The following story originally appeared on the website for William & Mary Athletics. – Ed.
Terry Driscoll, whose visionary leadership transformed William & Mary Athletics over more than two decades, has been elected to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Driscoll will be formally inducted during a ceremony on April 25, 2026, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa / Short Pump. For complete event and ticket information, visit the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame website.
Driscoll’s election to the Hall of Fame honors a career marked by integrity, innovation and a deep commitment to the student-athlete ideal. When he applied to become William & Mary’s athletics director in 1995, Driscoll expressed hope to contribute to the university. By his retirement in 2017, after 21 years, that hope had become a lasting legacy.
At his retirement, Driscoll was the longest-serving athletics director in CAA history, and his tenure remains the longest in league history. He led W&M Athletics to unprecedented success. Under his leadership, William & Mary won 114 CAA championships, maintained high academic standards with 118 teams posting NCAA graduation rates of 100% and produced 56 Phi Beta Kappa initiates and 30 Academic All-Americans. The Tribe also dominated the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, earning 67 since 2002-2003 — 26 more than any other school.
“Terry’s impact on William & Mary cannot be overstated,” said then-President Taylor Reveley upon Driscoll’s retirement. “He led with sound judgment, compassion and a steadfast commitment to excellence both on the field and in the classroom. His legacy will endure for generations.”
Driscoll’s tenure was also marked by major facility upgrades and fundraising growth. He oversaw more than $50 million in capital improvements, including renovations to Zable Stadium and the construction of Plumeri Park, Martin Family Stadium and the Millie West Tennis Facility. Annual fundraising for non-capital projects increased from $1.36 million in 1995 to over $4 million under his leadership.
A former All-American basketball player and Academic All-American at Boston College, Driscoll was the fourth overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft and played professionally before moving into sports marketing and collegiate athletics administration. His unique mix of athletic, academic and business experience made him an ideal steward of William & Mary’s values.
“Terry understood what makes William & Mary special,” said Brian Mann, W&M’s current director of Athletics. “Since I started here in 2021, he has been gracious in sharing his perspectives and has been an invaluable resource. We are thrilled to see his many accomplishments recognized by this great honor, and I cannot wait to celebrate his induction this spring!”
Driscoll’s induction to the Virginia State Hall of Fame honors not only his achievements at William & Mary but also his lifelong dedication to athletics and education. As former CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager once said, “He was the moral compass of our conference — a quiet leader whose wisdom and perspective shaped college athletics for the better.”
The other members of the Class of 2026 will include:
- Tony Bennett (head coach, University of Virginia)
- Grant Hill (Reston, Virginia / Duke)
- Roland Lazenby (Wytheville, Virginia / distinguished sportswriter, teacher and author)
- Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg, Virginia / University of Maryland)
- Bobby Ukrop (Distinguished Virginian Award / University of Richmond)
- Michael Vick (Newport News, Virginia / Virginia Tech)
- Wally Walker (Charlottesville, Virginia / UVA)
- Marcellous “Boo” Williams (Hampton University / Founder of Boo Williams Invitational)