Water polo ambassadors Sean Kern and Dr. Ralph Hale and former NCAA backstroke champion Fred Haywood highlight the 2008 class of 17 inductees into the Hawai'i Swimming Hall of Fame.

The other inductees are Ivanelle Hoe, Dr. Herbert M. Kobayashi, Jerry Miki, Betty Ann Barnett, James G. Caldwell, Linda Kaiser, Michael S. Spalding, Spencer Eldred, Lloyd B. Osborne, Cappy Sheeley, Charles Dwight III, Jane Hale, Harry Mamizuka and Hiroshi Yamauchi.

The 17 honorees will be officially inducted at an awards dinner at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at Hale Koa Hotel's DeRussy Room.

Kern, a 1997 Punahou School graduate, was a four-time All-American for national champion UCLA and was named NCAA Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000. He played for the United States in the 2000 Olympics and was a member of the USA's World Championship team in 2001.

Hale and his wife, Jane, will be inducted as "Coach/Contributors."

He was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 1996, the same year he served as the United States' Chef de Mission for the Olympic Games.

Hale was a member of the USA's delegation staff at four Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1994 and 1996).

Haywood, a Hawai'i Preparatory Academy graduate, set a national high school record in the 100-yard backstroke in 1967 and was an NCAA champion in the 100 backstroke while at Santa Clara University.

He also was part of an NCAA championship and American record medley relay team at Stanford in 1970 and 1971.

The inaugural Hawai'i Swimming Hall of Fame class — which included legends Duke Kahanamoku, Keo Nakama and Soichi "Coach" Sakamoto — was inducted in 2002.

The Hall of Fame is displayed in the Immigrations area of Honolulu International Airport in an effort to preserve the rich aquatic tradition here.

Tickets are still available for the Nov. 1 induction dinner — which will be emceed by Danny Kaleikini — and may be purchased by calling Sonny Tanabe at 735-1088.