SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — It wasn’t a question of if Kylie Neuschl would be inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, it was always a question of when.
“I think she’s literally one of the best players in the history of the game,” U.S. women’s national water polo team head coach Adam Krikorian said.
At a ceremony in Claremont on Friday, June 8, 2024, Killie Neuschul was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside fellow Hall of Famer Chris Oeding, two-time Olympian and former U.S. national team coach, and legendary coaches Doug Peabody and Ken Smith.
Kylie Neuschl was destined for greatness after winning youth water polo.
“When I think of Kylie, I think of her when she was young, and I think everyone knew she was going to be amazing,” Krikorian said.
Neuschul played for Santa Barbara 805 Water Polo Club, run by his mother, Kathy Neuschul, and won five Junior Olympic titles.
“I want to thank the Santa Barbara water polo community and Santa Barbara as a whole,” Neuschul said in his induction speech, “so many coaches who have helped me grow as a person: Chris Parrish, Daniel Little, Mark Walsh, Chuckie Ross, Connor Levov, Lance Schroeder, and of course my mother, Kathy Neuschul, who made my club experience at such a young age so wonderful.”
At Dos Pueblos High School, Kylie led the Chargers to four CIF Southern Section championships and was named Player of the Year all four seasons.
At Stanford, she led the Cardinal to three national championships and was a two-time National Player of the Year winner.
In 2016, she capped her amateur career by helping the United States win a gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
She played professionally in Spain, where her team won the Europa League.
It wasn’t just the win that was impressive for Krikorian, who coached Neuschul at the 2016 Olympics.
“Her playing was so magnificent, it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Her game was beautiful, flowing and graceful, and she is truly worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
