A Serbian couple’s decision to flee the war in pursuit of the American Dream bore fruit as their daughter Angela Dugalic went on to become a national champion with the UCLA Bruins this season.
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Who Is Angela Dugalic’s Father?
Angela Dugalic’s father is Dragovan Dugalic, who is quite regular in attendance, cheering for his daughter during her games for UCLA. Dragovan is originally from Studenica near Kraljevo.
Senior Dugalic settled down in a suburb of Chicago, where Angela was born 24 years ago. Unlike Angela, Dragovan’s athletic pursuits were purely recreational. Dragovan might not be directly involved with sports, but that never really stopped him from guiding his daughter in the world of sports.
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Who Is Angela Dugalic’s Mother?
Vesna Dugalic is from Smederevo, Serbia, and was also an athlete during her college days. She played handball at the first-league level, during the time of Ceca Kitic, who was once voted the best female handball player in the world, and other legends of the sport, and had quite a career playing across the different Serbian volleyball teams in Dinamo Pancevo, Vozdovac, Radnicki Belgrade, among others.
Raising her daughter in Des Plaines, Illinois, Vesna encouraged Angela to embrace her dual identity as both an American and a Serbian citizen, which later motivated her to represent Serbia internationally in basketball. Vesna also provided her daughter with the much-needed stability and encouragement during her battles with injuries from her ACL tear back in 2022.
What Is Angela Dugalic’s Parents’ Background and Ethnicity?
Angela Dugalic’s parents are both Serbian-Americans who immigrated to the US during the chaotic wars in Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. They are part of the Serbian diaspora community in the United States. The family has a strong bond with the country, and that is evident in how Angela chose to represent Serbia in the national colors, even though she was eligible to play for the US.
Her impact on the Serbian national team was immediate, highlighted by a nine-point, eight-rebound performance against Portugal and a crucial seven-point effort in a win over Ukraine that helped Serbia clinch its spot in the EuroBasket 2025 competition.
Does Angela Dugalic Have Siblings?
Angela has an older brother, Milos (26), who is also a basketball player, and after a stellar career, returned to Serbia and enrolled in multiple Serbian teams to play professionally. He played for Sloga from Kraljevo, Zdravlje from Leskovac, and now he plays for the Bristol Flyers in England.
How Did Angela Dugalic’s Parents Influence Her Basketball Career?
Angela Dugalic’s parents, Dragovan and Vesna Dugalic, both Serbian immigrants, stood behind her every step of the way as she forayed into basketball. Their Serbian heritage and values of discipline, resilience, and cultural pride strongly influenced Angela’s basketball career.
While Dragovan made sure Angela got the best when it came to improving her game, it was Vesna who carried on her basketball journey. That includes the 2022-23 campaign that saw her missing out on an entire season because of a torn ACL. You can see the amount of pride and joy the Dugalic family has when they see their daughter take the center stage. Both Dragovan and Vesna were there when she won the NCAA championship, beaming with joy and shedding tears of joy.
The Dugalic family members are great patrons of the sport and their daughter’s biggest cheerleaders, and it is their love and support that has created a stellar player in Angela.
Written by
Edited by
Pranav Venkatesh