VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame continues to outdo itself when it comes to picking an upcoming class. This year is no different as nine new members will be enshrined in Virginia Beach on April 25 & 26 in Town Center.
Here's the list of Class of 2025:
• Mike Smith built a powerhouse football program over 50+ years at Hampton High School. Smith took over as head football coach in 1970 and over the course of 51 seasons on the sidelines led the Crabbers to a VHSL record 12 state championships. His 1996 and 1997 teams were also crowned National Champions. In total, Smith won 506 games as head coach at Hampton, which ranks him 3rd on the all-time list nationally. He was named State Coach of the Year 17 times, and National Coach of the Year in 1996. He is a 1990 inductee into the VHSL Hall of Fame, and 2010 inductee into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame.
• Joe Smith, from Norfolk, VA and Maury High School, was a force on the basketball court. A 1993 Parade 3rd Team All-American in high school, Smith committed to the University of Maryland where he would make an immediate impact. Over two seasons in College Park, Smith would be named the ACC Rookie of the Year (1994), ACC Player of the Year (1995), and be named All-ACC 1st Team in both seasons. In 1995 Smith would also be named National Player of the Year by four outlets, including the Naismith Player of the Year. Following college, Smith would be drafted #1 overall in the 1995 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. He would play 16 seasons in the NBA, scoring over 11,000 points, and grabbing over 6,500 rebounds.
• Brandon Adair, from Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, rewrote the record books for Virginia Wesleyan University men’s basketball. A 4-time AllODAC selection, including 3-time 1st Team selection, led VWU to the 2006 NCAA Division-III National Championship. In the process, he was ODAC and National Player of the Year. Adair still holds school records for career points (2,100), and field goals made (871), and ranks second in rebounds (871). He also holds the record for most career field goals in ODAC Tournament history. Following college, he played professionally in Germany and currently works as a Referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Adair becomes the first Virginia Sports Hall of Fame inductee from Virginia Wesleyan University.
• Lou Whitaker, from Martinsville High School is one of the most accomplished baseball players to call the Commonwealth home. Drafted in the 5th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in 1975, Whitaker made his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers in 1977. Over the next 19 seasons, Whitaker would stake his claim as one of the best middle infielders in the game. The 1978 American League Rookie of the Year, Whitaker would be named an All-Star five times, win three Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger awards at second base, and was an integral part of the Tigers 1984 World Championship team. Whitaker finished his career with a .276 batting average, 2,369 hits, 244 homeruns, 1,084 RBI, and 1,386 runs scored.
• Dan Bonner, a native of Pittsburgh, PA attended the University of Virginia where he was named captain of the men’s basketball team, and academic AllACC. Following a two-year stint as head coach for UVA Women’s Basketball, Bonner has become a leading media voice for college basketball. Beginning in 1985, Bonner has been a color-commentator for every NCAA tournament, first with NCAA Productions (1985-1990), and then with CBS Sports (1991-present), including the 2000 and 2001 Final Four and Championship games. Other broadcast roles include working with ESPN and ACC Sports Regional Networks for regular and postseason games.
• Ed George, from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg and Ferrum College football, is the Hall of Fame’s 2025 Distinguished Virginian Award recipient. George played collegiately at Ferrum where he was named Captain of the football team, before transferring to Wake Forest. A 4th round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970 NFL Draft, George would opt to play professionally in Canada. Over 11 professional seasons, 7 in the CFL and 4 in the NFL, George would be named All-Pro five times (CFL) and be part of two Grey Cup Championship teams with the Montreal Alouettes. In 2005 he was inducted into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame. His impact has been felt away from the gridiron as well, where his success in the financial sector has led to multiple philanthropic endeavors, many of which have been centered on support for student-athletes. The Hall of Fame at Ferrum bears his name, the Ed George Sports Hall of Fame at Ferrum College, and he has also been honored by Ferrum as a Distinguished Alumni, and with the Beckham Medallion, Ferrum’s highest honor.
• Ali Krieger, from Dumfries, VA and Forest Park High School has excelled at every level of soccer. The 2003 Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, starred for Penn State women’s soccer where she was named BIG10 Freshman of the Year, three-time All BIG10 1st Team, two-time 1st Team All-American, and the 2006 BIG10 and National Defensive Player of the Year. Her success continued on the international and professional levels. With the U.S. Women’s National Team, Krieger made 108 appearances, was named to three World Cup teams, and was a member of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup Champion sides. As a professional in the N.W.S.L., Krieger played 11 seasons, culminating with an N.W.S.L. championship in her final season as captain of Gotham F.C.
• Harry Minium Jr., a native of Norfolk, and an Old Dominion University alum, has spent over 40-years as a sportswriter and columnist for outlets including the Richmond News Leader, the Virginian-Pilot, and Old Dominion University Athletics. A recipient of numerous writing awards, including a first-place award in 2013 by the Football Writers of America, Minium has also been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. In 2013 he was the recipient of the prestigious Abe Goldblatt Award presented by the Norfolk Sports Club.
• Murray Cook, a native of Salem, VA has played a role in baseball field design and development around the globe. After beginning his career in field management in his hometown at Billy Sample Field in the early 70’s, Cook joined Major League Baseball as its official field consultant in 1991, and still holds that role to this day. In this position, Cook has overseen development of Major League level fields in over 60 countries and has managed multiple ballpark projects including the London Series (UK) in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, the MLB Field of Dreams Field in Iowa, the MLB Fort Bragg Game in North Carolina, and the recent renovations at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, AL. He has previously been honored as the 1991 Sportsturf Man of the Year, and “MLB at Fort Bragg” was named the 2016 Ballpark of the Year. He is President of Brightview Sports is a past President of the National Sportsfield Managers Association. He was inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 and in 2021 Salem City Council officially proclaimed September 27th as “Murray Cook Day” in his hometown.