University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Kelly Rulon Named to USA Water Polo Hall of Fame
March 31, 2020 | Women's Water Polo
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IRVINE, Calif. -- UCLA's Kelly Rulonย was selected into the 2020 Hall of Fame induction class as announced by USA Water Polo today.ย The five-member and 36th classย boasts three Olympians, a veteran referee, and an influential water polo executive. Two-time Olympic medalists and 2012 Olympic champions Rulon and Elsie Windesย join two-time Olympian and current Long Beach State head coach Gavin Arroyo. Also being honored are veteran referee and Olympic Games administrator Gary Robinett and former USA Water Polo executive director and aquatics historian Bruce Wigo.
Inductees were chosen through a process that included open nominations by their peers, evaluation of their candidacy by the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame Committee, and final ratification of the committee's recommendations by the USA Water Polo Board of Directors. USA Water Polo inducted its first Hall of Fame class in 1976.
More information on the Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon will be shared when available. For more information on the Hall of Fame, including a look at all the past inductees,ย click here.
Rulon arrived on the world water polo stage as a teenager joining the USA Senior National Team during her freshman year at UCLA. The 19-year old Rulon made her way toย Athens, Greece, for the 2004 Olympic Games on the heels of helping UCLA win the 2003 NCAA Championship, the first of four she would earn.
In 2004, Rulon and Team USA battled back from a heartbreaking semifinal loss to claim Bronze in just the second Olympic Games to offer women's water polo. The following year she was a medal winner again, taking Silver at the FINA World Championships while adding another collegiate title with UCLA. She stepped away from the National Team in 2006, but not from water polo; she soon became one of the most dominant players in the game. In 2007 Rulon capped her star-studded career in Westwood with another title and Cutino Award honors as the best player in the college game.
She was the first Bruin to win four NCAA team titles and holds the record for most goals scored.
Rulon embarked on an international club career in Italy that saw Len Cup, Italian league titles, and being named the best international water polo player in the world in 2010. The year before she was lured back to the National Team ranks by her former collegiate coach Adam Krikorian, and the two picked up where they left off, claiming Gold at the FINA World Championships. After World Cup and Pan American Games crowns, Rulon found redemption from Athens with Olympic gold in 2012 in London. She's remained involved in the sport coaching age-group water polo with Corona del Mar Aquatics in Southern California.
About USA Water Poloย
USA Water Polo, Inc., is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters National Championships. With more than 50,000 members, USAWP also is the sanctioning authority for more than 500 member clubs and more than 400 tournaments nationwide. USAWP is committed to the development of the sport throughout the U.S., fostering grass-roots expansion of the sport and providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches, and officials.
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