Nicolle Payne (2009) - Hall of Fame

Nicolle Payne

Induction:
2009

Payne was the first woman recruited onto UCLA's new women's water polo team in 1994 and was the first to be on scholarship when she played for the Bruins from 1994-98. Payne was a 1st Team All-American at goalkeeper in the final three of her four seasons at UCLA (2nd team as a freshman) and was chosen as the national player of the year as a sophomore. Payne captained the Bruins in each of her four seasons and was a member of three national championship teams from 1996 to 1998. She completed her career at UCLA with her third national championship in 1998, making 13 saves in the final game. Her 2.77 goals against average and 225 career saves remain UCLA records. Payne also was the goalkeeper for the silver medal U.S. National Team at the 2000 Athens Olympics and the bronze medal U.S. team at the 2004 Sydney Olympics. In February 2007, Payne was inducted into the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame with fellow Olympic medalists Natalie Golda (UCLA '05) and Heather Moody. The three women are the first women enshrined into the NYAC Hall of Fame. During Payne's four years as an assistant coach for UCLA, the Bruins won three national championships and had the best goals against average in the nation all four seasons.