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CLAY STANLEYBorn: January 20, 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Enshrined: 2021 Country: United States Category: Male Indoor Player |
BIOGRAPHY
You could say playing volleyball was inevitable for Clay Stanley, after all his father, Jon, played on the 1968 U.S. Men's Olympic Team and was inducted to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1992; Stanley’s late step-grandfather, Tom Haine, captained that same 1968 U.S. Men's Olympic Team and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1991 while Stanley’s mother, Sandra Haine, played professionally for the Denver Comets in the IVA and for Canada’s National Team.
Kaiser High School in Honolulu did not have a boys' team when Stanley was there, however, so he played basketball, occupied the goal in water polo and skateboarded. He only took up volleyball after having fun at a USAV Junior National tournament when he was 17.
Stanley went on to play at the University of Hawaii where he broke the school’s single match kill record with 50 kills against UCLA in 1999. He left school early, though, to play professionally.
Stanley played extensively in Europe, for several years in Greece, winning Champions League silver with Iraklis Thessaloniki in 2005 where he was awarded “Best Scorer” and “Best Server” and then at Russia’s Dynamo-Tattransgaz (now Zenit Kazan) winning Champions League gold with 2015 IVHF Inductee Lloy Ball and 2021 Inductee Sergey Tetyukhin. Stanley was named “Most Valuable Player” of that competition.
He was a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team from 2000-2012 serving as team captain his final two years. He helped the U.S. Men win the 2008 FIVB World League gold medal and was named Best Server at the 2012 World League Final Round as the U.S. finished second. In 2007 he helped lead the U.S. Men to a bronze medal at the 2007 FIVB World League.
Stanley was a three-time Olympian for the United States. Debuting at the 2004 Sydney Olympics, Stanley led the team to a 4th place finish falling to Russia in the Bronze match. He finished the Olympics fifth overall in scoring with 110 points on 83 kills, 17 aces and 10 blocks. His 17 aces ranked second among all players in the tournament.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Stanley helped Team USA to its first gold medal in 20 years. For his performances during the tournament, he was selected as the MVP, Best Scorer, and Best Server of the Olympics.
As one of the veteran members, Stanley helped lead the U.S. Men to a fifth place finish at the 2012 London Games but picked up a knee injury during the Games and never played in another major tournament for the U.S.
Stanley continued to play professionally in Japan for several years before retiring in August 2016.
For his imposing presence at the net and thunderous serves, we are proud to induct, Clayton Iona Stanley to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame as an indoor player.
Kaiser High School in Honolulu did not have a boys' team when Stanley was there, however, so he played basketball, occupied the goal in water polo and skateboarded. He only took up volleyball after having fun at a USAV Junior National tournament when he was 17.
Stanley went on to play at the University of Hawaii where he broke the school’s single match kill record with 50 kills against UCLA in 1999. He left school early, though, to play professionally.
Stanley played extensively in Europe, for several years in Greece, winning Champions League silver with Iraklis Thessaloniki in 2005 where he was awarded “Best Scorer” and “Best Server” and then at Russia’s Dynamo-Tattransgaz (now Zenit Kazan) winning Champions League gold with 2015 IVHF Inductee Lloy Ball and 2021 Inductee Sergey Tetyukhin. Stanley was named “Most Valuable Player” of that competition.
He was a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team from 2000-2012 serving as team captain his final two years. He helped the U.S. Men win the 2008 FIVB World League gold medal and was named Best Server at the 2012 World League Final Round as the U.S. finished second. In 2007 he helped lead the U.S. Men to a bronze medal at the 2007 FIVB World League.
Stanley was a three-time Olympian for the United States. Debuting at the 2004 Sydney Olympics, Stanley led the team to a 4th place finish falling to Russia in the Bronze match. He finished the Olympics fifth overall in scoring with 110 points on 83 kills, 17 aces and 10 blocks. His 17 aces ranked second among all players in the tournament.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Stanley helped Team USA to its first gold medal in 20 years. For his performances during the tournament, he was selected as the MVP, Best Scorer, and Best Server of the Olympics.
As one of the veteran members, Stanley helped lead the U.S. Men to a fifth place finish at the 2012 London Games but picked up a knee injury during the Games and never played in another major tournament for the U.S.
Stanley continued to play professionally in Japan for several years before retiring in August 2016.
For his imposing presence at the net and thunderous serves, we are proud to induct, Clayton Iona Stanley to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame as an indoor player.
