three seasons on the hardwood for coach Shanda Bailey at Hampton High School. The 5-10 guard earned four accolades following the conclusion of her junior season in 2018-19. Bell was named to the Daily Press All-Athletic team and was also a First-Team Peninsula District selection. At the regional level, she was a First-Team honoree, while she collected Second-Team All-Sate honors. She led the Hampton Crabbers to a 20-4 record as a junior, including a perfect 16-0 mark in region play. The Crabbers put together winning streaks of seven and 13 games respectively on their way to the 20-win season. She played AAU basketball for Boo Williams Elite and averaged 12 points per contest. In the classroom, Bell boasts a 3.3 GPA and is an honor roll student, as well as an All-Academic team member. Her intended major at Gardner-Webb is sport education.
Said Simmons: "Cierra's athleticism is uncanny. She has the ability to guard all five positions and will give our team a different dimension defensively because of her quickness and competitive spirit. She loves to compete and plays at a high level on both ends."
Gillis (Levittown, N.Y. / Division Avenue HS) is a three-sport athlete at Division Avenue High School having played soccer and lacrosse and women's basketball. On the hardwood, she has played shooting guard for coach Steve Robins and has earned five varsity letters. The 5-11 guard has averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds per game through her junior season. She was named All-Conference at the end of the 2016-17 campaign and All-County in both 2017-18 and 2018-19. Gillis has been named to numerous All-Tournament teams including All-Tournament Team for the Freeport and MacArthur HS tournaments. She was an NY State BCANY Nassau County team member and played in the Nassau County vs. Suffolk County All-Stars Alzheimer's Classic. Gillis played travel basketball with the Long Island Lightening and was named to the Gym Rat and USJN Pool All-Tournament Teams in 2018 and 2019. The Lightning were also Run for the Roses Champions in 2018. A decorated student, Gillis is a member of Division Avenue's Chapter of the National Honor Society and the Art Honor Society. She also received the Kevin Thomas Leadership Award.
"Emily is a pure shooter," Simmons stated. "She seeks out her shots and does a great job reading the defense. Losing Carley and Savannah, will be a huge hit for our team, but I know that Emily will be able to learn our system and eventually step into a huge role for our team."
The five signees will all join the Gardner-Webb women's basketball program for the 2020-2021 season. For the latest news and notes on the Runnin' Bulldogs' women's basketball program, visit gwusports.com or follow @GWU_WBK on Twitter and Instagram.
