Kia Vaughn is a professional women"s basketball player for the Women's National Basketball Association"s Washington Mystics.
Education
Born in the Bronx, New York, Vaughn played for Saint Michael Academy in New York City, where she was named a WBCA All-American. She participated in the 2005 WBCA High School All-America Game where she scored two points.
Vaughn attended from 2006–2009, playing under legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer. She helped Rutgers to a perfect 16–0 record in the Big East conference her freshman year, averaging 6.3 points per game and 7 rebounds a game.
During her sophomore season, she was named the All-Met Division I Women"s Basketball Player of the Year.
She averaged 12.8 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, and 2.5 blocks per game. That year, she helped lead the Rutgers women"s basketball team to a Big East Conference championship.
The Lady Scarlet Knights lost to the Tennessee Lady Vols in the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship game.
Vaughn continued to excel in her junior season, garnering Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association All-Met First Team honors along with being named to the All Big-East second team She averaged 10 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game on the season.
Her senior campaign was solid, but a little underwhelming as she averaged only 9.7 points per game 6.7 rebounds per game.
Nevertheless, she was named All-Big East Honorable Mention at the season"s conclusion.
Career
Source Kia averaged 12 points and 3 rebounds in 5 games. Kia Vaughn was picked 8th overall in the 2009 Women's National Basketball Association Draft. She grew steadily in skill with the passage of time.
The 2011 season saw the suspension of Vaughn"s teammate and mentor, Janel McCarville.
Vaughn was devastated, as the role of starting Center was suddenly thrust upon her. However, she rose to the occasion, and received the honor of being named the Women's National Basketball Association"s Most Improved Player later that year.
On August 14, 2007, Kia Vaughn, one of the women involved in the Rutgers Women"s Basketball Team controversy, filed suit against Don Imus, National Broadcasting Company Universal, Columbia Broadcasting System Corporation, Microsoft and National Broadcasting Company, Columbia Broadcasting System Radio, Viacom, Westwood One radio, and Bernard McGuirk, citing slander, libel, and defamation of character. Vaughn was the only player to pursue legal damages brought on by the controversy.
Vaughn dropped the lawsuit against Imus on September 11, 2007, citing her desire to "concentrate on her studies and basketball training." Vaughn"s fiancé, Gary Ervin, is a professional basketball player himself.
He has played in both the National Basketball Association Development League and the Australian NBL.
Membership
Vaughn was also a member of the Championship winning 2006 United States of America National Team International Basketball Federation Americas U20 Championship for Women in Mexico City, Mexico.
