Wadsworth grad Peyton Booth now assistant at Akron

The newest chapter in the life of former Wadsworth High standout Peyton Booth is bringing her back home. Booth is joining the University of Akron women's basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach after spending the 2018-19 season as a graduate assistant with the Zips while earning her master's degree in sports administration. "I could not be more excited to be back at Akron," Booth said Thursday. "I was fortunate enough to work with the same exact women who are on the staff now, working for Coach (Melissa) Jackson. I learned so much from her in the short time I was here before and I'm just so grateful for this opportunity." The chance to work with a staff she was familiar with was enticing enough on its own, but throw in the fact Booth will be only roughly a 30-minute drive from where she grew up and the opportunity was too good to pass up. "I think there's something special to work a job you love, especially where the people you love are," Booth said. "It's such a blessing for this opportunity to be here at Akron. It's been really cool to be able to reconnect with everyone I love from this area." Jackson is just as excited to have Booth, 25, back in the program. "I could not be happier to have Peyton back on staff with us," she said in a press release. "She is one of the brightest young assistants in the country. Her familiarity with our program will make a seamless transition." Booth's year as a graduate assistant came in Jackson's first season as head coach. Akron went 16-15 that season, the only winning campaign for the program in the last five years. Following that season, Booth returned to her alma mater, New Hampshire, for two seasons as an assistant coach. The 2014 Wadsworth graduate first worked under her college head coach, Maureen Magarity, and then former assistant turned head coach Kelsey Hogan. The tutelage of Magarity and Hogan helped Booth, the daughter of Grizzlies coach Andrew Booth, develop her coaching philosophy, which included helping Hogan implement and run the offense last season. "I was able to learn under some really incredible coaches that I can't speak highly enough about," Booth said. "They are amazing women who empowered other women to be strong. I can't say enough good things about my time at UNH." While playing at New Hampshire, Booth was a two-year captain and helped the Wildcats to an America East regular-season championship in 2016-17 and a 74-48 record over four years. She earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in coaching. During Booth's career at Wadsworth, the Grizzlies went 93-14 with four Suburban League championships and four appearances in the regional championship game. With eventual Gazette MVP Booth leading the way, the 2013-14 Wadsworth team set a county record by allowing just 31.3 points per game. Along with continuing to develop and improve as a coach, Booth hopes to bring her success on the court with her. "I hope to grow, learn and become a better coach," she said. "I want to be a sponge, learn as much as I can and get to a place where Akron is in a position to win a MAC championship." To get to that championship level, Booth hopes to help Jackson and the rest of the staff further tap into the rich talent pool in their own backyard when it comes to girls high school basketball. "I think Northeast Ohio, and Ohio in general, is one of the best states in the country for high school girls basketball," Booth said. "I'm super excited to be able to recruit that and enjoy that a little more." Contact John Urchek at sports@medina-gazette.com.