The Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame announced its 2023 class on Saturday. The six-person class features a variety of figures, including ESPN broadcaster and personality Scott Van Pelt.
The class will be honored in a ceremony on Sunday, October 29 in Silver Spring.
Jim Fegan
Serving for 36 years as the football coach at Georgetown Prep, Jim Fegan racked up a lot of wins for the Little Hoyas. After winning 14 league championships and nine undefeated seasons, Fegan established Georgetown Prep as a premier program in the area.
Fegan also served as the athletic director at Georgetown Prep after his coaching days were over.
John Harvill (Posthumous)
A legendary football coach, John Harvill’s story extends beyond the gridiron. A McKinley Tech and University of Maryland standout, Harvill played not only football but baseball as well. In fact, he played professionally for three years in the Boston Red Sox organization.
Harvill is known for his 44-year stint as the football coach at Gaithersburg High School. When he retired in 2000, he was the winningest coach in Maryland history.
Harvill passed away in 2013.
Tracy Jackson
Tracy Jackson was a Paint Branch High School basketball star, becoming one of the Panthers only McDonald’s All Americans in school history.
Jackson would go on to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and then played in the NBA for four seasons.
Joanna Lohman
A U.S. national team player, Joanna Lohman was born in Silver Spring, played for the Bethesda Scorpions youth team for several years and attended Springbrook High School. At Penn State, she would become a four-year first-team All-Big Ten player, the first to ever do so.
Lohman played professional soccer both internationally and domestically, but spent the last four seasons of her career with the Washington Spirit.
Off the field, Lohman is responsible for helping launch the organization GO!, which aims to help schools create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ athletes.
Harold Solomon
Another Springbrook graduate, Harold Solomon, won 22 singles titles in his tennis career. With a lifetime professional record of 564-315, Solomon was ranked as a top ten singles player multiple times in his career.
Additionally, Solomon would later become a coach to other tennis players, including some who would go on to win Grand Slam events. Solomon is in the D.C. sports hall of fame as well.
Scott Van Pelt
Perhaps the most notable name to be inducted is Scott Van Pelt, who graduated from Sherwood High School before attending the University of Maryland. Before working for ESPN, Van Pelt worked at Fox 5 in Washington, D.C., and Golf Channel.
Known for his magnetic personality, Van Pelt has worked at ESPN for over 22 years, including eight years hosting the popular show, SportsCenter. Recently, the Maryland graduate was widely praised for his coverage during the Damar Hamlin injury that occurred on Monday Night Football.
Van Pelt lives in the D.C. area and regularly attends University of Maryland sporting events.
