HOLLAND, Ohio — Since arriving at the University of Toledo last month, first-year head coach Ginny Boggess has been busy between forming a staff and recruiting.
On Sunday, her most recent addition to the team came with familiarity to Northwest Ohio.
"It's very exciting, my heart is so happy right now," said Kendall Carruthers, an alum of Springfield High School. "Being closer to home, seeing my family and them coming to see my games. I'm very excited."
Carruthers is a 5-foot, 7-inch sophomore guard who spent her first collegiate season at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, her only Division I offer coming out of high school.
Motivated and determined to prove herself, she used that opportunity to make a quick impact. Starting all 32 games for the Red Flash, she averaged 14.2 points per game including a career-high 32 points against Wagner.
Carruthers' performance earned her Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and All-NEC 1st team.
"It says a lot, I know I put the hard work in," she said. "So, me getting all of this interest and getting a chance to play for Toledo shows hard work pays off. If you keep your head up, you'll achieve your goals."
At Springfield, she earned All-State honors twice while achieving a co-NLL Player of the Year Award as a junior.
In 2022-23, she led the Blue Devils to the program's first regional final appearance.
Now, the prolific scorer is looking to help the Rockets continue their standard of success, which is a big reason Carruthers chose to come home revolved around her conversations with UT's new leader.
"Coach B [Boggess] is a wonderful coach, her personality really spoke out to me the most," Carruthers said. "I felt like I had a genuine connection with her."