Former Washington Mystics star Elena Delle Donne and former Washington linebacker London Fletcher were among those inducted into the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame during a Sunday ceremony at Nationals Park.
They were joined by W.T. Woodson High School and Duke University alumnus Tommy Amaker, George Washington University softball star and Olympic gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor and legendary Maryland high school football coach Al Thomas. Also, the University of Maryland’s men’s basketball team that won the 2002 national championship were honored with the Hall of Fame’s Team of Distinction.
Legendary coach Gary Williams coached the Maryland Terrapins to their only title in school history with the help of basketball stars Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter and Steve Blake. Williams, who was inducted into the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2015, told WTOP that he is elated about the team being among the all-time D.C. sports greats.
“It’s great for our team,” Williams said. “For our team to do something together at this point is always a great thing, and this is the 25th anniversary of the championship. So that makes this a little bit more special.”
Delle Donne played in the WNBA for over a decade for the Chicago Sky and the Washington Mystics. She helped lead the Mystics to their only title in 2019 in the same season she won her second MVP award, cementing herself as one of the greatest players in franchise history. Earlier this month, Delle Donne was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame because of her on-court accomplishments.
However, being recognized among the greatest D.C. athletes makes it special for her.
“Seeing my name among all the legends, like that’s when it hits and it’s full-body chills,” Delle Donne said. “There are some incredible athletes that have been in D.C., so I’m really proud to be on that list.”
Fletcher had a decorated 16-year NFL career that included winning a Super Bowl title with the St. Louis Rams. The former linebacker spent most of his career in Washington, where he became a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro with the Burgundy and Gold. He was inducted into the Washington Commanders Hall of Fame and is currently the team’s color commentator for their radio broadcasts.
But being inducted into the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame is an incredible accomplishment for Fletcher.
“It makes me feel honored and humbled, blessed to be deemed worthy enough to be inducted into the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame,” Fletcher said. “It’s been a lot of great athletes that have come through D.C. and played in all the different professional teams here, and for me to to achieve this recognition, I greatly appreciate it.”
Meyers Taylor, who played on the softball team at George Washington University, won her first gold medal as a bobsledder at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“Winning a gold medal was completely surreal,” Meyers Taylor said. “It was crazy to actually accomplish and somehow make it all work because it took a lot of people. It took a lot of different people working together to make it happen.”
WTOP’s Joe Yasharoff contributed to this story.
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