Vicky Bullett

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Vicky Bullett
Medal record
Women’s basketball
Competitor for the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold 1988 Seoul Team competition
Bronze 1992 Barcelona Team competition
FIBA World Championship
Gold 1990 Malaysia Team competition

Victoria ("Vicky") Bullett (born October 4, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player. She played for the Charlotte Sting and Washington Mystics in the WNBA, as well as for European and South American professional teams, the U.S. Olympic team, and the University of Maryland Terrapins. Bullett played at various times as a center, small forward, and power forward.

Early years

Bullett spent her childhood in Martinsburg, West Virginia. She grew up playing backyard basketball with her six brothers. One of her older brothers coached her high school basketball team and helped Bullett attract the attention of collegiate scouts.

College career

Bullett is one of the most decorated players in the history of the women's basketball program at the University of Maryland, which she attended from 1985 to 1989. Over the course of her college career, Bullett averaged 16.9 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game. She set Maryland records for points scored, field goals made, and rebounds recovered. She led the Terrapins to three ACC titles and one NCAA Final Four. In 1989, Bullett was named ACC Tournament MVP, ACC Player of the Year, and a Kodak All-American. She was also chosen for the All-ACC First Team in 1987, 1988, and 1989.

Bullett graduated from Maryland with a bachelor's degree in general studies. In 2001, she returned to school and earned an additional degree in social work.

After she graduated, the University of Maryland honored Bullett by retiring her jersey (#23). She was also named a member of the ACC Women's Basketball 50th Anniversary team in 2003. In 2007, Bullett was named an ACC Women's Basketball Legend. She is also a member of the Maryland Athletics Walk of Fame.

Fellow left-handed forward Crystal Langhorne in 2007-2008 broke many of Bullett's Maryland career records.

International competition

Bullett was selected to the 1988 and 1992 United States Olympic Teams, which won gold and bronze medals, respectively. She also played on the 1986 USA Select (junior national) team, the United States team which won the gold medal at the 1990 World Championships, and the United States team for the 1990 Goodwill Games.[1][2][3][4]

Professional career

When the WNBA was founded in 1997, Bullett was assigned by the league to the Charlotte Sting in the Initial Player Allocation phase of the draft. Over the next three seasons, Bullett started in all 90 Sting games and averaged more than 10 points per game. In all three seasons, the Sting reached the WNBA Playoffs. In 1999, Bullett was named as a reserve to the inaugural WNBA Eastern Conference All-Star team, and played in the All-Star Game as a substitute for the injured Rebecca Lobo.

In January 2000, Bullett was traded to the Washington Mystics. Over the next three seasons, she started in all 96 of the Mystics' games. Bullett broke a WNBA record on July 3, 2001 by playing 55 minutes in the Mystics' quadruple-overtime victory over the Seattle Storm. Her cumulative WNBA accomplishments in six seasons included more than 800 field goals made, more than 1100 rebounds, more than 250 assists, more than 250 blocks, and more than 350 steals.

Bullett was also a renowned professional basketball player in Italy through much of the 1990s. She played for Bari from 1990–1993, then for Cesena from 1993-1997. Four times during her career, Bullett was named an All-Star for the Italian league. In addition, Bullett played several years in Brazil for the Data Control/Fluminense professional team, which won the Brazilian league championship in 1998.

WNBA career

1997–1999: Charlotte Sting
2000–2002: Washington Mystics

Retirement

Bullett retired from the WNBA after the 2002 season, then retired from overseas professional play in 2007. She moved back to Martinsburg, West Virginia, which renamed the street where she grew up "Vicky Bullett Street" in her honor. Bullett then taught for the Board of Education of Berkeley County, West Virginia and took graduate courses in education. She now teaches at South Middle School in Martinsburg, WV. In February 2009, the Washington Mystics announced their hiring of Bullett as an assistant coach. In June 2009, the Mystics announced that Bullett would also take on the responsibilities of Manager of Basketball Operations.

In June 2011, Vicky Bullett was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee along with Ruthie Bolton, Muffett McGraw, Val Ackerman, Pearl Moore, and Lometa Odem.

Since leaving the Mystics in 2009, Vicky Bullett has taken the head coaching job for the women's basketball team at Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown Maryland. In 2011 she signed on as assistant coach to Dr. Marlys Palmer. As of March 2012 Vicky has taken over the many roles needed to coach a successful coaching position.

References

  1. ↑ "Games of the XXIVth Olympiad -- 1988". USA Basketball. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013. 
  2. ↑ "Games of the XXVth Olympiad -- 1992". USA Basketball. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013. 
  3. ↑ "SECOND WOMEN'S GOODWILL GAMES -- 1990". USA Basketball. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013. 
  4. ↑ "ELEVENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN -- 1990". USA Basketball. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013. 

External links

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