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Virginia
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2026
HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) – The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 on Wednesday.
This year’s group of athletes, coaches, administrators, and contributors whose influence spans generations, levels of competitions across the state. This includes one man from Richmond, who has also been named the 2026 Distinguished Virginian.
The Class of 2026 inductees are as follows:
- Bobby Ukrop (Richmond): Robert S. “Bobby” Ukrop has been named the “2026 Distinguished Virginian” presented to an individual with a sports background who is a distinguished citizen of the Commonwealth based on outstanding life accomplishment”. A former basketball player at the University of Richmond, Ukrop has been a transformative community leader, leading initiatives throughout Central Virginia including the founding of Richmond Sports Backers, construction of the Diamond baseball stadium, efforts to “Drown-proof Virginia” learn to swim initiative.
- Grant Hill (Reston): ACC Player of the Year; two-time consensus All American; two-time NCAA Champion; one of the ACC’s 50 Greatest Players; 19-year NBA career – 17,137 points -7-time NBA All-Star- 3-time NBA Sportsmanship Award; Olympic Gold Medalist; member of the College and Naismith Memorial Basketball Halls of Fame. National broadcaster for both NCAA and NBA games. Co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) Orlando City SC (MLS), Orlando Pride (NWSL) and the Baltimore Orioles (MLB).
- Marcellus “Boo” Williams (Hampton): Widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential youth basketball coaches in the nation, Williams has helped shape the careers of countless young men’s and women’s players. Walt Disney Wide World of Sports named Williams its 2001 Volunteer of the Year; The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame presented him with its 2013 Human Spirit Award. Williams currently operates his youth basketball programs from the 135,000 sq. ft. Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton.
- Michael Vick (Newport News): The former Virginia Tech standout and NFL quarterback, Vick became one of the most dynamic players of his generation. At Virginia Tech, Vick led the Hokies to the 1999 National Championship game and was a 1st team All-American and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. The #1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft, Vick played in the NFL for 13 seasons, earning 4 Pro Bowl selections and the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. After his retirement, Vick was a commentator for Fox NFL Sunday. He is currently the head coach of the Norfolk State University Spartans.
- Wally Walker (Charlottesville): Often credited with starting the prominence of UVA basketball, Walker led the Cavaliers to their first NCAA tournament berth in 1976 when he was the MVP of the ACC Tournament. Walker was the #5 overall pick of the 1976 NBA draft and played for 8 NBA seasons winning two NBA Championships. Following his playing career, Walker moved to the front office, to become the President of Seattle SuperSonics.
- Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg): One of the most accomplished basketball players in Virginia history. Toliver was the 2009 ACC Player of the Year, a 2-time All-American, NCAA National Champion, 1st round WNBA selection, 2-time WNBA Champion and a 3-time WNBA AllStar. Toliver is currently the associate head coach of the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
- Terry Driscoll (Williamsburg): A visionary leader in collegiate athletics, Driscoll served with distinction as the Director of Athletics at William & Mary for 22 years, during which the Tribe won 114 Conference Championships, had 118 teams with 100% graduation rates and oversaw a dramatic increase in funding for new facilities and the College’s endowment. A true “Scholar-Athlete” himself, Driscoll was an Athletic and Academic All-American, the #4 overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, and a championship professional coach in Europe.
- Roland Lazenby (Wytheville): A former reporter with the Roanoke Times, Lazenby is best known for his award-winning author of over 60 sports books that has vaulted him to the top of his profession. Widely regarded as an “expert or authority” on NBA basketball, several of his most prominent books are “go to” references on Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
- Tony Bennett: Former University of Virginia basketball coach, two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, and national championship coach as long stood among college basketball’s most respected leaders. Over an 18-season head coaching career, including stops at Washington State and the University of Virginia, he compiled a remarkable 433-and-169 overall record. He took over Virginia in 2009 and transformed the Cavaliers into a powerhouse, amassing a 364- 136 record while becoming the programs all-time wins leader. His crowning achievement came in 2019, when his team captured the NCAA national championship- a milestone that delivered Virginia its first ever national title in men’s basketball. Under Bennett’s stewardship, Virginia won six regular season conference titles, two conference championships, and made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.
The 53rd induction events are set for Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa/Short Pump.
Copyright 2025 WWBT. All rights reserved.
Virginia
Motorcoach failed to slow for traffic in Virginia work zone before crash that killed 5 from Western Mass., NTSB says – The Boston Globe
A charter bus failed to slow down when it came upon a line of vehicles stopped in an overnight work zone on Interstate 95 in Virginia last month, rear-ending and killing a Worcester woman in her SUV and a family of four from Greenfield in their SUV, national transportation officials said Thursday.
The driver of the 57-passenger motorcoach, Jing Sheng Dong, was swiftly charged with involuntary manslaughter after the multi-vehicle crash on May 29.
The Massachusetts residents did not know each other yet their vehicles were stopped together in the work zone on southbound I-95 in Stafford, Va. at 2:32 a.m. that Friday.
Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, was a passenger in a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban that was in the direct path of the 2013 Van Hool C2045L motorcoach. She was traveling with her husband to South Florida.
Also in the path of the charter bus was the Doncev family, a mother and father from Greenfield traveling with their 14-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son to a family wedding in South Carolina. Their 2020 Acura MDX was consumed by fire, the report from the National Transportation Security Board said.
In all, eight vehicles were involved, with dozens of people injured and hospitalized.
The bus, occupied by Dong, 48, who worked for E&P Travel, Inc., and two dozen passengers, was en route from New York City to Charlotte, NC.
The conditions were clear and dry on the six-lane roadway where three southbound and three northbound lanes were divided by two reversible express toll lanes, the NTSB report said.
An overnight repaving project had prompted the closure of the southbound center and right lanes, as well as the right shoulder, according to the report.
When the charter bus approached from the south in the center lane, it failed to slow done for stopped traffic, the report said. It did not say how fast the bus was estimated to be traveling.
The motorcoach continued to travel south for nearly a half mile, causing a chain-reaction crash into eight vehicles, the report said.
The overnight work zone was scheduled to conclude at 5 a.m., less than three hours from the time of the fatal crash, the NTSB said.
The investigation is ongoing while the NTSB determines probable cause.
The Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Transportation, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are aiding the investigation.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – First responders never stop training, and this week almost 500 from across Virginia are honing their skills in Blacksburg.
The Virginia Association of First Responders now includes EMTs, firefighters, police officers and many others who answer the call in an emergency.
Thursday, a farm accident and a collision involving a car and school bus were just two of the scenarios they encountered.
“It’s a week-long opportunity, not only for technical stuff like this, but for medical classes,” said Covington Volunteer Rescue Squad member Greg Burton. “People call 911 every day for something. And we’re just here to help ease the problem a little bit.”
The annual conference also includes a Rescue Camp for young people with an interest in emergency services.
43 campers are taking part in a variety of activities, including a session on scuba diving Thursday afternoon.
Copyright 2026 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A brush fire in a wooded area on Criollo Drive Wednesday afternoon was set by children playing with fire, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
Units with Virginia Beach Fire and Virginia Beach Police were dispatched to the 3700 block of Criollo Drive in reference to a report of a possible fire in a wooded area at approximately 5 p.m.
Upon arrival, crews saw light smoke coming from a wooded area. They quickly had the brush fire under control at 6:05 p.m. and marked out at 6:37 p.m.
There were no injuries reported to civilians, firefighters or pets.
A VBFD Fire Investigator determined that the fire was set by kids playing with fire.
There are no charges being filed currently.
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