Nadia Vaughan

Barry Faulkner

Like fewer and fewer of her college women’s tennis contemporaries,

SMU senior Nadia Vaughan has been living the American dream the last

four seasons in Dallas.

Bucking a trend of increasing numbers of foreign players, the

Mustangs had an all-American roster, until adding one recruit from

Russia this season.

Still, Vaughan, enjoying a strong swan-song season before

graduating in May with a degree in psychology, said the Mustangs

colors of red, white and blue, generate more than school pride.

“On our men’s team, there is one American,” said Vaughan, who was

the Most Valuable Player all four seasons at Corona del Mar High,

where she helped lead the Sea Kings to a mythical national

championship as a sophomore. “But, other than the Russian we added

this season, we’ve had all Americans. We all knew each other from

juniors and we’ve all become really good friends.”

Vaughan said that strong camaraderie has helped the Mustangs

steadily improve. Vaughan has also progressed. After seeing limited

action as a freshman, she was 10-7 in singles, including a 6-1 mark

at No. 2 singles.

As a junior, she went 26-8 while playing all six singles spots for

the Western Athletic Conference representative, including an 11-3

record in regional play.

This season, she has settled into the No. 4 singles spot, where

she is 6-6, but has flourished in doubles. Paired with junior Lynsie

Jones, Vaughan, one of only two seniors on the team, has posted a

10-4 doubles mark.

“We’ve really started to dominate in doubles,” Vaughan said. “We

both have fiery personalities, so we pump each other up.”

Vaughan’s play has helped the Mustangs to a 10-6 record and a No.

60 ranking. This season, they have upset wins over No. 31 Alabama,

No. 43 Virginia and No. 44 LSU.

“I love my team,” said Vaughan, who was home for the weekend

during the Mustangs’ two-week break from competition. “We’re all like

best friends and that’s a big thing on the court. My freshman year

here, there were all seniors besides me and I was the outsider. But,

since then, we’ve grown together as a team and our goal is to make

the NCAA tournament.”

Vaughan lists perennial champion Fresno State and Tulsa as the

teams to beat in the WAC. The Mustangs fell to Tulsa, 5-2, Jan. 30.

SMU won’t meet Fresno State until the WAC championships, scheduled

April 28-30 in Houston.

Vaughan, a 5-foot-10 baseliner, said she has thoroughly enjoyed

her stay in Dallas.

“Going to SMU was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she

said. “My time there has been an awesome experience. Dallas is a

great city and SMU is a beautiful campus.”

Vaughan said she is still considering career options and might

pursue a teaching credential.

But she continues to relish her role in a sport she said she will

carry with her throughout her life.

“Everyone goes through their times when they are sick of it,”

Vaughan said of her tennis regimen, which continued throughout here

two-week break. “I plan on living with some teammates next season and

it’s going to be weird when they all get up to go out and run at 6

a.m. and I don’t have to. I won’t miss that.”