Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame set for 19th induction class Sunday

The Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame will induct five members for its 2026 class this weekend. Among the sports figures being inducted this year is longtime Laney basketball coach and current athletic director Fred Lynch. Surfing standout Bill Curry, a Hoggard graduate, will also be inducted.

Three days of events for this year's induction class began with a luncheon on Friday, May 15, at the Wilmington Convention Center, with its fundraiser golf tournament set for Saturday morning at Wilmington Municipal Golf Course. On Sunday, a reception and auction will start at 5 p. m.

at the convention center, with dinner and the induction ceremony at 6. Click here for more information. SEE THE 2025 INDUCTEES Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame set for 18th induction class Sunday Fred Lynch If you’ve been around Wilmington high school athletics for any significant period of time, you're likely quite familiar with the name Fred Lynch.

The Laney athletic director has served in various roles at Wilmington’s largest public high school for 46 years, joining the school just three years after it opened in 1976. While he started out as an assistant junior varsity coach in basketball and football, Lynch would become an unforgettable figure as the leader of the Bucs boys basketball program for 28 years, leading the team to a 426-242 record, winning six conference championships, the Eastern Regional title and a state championship appearance in 1999. Lynch served as an assistant coach during Michael Jordan’s tenure at the school and has been interviewed for multiple documentaries about ‘His Airness’, including the hugely popular ‘Last Dance’ documentary from ESPN.