Barefoot signs transfer trio as first recruits

WILMINGTON, North Carolina (UNCWSports.com) – New UNCW head women’s basketball coach Karen Barefoot has landed a trio of transfers as her first recruits.

Ashli Jeune, a 5-10 guard from Westampton, N.J., and Shrita Parker, a 5-7 guard from Virginia Beach, Va., join the Seahawks after transferring from Rutgers, while Gianna Smith, a 5-10 guard from Norfolk, Va., comes to UNCW after two years at Old Dominion.

“I am extremely excited to coach these three players and welcome them to our Seahawk family,” said Barefoot, who was named as the Seahawks’ coach on May 3. “They are outstanding individuals with success both on and off the floor. They are great leaders, are very passionate and are extremely competitive and eager to build something special at UNCW.”

Jeune missed last season after suffering an injury, but came off the bench in 21 contests as a redshirt freshman in 2015-16. She scored a season-high five points against Iona with two rebounds.

Prior to her time at Rutgers, Jeune helped Life Center Academy post a 100-28 record and led the team to the National Association of Christian Athletics (NACA) Division I Championship. She finished with over 1,000 points in her career and was a Second-Team All-County pick in 2013.

“Ashli is a long and outstanding defender who hustles and can knock down the 3,” Barefoot said.

Parker, who will have one year of eligibility remaining, averaged 6.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and started 42-of-86 contests. She earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference distinction after scoring 12.1 points per game and starting 28-of-29 contests.

As a sophomore, Parker earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and played in 31 games, scoring 5.1 points per game, including a season-high 18 points against Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament. Parker also averaged 2.5 points per game in 26 appearances during her freshman campaign.

According to Coach Barefoot, “Shrita is a tremendous point guard with great vision. She can make plays for others and can also create for herself. She is also an outstanding on-ball defender.”

Smith, who played for Barefoot during her tenure at Old Dominion, started 20-of-31 games for the Lady Monarchs in 2016-17 and tied for fourth on the team with 5.8 points per game. She posted six double-digit scoring efforts, including a career-high 17 points against Charlotte on Feb. 19.

During her freshman season, Smith played in 33 games with 19 starts, averaging 6.0 points with 2.2 rebounds per contest.

“I have had the pleasure of coaching Gianna over the last two years,” Barefoot said. “She is a strong guard who is versatile, tough minded and can score from anywhere on the court. Gianna is a proven winner and will be a great addition to this team.”