On a warm afternoon at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships, two brothers from Baltimore, Vaughn DeVaughn III and Justin DeVaughn, competed side by side on one of college track’s biggest stages. Vaughn, a senior at the University of Iowa, finished third in the men’s 110-meter hurdles final with a time of 13.43 seconds, while Justin, a freshman at the University of Maryland, finished fourth in 13.47 seconds.
A Family Tradition
The DeVaughn brothers have been competing all their lives. Their father, Vaughn DeVaughn Jr., said that he and his wife, Terria DeVaughn, met while competing on the track team at Coppin State University. Track and field has always been a family affair for the DeVaughns, with nearly every member of the family participating in the sport in some form.
Vaughn DeVaughn Jr. has spent 24 years teaching in Baltimore City schools and serves as the track coach at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, also known as Mervo. Both brothers attended Mervo, where their father coached them throughout their high school careers. Vaughn became one of Maryland’s most decorated athletes, winning multiple state championships and earning Maryland Male Athlete of the Year honors in 2022.
Justin developed into one of Baltimore City’s top athletes, eventually earning Baltimore City Athlete of the Year recognition. Having their father as both coach and teacher created unique challenges and opportunities for the brothers. Vaughn began his collegiate career at Alabama State University before transferring to Iowa, while Justin stayed close to home, enrolling at Maryland and balancing both football and track.
The Big Ten Championships provided another opportunity for the brothers to compete against each other. For Justin, the race became personal motivation, with the only thing he saw being the hurdles and his brother. Vaughn admitted he felt the same way, and the moment after they crossed the finish line was captured online, with the brothers dancing in celebration.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
