Dr. Kristi McCullough McTaggert graduated from Taylorville High School in 1992 after a record setting basketball career that not only helped raise the quality of play in girls’ basketball in Taylorville, but also provided a model for future Lady Tornadoes to follow.
A four year letter winner in basketball, Kristi became the career leader in scoring with a total of 1836 points giving her a four year career average of 17.8 points per game in 103 games. She also made a record 108 career three point shots. During her career, Kristi was credited with setting sixteen school records. One of the most impressive was set during her senior year, when she scored a school record 663 points, averaging 24.6 points a game. She did this while also leading the team in assists.
Twice selected the team’s MVP, in 1990 and1992, Kristi was the floor leader and was also voted team captain of the Lady Tornadoes her senior year. During her career, the Taylorville girls compiled a 63 and 45 record and were Apollo Conference champions in 1992. She was selected to the Apollo Conference All Conference Team all four year she played and was a pre season USA Today All American pick in 1991,. She was selected to the Decatur Herald and Review and the Springfield Journal Register All Area First Teams and the Springfield paper also named her Area Player of the Year in 1992. The Chicago Sun Times recognized her on their All-State First Team and the Chicago Tribune named her to their list of Top Twenty Players in the State in 1992.
Following her senior season, Kristi, was selected to play in the Edinburg All Star Game and the Illinois Basketball Coaches’ Association All Star Game. She was 3rd runner up in the voting for Ms. Basketball of Illinois.
Basketball, however, was not the only sport in which Kristi excelled. She was a four year letter winner on the volleyball team and was selected to the All Apollo Conference second team her junior year and was a first team selection her senior year.
In the spring, Kristi earned four varsity letters in track. Finishing second in both the Long Jump and the 200 meter dash at the Apollo Conference Track meet in 1992, she was named to the All-Conference Track Team.
Following her high school career, Kristi accepted a scholarship to attend Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and after Red Shirting her freshman year due to an injury, she became a three year starter on the Varsity Girls Basketball team. In 1994, the Bluejays advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, beating Bowling Green in their opening game and then losing to defending National Champions, Texas Tech.
During her career at Creighton, Kristi was selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Academic All-Conference Team three consecutive years. Her performance on the court placed her in the top ten players at Creighton in both 3 point and free throw percentage. She was voted team captain and Most Inspirational Player in 1997.
Upon graduating Magna Cum Laude from Creighton, she attended the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine graduating in the top 10% of her class.