TOLEDO, Ohio – Junior guard Kendall Carruthers has been selected among the Mid-American Conference's 2025-26 women's basketball preseason honors as a First Team Preseason All-MAC selection, the conference office announced on Tuesday.

Toledo was picked second of 13 teams among the league's coaches in the preseason poll. Toledo received two first-place votes and three votes to win the 2026 MAC Tournament in Cleveland. Kent State was picked as the preseason and tournament favorite.
 
Entering her second season in the Glass City, Carruthers was an Honorable Mention All-MAC pick a season ago. She averaged 11.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.8 steals as a sophomore in 2024-25. Carruthers shot 42.2% from the field, 38.0% from three-point range and 81.8% from the foul line last season, ranking seventh in the MAC from the foul line and eighth from beyond the arc.
 
Carruthers totaled 20 double-digit scoring outings, including 14 times during MAC play. She surged for 21 points in a Battle of I-75 victory against Bowling Green and poured in 20 in a late season matchup against Central Michigan. The Toledo native also drained the game-winning shot in the final seconds in a thrilling road victory at Buffalo, a game where she scored 14 points with seven rebounds.
 
The Rockets are coming off a 24-9 (13-5 MAC) season which featured appearances in the MAC Tournament Championship game and the WBIT in 2024-25. The Rockets open up the 2025-26 campaign on the road at Troy on Monday, Nov. 3 in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Toledo opens up at Savage Arena in a key early test against defending WCC regular season champion Gonzaga on Nov. 9.
 
2025-26 Preseason All-MAC Teams
First Team
Kendall Carruthers – Toledo, Jr.
Sisi Eleko – Eastern Michigan, Sr.
Paige Kohler – Bowling Green, Jr.
Madi Morson – Central Michigan, So.
Janae Tyler – Kent State, Jr.
 
Second Team
Mya Babbitt – Kent State, Jr.
Yahmani McKayle – UMass, So.
Megan Olbrys – UMass, Sr.
Ayanna-Sarai Darrington – Central Michigan, So.
Amber Tretter - Miami, Jr.
 
2025-26 MAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Kent State (5) – 133 points
2. Toledo (2) – 118 points
3. UMass (3) – 115 points
4. Ball State (3) – 112 points
5. Central Michigan – 105 points
6. Bowling Green – 101 points
7. Miami – 86 points
8. Akron – 51 points
9. Western Michigan – 48 points
10. Ohio – 44 points
11. Buffalo – 42 points
12. Eastern Michigan – 36 points
13. Northern Illinois – 23 points
 
Tournament Champion: Kent State – 5, Toledo – 3, UMass – 3, Ball State – 1, Miami – 1