Gardner-Webb Women's Basketball Adds Tremendous Fall Recruiting Class
November 10, 2022 | Women's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb women's basketball announced a strong fall recruiting class on Wednesday, signing six women to National Letters of Intent.
Head Coach Alex Simmons welcomed guards Lauren Bailey (Greeneville, Tenn. / Greeneville HS), Joelle Davis (Durham, N.C. / Durham Academy), Ally Hollifield (Shelby, N.C. / Shelby HS) and Kayla Martin (Queens, N.Y. / St. Francis Prep) as well as forwards Janae Walker (Tyrone, Ga. / Sandy Creek HS) and Latazia Williamson (Nashville, Tenn. / Hillsboro HS).
"We approached this fall recruiting class aggressively and our staff did a wonderful job identifying talented players who fit our program," said Simmons. "Each one of these young ladies will assist us in continuing to raise Gardner-Webb women's basketball to the highest level."
Bailey is a 5-foot-10 guard who has been named Class 3A All-State in Tennessee twice at Greeneville High. She has scored more than 1,500 career points heading into her senior season and was named Greene County Player of the Year in 2022 by the Greeneville Sun newspaper. Bailey averaged 18.6 points per game last season and led her team to a 27-9 record and its first state tournament berth since 2010.
Davis is a 5-foot-10 guard who starred last season at Durham (N.C.) Academy, scoring 12.5 points per game to go with 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. She scored a season-high 23 points in a 53-50 win over Charlotte Christian as a junior.
Hollifield joins the Gardner-Webb family from nearby Shelby (N.C.) High after averaging 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game as a junior for the Golden Lions. She enters her senior season with 966 career points and was an All-State selection as a sophomore after pouring in 18.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Martin is a 5-foot-9 guard who plays at St. Francis Prep in Queens, N.Y., for a strong Terriers' program. She helped the New Heights 17U AAU program to five tournament wins during the summer of 2022.
Walker is a dominant, 6-foot-4 forward who earned All-County honors last season at Sandy Creek (Ga.) High. She averaged 13.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game as a junior, including a big night with 19 points and 21 rebounds vs. Mount Vernon High.
Fast-rising forward Latazia Williamson helped Hillsboro (Tenn.) High to a playoff run after averaging 10 points and seven rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-1 standout also blocked 1.5 shots per game for a team that was victorious 22 times.
Gardner-Webb opens its home schedule on Saturday afternoon, hosting UNC Greensboro at 2:00 pm in Paul Porter Arena. Log on to GWUSports.com for tickets.
Head Coach Alex Simmons welcomed guards Lauren Bailey (Greeneville, Tenn. / Greeneville HS), Joelle Davis (Durham, N.C. / Durham Academy), Ally Hollifield (Shelby, N.C. / Shelby HS) and Kayla Martin (Queens, N.Y. / St. Francis Prep) as well as forwards Janae Walker (Tyrone, Ga. / Sandy Creek HS) and Latazia Williamson (Nashville, Tenn. / Hillsboro HS).
"We approached this fall recruiting class aggressively and our staff did a wonderful job identifying talented players who fit our program," said Simmons. "Each one of these young ladies will assist us in continuing to raise Gardner-Webb women's basketball to the highest level."
Bailey is a 5-foot-10 guard who has been named Class 3A All-State in Tennessee twice at Greeneville High. She has scored more than 1,500 career points heading into her senior season and was named Greene County Player of the Year in 2022 by the Greeneville Sun newspaper. Bailey averaged 18.6 points per game last season and led her team to a 27-9 record and its first state tournament berth since 2010.
Davis is a 5-foot-10 guard who starred last season at Durham (N.C.) Academy, scoring 12.5 points per game to go with 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. She scored a season-high 23 points in a 53-50 win over Charlotte Christian as a junior.
Hollifield joins the Gardner-Webb family from nearby Shelby (N.C.) High after averaging 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game as a junior for the Golden Lions. She enters her senior season with 966 career points and was an All-State selection as a sophomore after pouring in 18.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Martin is a 5-foot-9 guard who plays at St. Francis Prep in Queens, N.Y., for a strong Terriers' program. She helped the New Heights 17U AAU program to five tournament wins during the summer of 2022.
Walker is a dominant, 6-foot-4 forward who earned All-County honors last season at Sandy Creek (Ga.) High. She averaged 13.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game as a junior, including a big night with 19 points and 21 rebounds vs. Mount Vernon High.
Fast-rising forward Latazia Williamson helped Hillsboro (Tenn.) High to a playoff run after averaging 10 points and seven rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-1 standout also blocked 1.5 shots per game for a team that was victorious 22 times.
Gardner-Webb opens its home schedule on Saturday afternoon, hosting UNC Greensboro at 2:00 pm in Paul Porter Arena. Log on to GWUSports.com for tickets.
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