Rocket Spotlight on Patricia Anumgba

Patricia Anumgba is a graduate student guard on the Toledo women's basketball team from Silver Spring, Maryland. She transferred to Toledo after spending three seasons at Towson. This season, Anumgba is averaging 11.6 points and 2.9 rebounds, and leads the team with 51 steals. She has started all 28 games for Toledo in 2025-26.

Talk about growing up and how you got started in basketball?

I honestly started playing football in the park with my brothers. I actually played tackle football in the park. One time, I got stuck under a pile of four dudes, but I had to suck it up, because I knew if I didn't, they wouldn't let me play again. I didn't start playing organized basketball until middle school. During my gym class, my teacher told me that I should try out for basketball and I did in seventh grade. That was my first year playing organized basketball and that's how I fell in love with it.

Talk about continuing on with basketball through your high school years?

I thought the game was slow when I first started playing in middle school. I first joined an AAU team the summer after seventh grade. One of my teammates told me about an AAU team in a travel league. From there, I told my mom 'I want to pursue this more' and she helped me with AAU. My first AAU team was called Love Elite and we had purple jerseys.

When did you decide that you wanted to play college basketball?

I didn't even know you could go to school and play for free until one of my AAU coaches told me, 'you know you can get your tuition paid for.' My parents are foreign, coming from Côte d'Ivoire, so growing up, they didn't know about AAU or anything like that. People had to tell me. It was probably around my ninth grade year when my AAU coaches told me 'yeah, you can play college ball.' I didn't have a left hand then, but I could shoot a little bit. I kept grinding every summer to get better.

Talk about the start of your career, going from UMBC to UMBC Essex to Toledo?

I was at UMBC in 2020, COVID year – this is why I'm still playing basketball. We played eight games and then our season got canceled. Then I left and went to JUCO (UMBC Essex), where I was technically a freshman. I actually tore my labrum in gym class playing floor hockey in my JUCO year. Then I went to Towson, I had missed the first month of my first year there due to injury, but started playing after that.

When you were at Towson, do you remember playing against Coach Boggess and her Monmouth teams?

I do. I remember that her teams were the ones we did more scout on as compared to other teams in the CAA. We were always more detailed in their scout with them.

After missing last year due to injury, what made you decide to transfer and come to Toledo?

I just wanted a different environment and a different coaching staff. I was attracted to the relationship Coach Ginny and I built during the recruiting process. There's no beef on the team.

Was there a difference going farther away from home? What adjustments did you have to make?

There was a big difference. Food was a big difference. I definitely missed my mom coming over and cooking African meals.

What is it like being the only senior on the team? Is there more pressure to take on a leadership role?

I don't feel pressure being in a leadership role. I feel like I'm 'unc' – my teammates call me 'unc' and joke around about how old I am. Deep down, they're all going to miss me when I'm gone. 'Unc' is a term for an older person. When younger people meet older people, they don't know how to act, so they just start calling people these random names, so that's how I became 'unc.'

Outside of "unc" you have a lot of nicknames. What are they and do you have a favorite one?

They call me "Pat, Patty, P." I don't really have a favorite nickname. I don't really care what someone calls me as not as it's not offensive. I like 'Patty Buckets' too, I'd say that one's top-two.

What would you say you've liked the most about being a Rocket?

I'd say my teammates have been the best part. They're funny off the court and even on the court. I'd say the funniest moment on the court was after the game against Kent State, when KC (Kendall Carruthers) chased me down the court while I was running and holding the ball.

Has your family been able to come up and attend games this year?

Only the Gonzaga game (Nov. 9). My mom actually took the Greyhound bus from Washington, D.C. to get here. It's about an 11-12 hour trip because they made stops and did some sightseeing. A dish I like that my mom makes is called Attiéké. My mom made it when she came up and my roommates liked it. It's made with cassava and she makes some fried fish and pepper sauce with it too.

What does life look like after Toledo and after basketball?

I'm hoping to continue my playing career overseas. I have family in France, so I think it would be cool to play there. Outside of basketball, I want to be a data analyst.

Players Mentioned

Patricia Anumgba

Kendall Carruthers

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