Figgs, Ukari, 1977-
Dates
- Existence: March 31, 1977 -
Biographical Information
Ukari Figgs graduated from Purdue with a degree in Mechanical Engineering (1999), led the women's basketball team to their first NCAA championship, and played in the WNBA before working as a women's basketball coach and director and later an engineer with Toyota.
Figgs was born on March 31, 1977 in Georgetown, Kentucky and was a successful basketball player throughout high school. Figgs attended Purdue where she co-captained the Purdue women's basketball team with Stephanie White-McCarty and led the women's team to their first NCAA Championship win. That year, Figgs was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four and was named to the All-Tournament team, among other accomplishments. Figgs earned her degree from Purdue in Mechanical Engineering in 1999.
After graduation, Figgs was selected to play for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. In 2003, Figgs retired from the WNBA and entered the field of engineering, working for Toyota as a production engineer. In 2009, Figgs re-entered athletics and returned to Purdue as assistant coach for the women's basketball team. In 2011, she left Purdue to become assistant athletic director for women's basketball at the University of Kentucky. In 2013, she returned to Toyota and currently works as an assistant manager in the production engineering department. In 2007, Figgs was inducted into Purdue's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.