Kayla Spruill is making her mark, and inching close to leaving one, at La Salle

Graduate student Kayla Spruill is on her way to becoming the most prolific three-point shooter in La Salle women’s basketball history.

Jamie Walsh’s team record of 208 career three-pointers made has stood since 2010, but Spruill is closing in on the mark, sitting at 204 with nine games remaining in the regular season.

Spruill’s contributions on offense have helped La Salle (13-8, 4-2 Atlantic 10) to fourth place through six games of conference play. The team has won four straight A-10 matchups, the most recent victory coming on the road Sunday against the newest addition to the conference, Loyola Chicago. Spruill put up 15 points in the 67-51 win, including three three-pointers.

Spruill entered this season coming off a senior year when she earned All-A-10 and All-Big 5 first-team honors. She led the Explorers to a 16-12 finish in 2021-22, the team’s first winning record in five years, and a fifth-place conference finish. Spruill is averaging 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds this season.

“Once we realized that we were able to have that [extra] COVID year [of eligibility], it was always the plan to return,” Spruill said. “I got used to the atmosphere and the coaches around me, and I just liked it here.”

But getting to where she is now hasn’t always been straightforward. Spruill struggled with injuries throughout high school and missed her entire senior season in Baltimore after suffering a torn ACL — for the second time.

Once she finally got to La Salle, she saw limited minutes, averaging 5.2 points off the bench as a freshman.

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Spruill’s sophomore season at La Salle also was her breakout season. She started 28 games and played the most minutes out of anyone on the Explorers’ roster. Spruill’s averages of 11 points and 6.1 rebounds were good for second on the team.

“It could be described as really hard, trying to imagine myself being where I am today because of the injuries, but I think because of the support system I have around me at school and at home, I’m not really surprised at where I am,” Spruill said. “I’m more just really happy that I was able to achieve the goals that I set for myself.”

The step-up in her game was noticeable, and Spruill was recognized as the Big 5′s most improved player.

“It’s been really fun watching her become the player that she is,” La Salle coach Mountain MacGillivray said. “You could see it in her makeup as a freshman. She had her same relaxed demeanor and her calm presence, but maybe was too relaxed and too calm as a freshman. And she’s matured out of that.”

When Spruill first arrived at La Salle, she joined a program focused on rebuilding under its new head coach, MacGillivray. Now she’s one of several veterans in La Salle’s rotation, and expectations are higher, especially following the success of last season.

“She doesn’t get too high, and she doesn’t get too low,” MacGillivray said. “I think that’s a really important trait for our kids to learn from. She has great days and she has some days that aren’t as great, and you can never tell the difference.”

Spruill put up a 17-point performance against George Washington on Jan. 14, which also marked her first double-double of the season with 11 boards. She also set career highs in blocked shots with four and in assists with five and was the difference-maker in the Explorers’ second consecutive A-10 victory.

Spruill also knocked down her 200th career three-pointer in that game, putting her eight away from tying the record.

Spruill’s focus isn’t on the record books, though.

“I didn’t even know that until you said it,” she said after the GW game. “It makes me feel grateful that I’m part of a team that I’m able to do things like get 200 threes.”

Spruill’s value to the Explorers isn’t just limited to her scoring. MacGillivray describes her as a “quiet leader” who sets an example for her teammates with her composure and consistency.

Even on a quiet night on offense, Spruill finds other ways to contribute. During La Salle’s Jan. 18 win against Big 5 rival St. Joseph’s, Spruill added another three-pointer to her career total but was uncharacteristically held to seven points.

“I just broke down our St. Joe’s game the other night,” MacGillivray said. “Her statistical line wasn’t really impressive, but after just watching all the little other things she did, she was one of our best performers in that game.”

Spruill’s 1,511 career points put her sixth all-time for La Salle. She also boasts a 38.4% career three-point percentage, good for eighth all-time.

“To be able to have players who can come in here and compete against what other kids have done historically, you know, is kind of a nice way to link the past with the present,” MacGillivray said. “I don’t want to make it much more than that, because it is an individual record.

“It’s just a byproduct of doing your job day in and day out and doing it well.”