Ruthie Bolton

Alice Ruth Bolton, much more commonly known as Ruthie, is a former professional women’s basketball player in the WNBA and Olympic gold medalist. Standing 5’9”, Bolton played professionally as a shooting guard for eight years. She grew up in Lucedale, Mississippi in the late 1960’s and early ‘70’s and went on to play collegiate basketball with her older sister at Auburn University in Alabama. Before debuting professionally in the WNBA, Bolton had already earned two gold medals and one bronze on Team USA. The gold medals were earned at the 1991 World University Games in England and at the 1996 Women’s Basketball team competition in Atlanta while the bronze medal was earned at the 1994 World Championships in Sydney. After joining the WNBA with the Sacramento Monarchs in 1997, Bolton went on to win two more gold medals in 1998 and 2000 at the World Championships in Germany and the Women’s Basketball team competition in Sydney, respectively. She retired as a WNBA guard in 2004 but returned to the Sacramento Monarchs to focus on public relations in their front office. Bolton has also served as a women’s college head basketball coach and honorably as a first lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves. She is highly respected and admired by all those who know her.