JACKSON, Miss. - Kennedy Carruth of the Belhaven Softball team has been named as Belhaven's nominee for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Carruth polished off a legendary career for the Green & Gold this year as she continued her dominance on the field and in the classroom. A graduate student, Carruth finished her Master's degree in Business Administration this Spring while helping lead the Blazers to the Division III Women's College World Series and a national runner-up finish.

In her four-year career at Belhaven, the 2024 campaign may have been her strongest, as she landed an NFCA First Team All-America selection while making 42 starts and 44 appearances in the circle. Carruth posted a 31-7 record with 29 complete games and 10 shutouts while finishing the year a 1.53 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 252.1 innings pitched.

At the plate, Carruth also had a stellar year offensively, hitting a career-high .337 and 1.013 OPS while posting a team-high 20 doubles and finishing the campaign with eight home runs, trailing only long-time teammate Allie Gordon. Her 2024 campaign saw her named the Collegiate Conference of the South Pitcher of the Year for a second consecutive season. Along with her success on the field, her success in academics saw her named a CSC Academic All-American and she earned Academic All-Conference honors from the CCS. 

Carruth's impact went beyond the field of play though as she was involved in extracurricular activities around campus and volunteered in her free time. Carruth cites her time as a part of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as influential during her college years, saying her involvement "provided a platform to promote faith-based values and build a supportive community among student-athletes".

Across her time at Belhaven, and previously as a student-athlete in Junior College, Carruth volunteered with multiple service organizations including the Special Olympics and Big Brothers Big Sisters Association. When not in competition, Carruth could be found helping coach youth softball teams in the area, passing on her knowledge and experience to the next generation of student-athletes.

ince 1991, The NCAA Woman of the Year program has recognized graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service, and leadership throughout their college careers. This year a record-breaking 619 female student-athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools for consideration. 

The Woman of the Year Selection Committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the Top 30 honorees — 10 from each division — from the conference-level nominees. Top 30 honorees and nine finalists will be announced on NCAA platforms and the 2024 Woman of the Year will be named at the 2025 NCAA Convention.

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