Kelly Rulon
Encyclopedia
Kelly Rulon is an American water polo
player for the UCLA Bruins
and the US National Team, who won the bronze medal
at the 2004 Athens Olympics
. Her position is driver.
In June, 2009, Rulon was named to the USA Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team
for the 2009 FINA World Championships.
, Kelly Rulon was a four-time first-team all-league, all-city and All-California Interscholastic Federation
selection, as well as Most Valuable Player
of her team each year she played.
As a freshman
in 2003, Rulon was second on the UCLA Bruins
with 27 goals, 26 assists and 27 steals, and scored once in the Bruins' 4-3 victory over Stanford University
in the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
; she finished with six post-season goals.
Returning from the Olympics in her 2005 season, Rulon led her team in scoring with 70 goals, as well as multi-goal games (22), assists (48), steals (72) and post-season goals (12). She led the Bruins to the NCAA title with a 33-0 record and was named a first-team All-America
n by the American Water Polo Coaches Association. When UCLA defeated Stanford University in the NCAA final, Rulon, who scored three goals in the semifinal win over Hawaii, led UCLA in scoring for the season and post-season.
As a junior, Rulon was selected the Most Valuable Player
of the 2006 NCAA Tournament after leading UCLA to its second consecutive and fourth overall NCAA title. She scored 11 goals in the three games to set a new NCAA Tournament record. In the 9-8 championship victory over the University of Southern California
, Rulon scored four goals and set up the game-winner by drawing an ejection foul with four seconds to play.
During her senior year, Rulon had 70 goals, totaled a team-high 52 assists and team-leading 42 steals, and recorded seven blocks and 26 earned exclusions, both totals ranking second-highest on the club. She scored in 26 matches and posted 16 multi-goal efforts. Then she registered a season-high six goals against Loyola Marymount (March 31). Another highlight was the five goals she scored twice - versus Santa Clara (Feb. 24) and UC San Diego (March 16). Rulan had six four-goal performances and had netted 19 goals in a four-game span. She and her team-mates led UCLA to the school's 100th NCAA National Championship (a new record).
In 2007, Rulon was named winner of the Peter J. Cutino Award
, which is given to the college Player-of-the-Year in water polo. She joined other UCLA Bruins
, Coralie Simmons
(2001), Natalie Golda
(2005), and Courtney Mathewson
(2008), as the school's four UCLA female Peter J. Cutino Award
winners, all coached by Adam Krikorian
.
.
In 2004, Rulon redshirted to play in the Summer Olympics
in Athens, Greece. She scored four goals in the Olympics including the game-winning goal against Hungary in the opening game. The US women won the bronze medal by defeating Australia. After the 2005 collegiate season, Rulon played for the U.S. National Team that won a silver medal
in the 2005 FINA World Championships in Canada.
During 2009 FINA World Championship in Rome, which saw US women team winning the gold medal
, Kelly Rulon scored last two goals of the final match against Canada. She was also awarded of the Gold Cap as tournament's best player.
Kelly currently trains with the USA Water Polo National Team and in October 2011 helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the Pan American games.
Rulon played 2008/09 season for Nervi, being the scoring leader in the Italian Championship (81 goals)
After her coming back in Rome she scored 58 goals in the 2009/10 season.
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 for the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
and the US National Team, who 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....
. Her position is driver.
In June, 2009, Rulon was named to the USA Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team
United States women's national water polo team
The United States women's national water polo team represents the United States in international women's water polo competitions and friendly matches. It is one of the leading teams in the world since the late 1990s....
for the 2009 FINA World Championships.
High school and college
At University of San Diego High SchoolUniversity of San Diego High School
The University of San Diego High School , also known as The University High School or "Uni", was a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory secondary school located in San Diego, California...
, Kelly Rulon was a four-time first-team all-league, all-city 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...
selection, as well as Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of her team each year she played.
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...
in 2003, Rulon was second on the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
with 27 goals, 26 assists and 27 steals, and scored once in the Bruins' 4-3 victory over Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
The NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship has existed since the 2001 season. Three conferences have teams competing in women's water polo, the Collegiate Water Polo Association, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
; she finished with six post-season goals.
Returning from the Olympics in her 2005 season, Rulon led her team in scoring with 70 goals, as well as multi-goal games (22), assists (48), steals (72) and post-season goals (12). She led the Bruins to the NCAA title with a 33-0 record and was named a first-team 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 by the American Water Polo Coaches Association. When UCLA defeated Stanford University in the NCAA final, Rulon, who scored three goals in the semifinal win over Hawaii, led UCLA in scoring for the season and post-season.
As a junior, Rulon was selected the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the 2006 NCAA Tournament after leading UCLA to its second consecutive and fourth overall NCAA title. She scored 11 goals in the three games to set a new NCAA Tournament record. In the 9-8 championship victory over the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, Rulon scored four goals and set up the game-winner by drawing an ejection foul with four seconds to play.
In 2007, Rulon was named winner of the Peter J. Cutino Award
Peter J. Cutino Award
The Peter J. Cutino Award, named after former college water polo player and UC Berkeley coach Peter J. Cutino, is considered the most prestigious individual award in American collegiate water polo...
, which is given to the college Player-of-the-Year in water polo. She joined other UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, Coralie Simmons
Coralie Simmons
Coralie Denise Simmons is an American water polo player, who won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. In 2001, she won the Peter J. Cutino Award, presented annually to the top American collegiate water polo player...
(2001), 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...
(2005), and Courtney Mathewson
Courtney Mathewson
Courtney Mathewson was born September 14, 1986. in Orange, California. She played water polo for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins during their four-consecutive NCAA National Champion Women's Water Polo championships, and was named to the All-Tournament first team...
(2008), as the school's four UCLA female Peter J. Cutino Award
Peter J. Cutino Award
The Peter J. Cutino Award, named after former college water polo player and UC Berkeley coach Peter J. Cutino, is considered the most prestigious individual award in American collegiate water polo...
winners, all coached by Adam Krikorian
Adam Krikorian
Adam Krikorian is the water polo head coach for UCLA. He has won 14 national championships as player, assistant coach and head coach. And on March 27, 2009, he was named the head coach of the USA Women’s National Team...
.
.
| Year | Goals | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 27 | 70 | 39 |
| 2005 | 70 | 122 | 57 |
| 2006 | 59 | 101 | 58 |
| 2007 | 70 | 123 | 57 |
International and Olympics
Rulon received MVP honors at the 1999 Junior Olympics and was five-time Junior Olympics First-Team All-American. She played in the 2002 Junior Pan American Championships, where she was the tournament's leading scorer.In 2004, Rulon redshirted to play in the Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens, Greece. She scored four goals in the Olympics including the game-winning goal against Hungary in the opening game. The US women won the bronze medal by defeating Australia. After the 2005 collegiate season, Rulon played for the U.S. National Team that won a 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....
in the 2005 FINA World Championships in Canada.
During 2009 FINA World Championship in Rome, which saw US women team winning the 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...
, Kelly Rulon scored last two goals of the final match against Canada. She was also awarded of the Gold Cap as tournament's best player.
Kelly currently trains with the USA Water Polo National Team and in October 2011 helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the Pan American games.
Clubs
Rulon left UCLA after 2007 College season for moving into Europe. In the same year she joined the A.S.D Roma team playing in the Italian Women's Waterpolo Championship. With A.S.D. Roma she won that year the LEN Cup, as best scorer of final match in Padua.Rulon played 2008/09 season for Nervi, being the scoring leader in the Italian Championship (81 goals)
After her coming back in Rome she scored 58 goals in the 2009/10 season.