2022 Hall Of Fame Inductee: Layne Beaubien

Описание: Born on the Fourth of July, in the year of the Bicentennial, it was perhaps a foregone conclusion that Layne Beaubien would represent Team USA. A native of Coronado, California, the 6-foot-6 Beaubien carved out a career as one of the best defenders in the world, competing in three Olympic Games (2004, 2008, 2012). A star at Coronado High School, where he was named CIF player of the year in 1993, Beaubien played collegiately at Stanford University, joining the Cardinal in the fall of 1994, and found immediate success with a NCAA Championship. The title was part of a run on The Farm that saw Beaubien become one of the best players in the college game, earning MPSF player of the year honors in 1998.

After an unsuccessful bid to make the 2000 Olympic team roster, Beaubien reaffirmed his commitment to water polo and became a mainstay for the stars and stripes. He racked up three Pan American Games gold medals, a FINA World League Super Final silver medal and was part of the history-making squad at the 2008 Olympic Games that claimed silver—the first Olympic medal for the U.S. men in 20 years.

While competing for the United States, Beaubien also became a sought-after player abroad, capping up for clubs in Hungary, Greece, France and Brazil. He holds the distinction of being the first American to play for a Hungarian club. Discovered by Hungarian legend Tamas Farago, he joined KSI in 1999 That fall, he represented the US on the "Best of the World" team in the famed all-star game in Budapest that featured Olympic greats from the past and present.

Domestically, he's both played and coached for the New York Athletic Club, winning a variety of championships and joining the NYAC Hall of Fame in 2009. Beaubien is purported to be the first player in the sports history to win national club championship on three continents, taking titles with Fluminense (Brazil) in 2007, Marseille (France) in 2008 and with the New York Athletic Club (USA) on multiple occasions. Beaubien retired from international play following the 2012 Olympics but has stayed involved in the game by coaching clinics and supporting Team USA. In 2013 and 2015 he was the assistant coach for the USA representative from UCLA at The World University Games, helping guide the Americans to a bronze medal finish in Gwangju in 2015.