USA RACQUETBALL ANNOUNCES HALL OF FAME 2021 INDUCTEES

USA Racquetball, on behalf of the USAR Hall of Fame Committee and the USAR Board of Directors, has the honor and pleasure of announcing two new inductees to the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame.

Congratulations to Kelley Beane and Aimee Roehler Ruiz, who will both be inducted with fanfare into the USAR Hall of Fame at a later date to be announced.

Both inductees’ nominations described impressive accomplishments and included powerful recommendations. Each, through her myriad achievements, has made a big difference to the sport of Racquetball here in the United States and internationally as well.

KELLEY BEANE -- HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, CONTRIBUTOR CATEGORY, CLASS OF 2021

Kelley Beane, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was nominated by Cindy Tilbury and Cheryl Gudinas along with recommendations from Shane Wood and Eric Muller. Her career highlights listed here demonstrate the impressive scope of her contributions to the lives of others over a span of 30 years. 

Kelley Beane - Career Achievements

30+ years of New Hampshire racquetball presence

Club racquetball director

Local teacher

Programmer (leagues, ladders, mixers)

Tournament director

Pro stop fundraiser

State association president/board member

12+ years of volunteering for USA Racquetball

Assistant / team leader

Assistant coach

Head Coach of the USA Junior Team

Director of Elite Training Camp

Director of University of Alabama Rumble Camps

12+ years of international competition coaching (2000-2013)

200+ medals for Junior Team USA

7 world team titles while head coach and assistant coach

30+ years of playing at the highest levels of skill and age group divisions in national competition

Ranked as high as #5 in Women’s 25+

Successful Open career in local and national tournaments

Joe Sobek Contributor Award in 2001 and 2007

3-time United States Olympic Committee Coach of the Year (across all sports)

In their recommendations supplementing Kelley’s nomination, Wood, Muller, and Gudinas all emphasized the life-changing impact Coach Kelley Beane had on her junior players.

Shane Wood shared this account describing just one example of Kelley’s far-reaching influence on young lives:

“The thing with Kelley is that it’s not just about the titles, it is the memories and the class that she brought to these kids and the program. I’ll share a story everyone may have already heard. In 2002 (I believe, might have been 2003), Dan Sheppick hit a shot that won him the world title against Gil De Los Rios and Dan overturned it himself because he knew that it skipped. He ended up losing the match and Kelley gave so much praise at the team meeting that evening about the importance of doing the right thing, always trusting in your own conscience and the impact that makes in your life. That was the stuff that really mattered the most.”

AIMEE ROEHLER RUIZ -- HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, AMATEUR OPEN PLAYER CATEGORY, CLASS OF 2021

Aimee Roehler Ruiz, of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, was nominated by Jonathan Clay with a recommendation by Dave Ellis.

Jonathan Clay said, in part:

I have known Aimee for approximately 20 years and have been lucky enough to witness her greatness within the sport from just about every angle. I met Aimee when I was in college right around 2000, and at that time she was already a world champion, national champion many times over, and one of the best female players in the history of USA Racquetball. It was over the next 20 years, however, that she would solidify her legacy as the greatest female doubles player of all time, and potentially one of the best OVERALL doubles players of all time, regardless of gender. When you bring in women’s doubles and mixed doubles, there is no one in the history of the sport with more doubles titles, and Aimee even has a national singles title on her résumé as well. She has literally beaten every single legend the game has to offer over the course of three or maybe even four different decades. There are not many athletes in this sport that can say that they have beaten Paola Longoria on the world stage, and Aimee has done it.

Dave Ellis added, in part:

This is certainly one of the easiest letters of recommendation I have ever written, both in my capacities as Team USA Coach and as a schoolteacher of 38 years. Aimee is an overwhelmingly worthy candidate for induction into the USAR Hall of Fame.

Aimee Roehler Ruiz - Career Achievements

International - Pan Am Games

2011 Pan Am Games Doubles Silver Medalist

2011 Pan Am Games Overall Team Silver Medalist

International – International Racquetball Federation (IRF)

Six IRF World Championships medals in Women’s Doubles: 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. Gold medalist: 2006; 2008; 2016

International – Pan American Racquetball Championships (PARC)

Three gold medals in Women’s Doubles: 2006, 2008, 2009

National (USAR)

2009 USA Racquetball Women’s Team Qualifying Singles Champion

Fourteen USAR National Championships medals in Women’s Doubles: 2005-2014; 2016-2018; 2020. Gold medalist: 2005-2011; 2013-2014; 2016-2017; 2020

Eleven USAR National Championships gold medals in Mixed Doubles: 2002-2006; 2008; 2010; 2012-2015

Women’s Elite, 25+, and 24 & Under Doubles and Singles gold medals: 1998, 2001, 2002 (2), 2003

US OPEN

Women’s 24 & Under Singles gold medals: 1998, 1999

Women’s Open Doubles gold medals: 2012, 2013

Mixed Open Doubles gold medal: 2012

Outdoor Racquetball

World Outdoor Championships – Huntington Beach, CA

Women’s Pro Doubles Champion: 2010, 2012

3WB World Championships

Women’s Pro Doubles Champion: 2011, 2016, 2017

1-Wall Mixed Pro Doubles: 2016

Beach Bash

Mixed Pro Doubles: 2013, 2016

Women’s Pro Doubles: 2016

Additional

2009 USA Racquetball Female Athlete of the Year

2012 New Jersey Amateur Racquetball Hall of Fame

2012 USA Racquetball Board of Directors

2016-2020 USA Racquetball Board of Directors

2010-2011 New Jersey Amateur Racquetball President

2007-2010 New Jersey Amateur Racquetball Vice President

July 2016-March 2020 USA Racquetball Magazine Editor

July 2020–Present USA Racquetball Newsletter Editor

Again, we offer our warm congratulations to Kelley Beane and Aimee Ruiz on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to their induction ceremonies in the coming year!