Nicolle Payne
Encyclopedia
Nicolle Katherine Payne (born July 15, 1976 in Paramount, California
) is an American water polo
player, who won the silver medal
at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
. The goalkeeper
was also a member of the US team that won the bronze medal
at the 2004 Athens Olympics
.
in Cerritos, California
, gained additional water polo experience as a starter on the 1995 U.S. Junior National Team that earned a gold medal
at the Pan American Games. Payne earned first-team all-league, team MVP, and All-California Interscholastic Federation
honors.
Payne was the first woman recruited onto UCLA's new Title IX
women's water polo team in 1994. In the 1996 season, she recorded 175 saves
and a 3.07 goals-against average. Payne was chosen as the National Player of the Year as a freshman
. Nicolle Payne was hurt early in the 1997 season with a herniated disk and a strained vertebra, but she later returned to accumulate a 4.22 goals-against average in 72 quarters of play. The All-America
n goalkeeper captained the Bruin team from 1995-1998 and was a member of three national championship teams from 1996 to 1998. Payne finished her career at UCLA with her third national championship in 1998, with 13 saves in the final game. Her 2.77 goals against average and 225 saves remain UCLA records. Payne graduated from UCLA in 1998 with a degree in Biology.
On October 9, 2009, Payne was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.
World Championships, her team won the gold medal. In the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Payne was a member of the bronze medal women's water polo team.
In 2001, Payne served as assistant coach for the U.S. Junior National team when it captured the Junior National title in a 10-9 overtime victory over Australia. In 2006, Nicolle Payne began her fourth year as assistant coach for the UCLA women's water polo program. She was previously a UCLA assistant coach in the 2005, 2002 and 2001 seasons.
In February 2007, Payne was inducted into the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) Hall of Fame with fellow Olympic medalists Natalie Golda
and Heather Moody
. The three women were members of the bronze medal 2004 U.S. Olympic team in Athens, and are the first women added to the NYAC Hall of Fame.
Paramount, California
Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098 down from 55,266 at the 2000 census...
) is an American water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player, who won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The water polo competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw Hungary’s return to the gold medal platform and the introduction of the women’s tournament...
. The goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal...
was also a member of the US team that won the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 2004 Athens Olympics
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics....
.
High school and college
Payne, a three-year water polo letterman at Gahr High SchoolGahr High School
Richard Gahr High School, often simply known as Gahr High School, is a public school in Cerritos, California, serving grades 9-12. Gahr High is part of the ABC Unified School District....
in Cerritos, California
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
, gained additional water polo experience as a starter on the 1995 U.S. Junior National Team that earned a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the Pan American Games. Payne earned first-team all-league, team MVP, and All-California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
honors.
Payne was the first woman recruited onto UCLA's new Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
women's water polo team in 1994. In the 1996 season, she recorded 175 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
and a 3.07 goals-against average. Payne was chosen as the National Player of the Year as a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
. Nicolle Payne was hurt early in the 1997 season with a herniated disk and a strained vertebra, but she later returned to accumulate a 4.22 goals-against average in 72 quarters of play. The All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n goalkeeper captained the Bruin team from 1995-1998 and was a member of three national championship teams from 1996 to 1998. Payne finished her career at UCLA with her third national championship in 1998, with 13 saves in the final game. Her 2.77 goals against average and 225 saves remain UCLA records. Payne graduated from UCLA in 1998 with a degree in Biology.
On October 9, 2009, Payne was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.
International and Olympics
Payne played in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and helped the U.S. bring home the silver medal. As goalkeeper for Team USA, she appeared in all seven games and recorded 19 saves, including eight against both Canada and Australia. At the 2003 FINAFina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
World Championships, her team won the gold medal. In the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Payne was a member of the bronze medal women's water polo team.
In 2001, Payne served as assistant coach for the U.S. Junior National team when it captured the Junior National title in a 10-9 overtime victory over Australia. In 2006, Nicolle Payne began her fourth year as assistant coach for the UCLA women's water polo program. She was previously a UCLA assistant coach in the 2005, 2002 and 2001 seasons.
In February 2007, Payne was inducted into the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) Hall of Fame with fellow Olympic medalists Natalie Golda
Natalie Golda
Natalie Golda is an American water polo player. Considered one of the greatest women's water polo players of all time, her senior leadership helped guide the 2005 UCLA Bruins to their seventh national championship. In May 2005 Golda received the Peter J...
and Heather Moody
Heather Moody
Heather Moody is an American water polo player, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She was team captain of the US Women's National Team that captured the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and the only member of the team not from California...
. The three women were members of the bronze medal 2004 U.S. Olympic team in Athens, and are the first women added to the NYAC Hall of Fame.