Kennedy Carruth enters her third year on the Belhaven Athletics staff having joined as the Pitching Coach for Belhaven Softball in June of 2024 following a decorated career for the Blazers.
The 2025 campaign saw Carruth McAlpin help the Blazers back to the NCAA Division III Softball Finals for the second time in program history thanks in large part to a stellar pitching staff coached by the Belhaven legend. The pitching staff combined for a 2.62 ERA and a .261 batting average against. Junior right-handed Macy Funderburk earned All-CCS First Team honors while rookie AR Sharp took home CCS Rookie Pitcher of the Year recognition.
Carruth was a star pitcher for the Blazers from 2021-24 helping anchor the most successful stretch in program history. A three-time NFCA All-American, Carruth is the career record holder for Belhaven in the majority of pitching categories including wins, strikeouts and career ERA.
Carruth helped lead the Blazers to their first ever NCAA Division III Women's College World Series appearance in 2024 where Belhaven finished as runners-up and she was named to the All-Championship team. The Louisiana native also led the Blazers to NCAA Regional berths in 2021, 2022 and 2023 with Super Regional appearances in both 2022 and 2023.
While pitching for the Blazers, Carruth helped the program to two Collegiate Conference of the South regular season championships and one tournament championship. Prior to the Blazers' CCS affiliation, Carruth and the Blazers won the 2021 American Southwest Conference titles in both the regular season and conference tournament.
Carruth was named the ASC Pitcher of the Year in both 2021 and 2022 while also earning the league's Newcomer of the Year award in 2021. In 2021, Carruth was also named the ASC's Female Athlete of the Year. Carruth was then named CCS Pitcher of the Year in both 2023 and 2024. She was named an NFCA First Team All-American in 2024 and 2021 as well as an NFCA Second Team All-American in 2022. Carruth is a four-time NFCA All-Region player.
Prior to her time at Belhaven, Carruth spent two seasons at Coastal Alabama South Community College where she played under Belhaven Softball alum and Hall of Famer Mallory Radwitch (née Meadows).
Carruth graduated from Belhaven with a Bachelor's of Science in Sports Management in May of 2022 and a Master's of Business Administration in May of 2024.
In March of 2026, she married former Belhaven Football star Cole McAlpin.
