Olympic gold medals and NCAA championships are just part of the trail of success Carla McGhee has left in her time as a basketball player, administrator and coach. A member of Nell Fortner[apos]s original Auburn staff, McGhee is entering her fourth year on the Plains in the 2011-12 season.
After spending two years in the WNBA and two years as an assistant coach at South Carolina, the Peoria, Ill., native found her way back to Auburn and was introduced as an assistant coach on Aug. 17, 2010. During her first stint at Auburn, McGhee helped sign All-America recruits and eventual WNBA draft picks Whitney Boddie and DeWanna Bonner. She also worked with the Tigers[apos] post players.
Altogether, McGhee has more than eight years of experience as a collegiate coach and WNBA administrator, along with her 13-year professional career as a player that includes a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Working as an assistant coach for that 1996 gold medal team was Auburn head coach Nell Fortner.
McGhee[apos]s collegiate playing experience came under Pat Summitt at Tennessee, during a time in which the Lady Vols collected national championships in 1987 and 1989. McGhee then played professionally for teams in Germany, France, Turkey, South Korea, Spain, Italy and Greece for six years. With the start of professional leagues in the United States, she earned a spot on the Atlanta Glory of the ABL where she played from 1996 to 1998. From there, she went on to spend five years with the WNBA[apos]s Orlando Miracle. McGhee[apos]s playing experience includes a lengthy stint in the USA Basketball organization, beginning with the 1987 Sports Festival. She went on to participate in the 1993 World Qualifying, 1994 World Championship and Goodwill Games, the 1995 Pan American Games and the 1996 Olympics.
McGhee got her coaching start at Temple during the 2003-04 season when she helped the Owls to an Atlantic 10 Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. She played an integral role in developing Candace Dupree into a first-round pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft, the first such selection in Temple[apos]s history.
From Temple, McGhee began her first stint at Auburn, joining Fortner for her first two seasons on the Plains. While at Auburn, she worked with the post players while also helping recruit one of the most heralded classes in Auburn history on Boddie, Bonner, KeKe Carrier and Sherell Hobbs.
Following her two years at Auburn, McGhee took a position as director of player personnel for the WNBA. While there, she was involved in nearly every facet of player presentation within the league.
From working with elite level players to ensure their needs were being met to coordinating player appearances in advertisements and sponsor events on behalf of the league, McGhee was the link between the players and the league office. She fostered good communication and relationships between the two parties in addition to overseeing the team of scouts charged with scouring the globe for new talent. McGhee traveled to each arena in the league to ensure teams and players complied with league regulations governing everything from signage to dress codes.
After two years in the league office, McGhee moved to Atlanta to take a position as a consultant and ambassador for WNBA expansion team Atlanta Dream. As the face of the franchise pending the team[apos]s first draft pick, she was charged with raising awareness about the team in the city and stimulating ticket sales, making speeches and appearances throughout the community.
From the Dream, she returned to the sideline and took a position as assistant coach at South Carolina. While with the Gamecocks, she oversaw the team[apos]s academic progress and worked with the post players. McGhee also helped recruit and mold Kelsey Bone, who was selected to the 2010 All-SEC Second Team as a freshman while earning AP SEC Newcomer of the Year honors.
In addition to her coaching and playing experience, McGhee has worked as a material supervisor for General Motors, a substitute teacher and a motivational speaker. She earned her bachelor[apos]s degree in sport management from Tennessee in 1990 and has a 13-year-old son, Chancellor.