Tunstall Signs With Express Women, Has Potential To Be "Program Changer"

By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Dayton, OH---The Express women's basketball program has landed a potential "program changer" in 5'10" guard/forward Ashley Tunstall.

"Ashley has the ability to be a game and program changer," said Express women's basketball assistant coach Stephen Perry. "She can guard one through four, and she can play inside and outside. I think she's just begun to scratch the surface on how good she can be."

Tunstall played through her junior year at Springfield High School before transferring to Huber Heights Wayne High School. Although she never ended up playing at Wayne, she practiced with the team the entire year.

"I'm excited to get Ashley on campus and in uniform," said Express women's basketball head coach Mike Llanas. "Unfortunate circumstances held her back from competing her senior year at Wayne, so I know she cannot wait to suit up."

"I just wish that Huber Heights and the Wayne community could have seen her play," said Huber Heights head girls basketball coach Geoff Springer via the Huber Heights Courier newspaper. "Because she's the best player that I've coached in girls basketball in the nine years that I've coached. She was the hardest worker we had this year, and she never played a second."

As a junior at Springfield, Tunstall averaged 10.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.3 assists per game. She had eight games of double figures in rebounding, including a season-high 18 twice. Her season-high in points was 29. Following the season, she was named Second Team All-Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) and Special Mention All-District.

"She's going to make everybody on the team better," Springer said.

She averaged 9.3 points and 7.9 rebounds as a sophomore and was named Special Mention All-GWOC.

"I'm excited about going to Owens," Tunstall said. "I like the coaches. They're really nice and willing to help me get to the next level. I'm looking forward to playing with the other players, having fun and hopefully winning the national championship."

Tunstall has also played for the storied AAU program, the Dayton Lady Hoopstars.

"She knows what it takes to compete at a high level," Perry said.

Notes

Tunstall becomes the sixth new member of the 2013-14 Express women's basketball program, which includes five freshmen and one sophomore transfer. She joins Paige Wright (5'10" G, Fort Wayne Northrop High School/Saginaw Valley State University), Zhana Randolph (5'10" G/F, Rochester High School), Hannah Griffin (5'11" F, Edgerton High School), Maura Hackney (6'1" F/C, Edgewood High School) and LaKayra Carlisle (5'10" G/F, Detroit Pershing High School). 

The Express women's basketball team finished 28-8 last season and advanced to the NJCAA D-II National Tournament, where they finished seventh in the nation. During the season, they captured the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) title, as well as the Region XII District I title. Their 28 wins marked the second most in a single season.