DAVIS, Calif. – Former WNBA player and Sacramento native, Vicki Baugh, will join Head Coach Jennifer Gross' staff as an assistant coach. Baugh will officially begin May 30th.
"I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Vicki will be joining our coaching staff," Gross said. "Vicki is extremely passionate about mentoring young women through basketball. She has a natural ability to connect with people and has so much to offer our student-athletes. Vicki competed at the highest levels of basketball, both here in the US and abroad. She has learned from some of the best coaches in the game and brings a wealth of knowledge to our program."
Baugh graduated from Sacramento High School in 2007, selected that year as a First Team All-American by USA Today, Parade Magazine, EA Sports, and McDonald's. As a senior, she averaged 17.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.1 steals, and 3.4 blocks per game, leading the Dragons to a 29-4 record and the Northern California Division III final.
The Sacramento native was a standout for the University of Tennessee, reaching the NCAA Tournament in all four of her playing seasons with the Lady Volunteers. She won a national championship with the squad in the 2007-08 season before battling injuries for the next two years. Baugh battled back to enjoy an excellent end to her collegiate career, leading her team to back-to-back SEC titles and Elite Eight finishes in the NCAA Tournament. In her senior season, Baugh capped off her career in the college ranks by leading the Lady Vols in shooting percentage.
"In my transition from a professional player to a new coach, it was finding the right fit that was most important for me, when starting out my coaching career," Baugh said. "It's a bit surreal because I grew up in Sacramento and have been following UC Davis Women's Basketball program for many years. I have always had tremendous idolization and respect for Coach Gross and what she has done for UC Davis women's basketball. She is one of the smartest coaches in the game and has one of the most knowledgeable coaching staffs out there. She embodies many of the qualities of my late, great coach Pat Summit, which made me feel right at home. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of the UC Davis family; a program with such rich history and success."
Baugh ascended to the professional level when she was drafted in the 3rd round (25th overall) of the 2012 WNBA draft by the Tulsa Shock. She spent two years with the Shock, playing 67 games across the 2014 and 2015 seasons before joining the San Antonio Stars in 2016.
Baugh then took her talents overseas, enjoying stints in South Korea and Europe from 2017 to 2022 before moving on to her coaching career.
