In early October, the Terps honored radio announcer Johnny Holliday for his services to the university. He’s pictured with athletic director Kevin Anderson (left), men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon (center right) and football coach Randy Edsall (right).
Former Terrapins men’s basketball coach Lefty Driesell, former Terrapins women’s basketball coach Chris Weller and radio announcer Johnny Holliday were named part of a seven-member class in the Washington D.C. Sports Hall of Fame yesterday in a news release.
All three are institutions in College Park, well-known for their roles with the Terps.
Driesell was famously credited with saying he would make this university “the UCLA of the East,” though he later said that phrase came from Jay McMillen, the brother of prized basketball recruit Tom McMillen, during a meeting when Driesell was considering taking the coaching job with the Terps. Driesell came to College Park, McMillen followed, and both played important roles in the elevation of the program on the national stage.
Driesell coached the Terps for 17 seasons and won 348 games. The Terps won the 1972 NIT and the 1984 ACC tournament with Driesell at the helm of the program, which developed star players such as McMillen, Len Elmore, John Lucas, Len Bias and Buck Williams during his tenure.
Weller spent 27 seasons leading the Terps to 499 wins, eight ACC titles, three Final Fours and one national title game appearance. Vicky Bullett, Jasmina Perazic, Debbie Lytle and Deanna Tate were All-Americans under Weller.
In 1988-89, the Terps had one of their most successful seasons. Weller led the team to a 29-3 overall record and a 13-1 mark in the ACC before winning the ACC tournament. But the Terps fell to Tennessee, 94-80, in the Final Four.
Holliday became a radio announcer for the Terps in 1979 after a career as a Top-40 disc jockey and was honored for his 35 years of calling football and men’s basketball games in the fall. He is perhaps best known for his call of, “And the kids have done it: Maryland wins their first-ever national championship” when the Terps captured the 2002 men’s basketball title against Indiana.
“It’s the greatest job in the world to work with coaches like [men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon], [football coach Randy Edsall], [an] athletic director like Kevin [Anderson] and people that have been associated with them — the players, the administrations,” Holliday said in October. “It’s a dream come true that most people would love, love to have. I’ve been fortunate enough to do it for all these years and hopefully a couple more before we call it quits.”
Journalism professor and former Washington Post sports editor George Solomon also will be honored at the April 27 ceremony at Nationals Park in Washington.
Former Washington Capitals goalkeeper Olaf Kolzig, Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner and Olympic and professional figure skater Michael Weiss round out the class. Each inductee will receive a plaque, and their names will be added to the Hall of Fame display at Nationals Park.
