John Hyden

Birthdate: October 7, 1972

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Resides: Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Height: 6’-5"

College: San Diego State 

Website: johnhyden.com

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/John-Hyden

Twitter: twitter.com/johnhyden

BEST FINISH / WINNINGS

Domestic: 1^st (22 times) $627,380.00

International: 17^th (3 times) $4,920.00

Overall: 1^st (22 times) $632,300.00

BIOGRAPHY

A star on the AVP, John Hyden quickly established himself as one of the elite players in pro beach volleyball. In 16 AVP tournaments in 2009, Hyden won four times and advanced to four other finals. He was voted the AVP’s Best Defensive Player in 2009 and has finished each season ranked in the top 20 since 2004.

After only his second year on the beach, he proved himself by qualifying for the Best of the Beach tournament where only the top 16 players are invited. To finish the 2004 season, he partnered with long-time friend and former U.S. national teammate Mike Lambert in Chicago where they placed second. Later in the 2005 season, Hyden teamed up with Lambert again and won the Cincinnati Open, his first victory on the AVP Tour. He finished 2005 ranked seventh in aces (51).

In 2006, he teamed up with another former national teammate, Jeff Nygaard marking the fifth U.S. national team member Hyden has partnered with. Hyden ended the year ranked fifth in digs per set (4.82) and seventh in hitting percentage (.440). In 2007, Hyden won God of the Beach in Las Vegas. He ended the year ranked fourth in hitting percentage (.435), seventh in digs per set (4.58) and 10th in aces per set (.48).

Hyden’s quick success comes as no surprise from those who followed his indoor career. He graduated from San Diego State University where he garnered team MVP honors all four seasons. He was a two-time first team All-American (1994, 1995), led the nation in kills per set, and had an NCAA-record 56 kills in one match.

Before his successful transition to the beach, Hyden had an outstanding indoor career as a member of the U.S. national team for five years (1995-2000). He was an outside hitter on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic teams and in 1996, he was voted the team MVP. He also played professional overseas in Italy and Brazil.

Hyden married wife, Robyn, in 2001 and they have one daughter, Samantha. The family resides in Sherman Oaks, Calif.