# Kim Willoughby

Kim Marie Willoughby (born November 7, 1980) is an American former indoor volleyball player. She is 5'11" (1.80 m) and was an outside hitter. In 2007, she played professionally for the Italian Serie A League Familia Chieri. In April 2008, she joined the U.S. national team. Willoughby made her Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, helping the United States to a silver medal.
Playing with Colussi Sirio Perugia, she won the bronze medal at the 2008–09 CEV Indesit Champions League, and she was awarded "Best Receiver".

## Early life and family

Kim was born in Houma, Louisiana, and grew up in Napoleonville, Louisiana, where she attended Assumption High School. She not only played volleyball, but also lettered in track & field and basketball. She led her high school volleyball team to three consecutive state championships and was named the Louisiana Player of the Year her junior and senior seasons and was a First Team All-American.
Her parents are Vincent Gaines and Lula Willoughby. During Kim's junior year, her mother was in a car accident that led to two strokes and paralysis from the waist down. More tragedy struck after Kim's boyfriend was shot after an argument and died, and she admits that she was angry and fought often when she was young.
Five-time U.S. Olympian Danielle Scott-Arruda is her third cousin.

## College

During college, Willoughby played for the University of Hawaiʻi Rainbow Wahine volleyball team. She was a three-time AVCA All-America honoree and was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year in 2003.
As a senior in 2003, she ranked second nationally in kills per game with 6.60 while adding averages of 3.04 digs, 0.62 aces, 0.57 blocks and 0.41 assists per game. She hit .373 in her final collegiate season to help the Rainbow Wahine to the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament national semifinals for the second consecutive year. As a junior in 2002, Willoughby charted a 6.31 kill average to finish in the top three nationally. She recorded a .342 hitting percentage and averaged 3.35 digs, 0.70 aces, 0.61 blocks and 0.30 assists per game. She led the nation in kills as a sophomore in 2001, posting a 7.20 kill average. Additionally, she led her team with a 3.66 dig average, breaking the school's single season dig average record at the time.
For her career, she averaged 5.91 kills per game, which ranked third-best in NCAA history at the time. Also had career totals of 1,440 digs, 194 aces and 291 blocks over 459 career games. Willoughby was a four-year starter in college, playing the opposite/right-side hitter position as a freshman and emerging as the team's go-to player as an outside hitter in her last three seasons. She was also a four-time All-Western Athletic Conference honoree, garnering second team laurels as a freshman in 2000 and earning first team honors in 2001, 2002 and 2003. She was also awarded the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year title in her final three years.

## Legal troubles

On June 8, 2001, Willoughby was charged with abuse of a family or household member and third-degree assault. The victim in the case was granted a three-year protective order against Willoughby. A court accepted a deferred guilty plea from Willoughby, which allowed the charges to be cleared from her criminal record if she met certain conditions.
In September 2008, Willoughby was charged with first-degree assault in connection with an incident in December 2006. The incident occurred when Willoughby allegedly caused serious bodily injuries to a woman at Pipeline Cafe in Kakaako. The alleged assault led to the victim suffering severe bone fractures in her face. Willoughby claimed self-defense, but the prosecution disagreed, noting that Willoughby had allegedly "followed [the victim] out of the club" before the incident happened. Willoughby posted $50,000 bail. On May 18, 2009, Willoughby pleaded no contest in a plea agreement with the state and was sentenced to five years probation.

### Positive drug test

Willoughby tested positive for nandrolone after a match for her Italian team Perugia in April 2009. On September 11, 2009, it was announced that Willoughby was given a two-year suspension from the Italian Olympic Committee, to end on July 10, 2011.

### Acquittal in Puerto Rico trial

On September 20, 2018, Willoughby was indicted on first degree murder and child abuse charges in Puerto Rico. Her trial was scheduled to begin on October 4, 2018. In December 2021, she was found not guilty in the trial based on evidence presented by her defense.

## Awards
### Individual

* 2008–09 CEV Indesit Champions League Final Four "Best Receiver"

### College

* 3-Time NCAA 1st Team All-American 2001, 2002, 2003
* 2003 NCAA National Player of the Year
* 3-Time NCAA 1st Team All-Region 2001, 2002, 2003
* 3-Time WAC 1st Team All-Conference 2001, 2002, 2003
* 3-Time WAC Player of the Year 2001, 2002, 2003
* 2000 WAC Co-Freshman of the Year