GWSHOF Historical Narrative

In 2005, legendary football player, coach and administrator Bill Dooley had a vision. After moving to the Carolina coast and embracing his new home, the North Carolina icon gathered a group of colleagues and local sports fans to pay tribute to the area’s rich sports history. And the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame was born.

It wasn’t diƯicult to land on the first inductee into the GWSHOF. Leon Brogden, the highlyrespected coach and athletic director at New Hanover High School, was the obvious choice to anchor this new group of contributors. Brogden won 55 state championships across three sports and was also inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (1970), Wake Forest University Sports Hall of Fame (1974) and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame (1987).

The rest of the initial class – Bill Brooks, Roman Gabriel, Sonny Jurgensen, Meadowlark Lemon and Wayne Jackson – kicked oƯ a series of 18 inductions that has now recognized 79 individuals, including 15 posthumously. From football to baseball to surfing to sports medicine, the GWSHOF features honorees from 18 diƯerent categories.

While Dooley, the former head football coach at UNC Chapel Hill, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, kickstarted the GWSHOF, four individuals have served as leaders of the organization. Following Dooley, local attorney and philanthropist George Rountree III took over the reins for one year in 2006. Jon Rosborough, with experience in hospital administration and aviation management, then directed the group for 10 years (2008-2017) until Louise McColl began her term in 2018.

McColl founded and directed McColl & Associates, Inc., and specialized in meeting, event planning and fundraising organization before retiring in December of 2022. She is in her eighth year as chair of the GWSHOF and continues to provide excellent leadership as the pantheon of Wilmington greats grows and prospers.

The GWSHOF has saluted honorees every year since 2006, with the exception of the COVID-19 years of 2021 and 2022.

As the GWSHOF celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026, the non-profit organization continues to achieve its goal of recognizing individuals who have contributed to the rich athletic history of the Cape Fear Region.