Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb women's basketball head coach Rick Reeves and his staff are pleased to announce the signing of Candace Brown (Summers County H.S./Hinton, W.Va.) to a National Letter of Intent to continue both her academic and athletic career as a Runnin' Bulldog at Gardner-Webb University.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have Candace join our program," stated Coach Reeves.  "Candace played for one of the most successful women's basketball high school programs in the state of West Virginia, where she was a part of a 105-game winning streak and three state championships.  Not only was she one of the top scorers in the country, but she is also a state champion in volleyball and track & field.  Candace was extremely well coached by her coaches Wayne Ryan and Lauren Howell, who happens to be one of many of my former players who are now coaching."

Brown, who led the nation in scoring for most of the season, averaged 36.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 7.2 steals and 3.6 assists per game last year during her senior season at Summers County High School.  The 5-9 guard, who was key to Summers County's 105-game winning streak over her four year career, led her team to an 18-7 overall record in 2011-12 and to a #17 ranking in the state of West Virginia.

Brown, who broke the school record with 49 points in a single game and set a new school record with 27 rebounds in another contest, totaled 914 points and 89 assists during her senior season.  She set new season records for Summers County with 179 steals, 300 made free throws, 301 made field goals and tied the school single-season record with 294 rebounds.

The 2012 and 2011 First Team All-State and First Team-All-Coalfield Conference Team selection was a McDonald's All-American nominee in 2012 and was tabbed the Bluefield Daily Telegraph/Pocahontas Coal Association Player of the Year. Brown, who was also named a Scott Brown Memorial/Beckley Newspapers All-Star selection, was runner up for the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of West Virginia.

For her career, Brown helped Summers County to a 102-7 overall record and to three straight state championships in 2009, 2010 and 2011.  She holds the career record at Summers County High with 490 made free throws, is second all-time in steals with 476 and ranks third all-time in points with 1,679 for her career.

Brown, who also is a 2011 volleyball state champion and a three-time state champion in track & field, joins a 2012 GWU signing class, which already includes Tierney Twing (Verona, Wis.), Savannah Douglass (Eatonton, Ga.), Olivia Parker (Charlotte, N.C.), Doreen Richardson (Salisbury, N.C.) and Alicia Quinn (Charlotte, N.C.).

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