CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Virginia High School League will honor the Class of 2026 during the 37th annual Virginia High School Hall of Fame Banquet on Sunday, April 19, at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel.
The event will begin at 3:30 p.m., with registration opening at 3 p.m. The banquet is open to the public, and advance reservations are required. Tickets are $35 and must be purchased online by noon on Wednesday, April 8. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
The Class of 2026 includes 11 inductees recognized for outstanding contributions to high school athletics, activities and sports media across the commonwealth. Among those to be honored is Salem High School’s Mark Ingerson, whose recent selection to the Hall of Fame caps a remarkable career leading Salem’s Speech and Debate programs.
Ingerson, a Salem resident, has coached the school’s Speech (formerly Forensics) team since 2002 and the Debate team since 2023. In 23 years, his teams have won 20 combined VHSL state championships, including a state-record 19 consecutive titles in Speech. His students also have earned more than 100 individual Speech state championships and multiple Debate state titles. Ingerson has twice been named the National Federation of State High School Associations’ Outstanding Speech and Debate Educator of the Year.
The 2026 Hall of Fame honorees are:
Athletes
• Hannah Light-Cress, Coeburn High School, softball, volleyball, basketball, track
• Larry Haney, Orange County High School, baseball, football, basketball, track
• Natasha (Belcher) Holt, J.J. Kelly High School, girls tennis, volleyball
• David Johnson, Fluvanna County High School, basketball, football
• Juan Thornhill, Altavista High School, football, basketball
Coaches
• Garwin DeBerry, Charlottesville High School, football and boys lacrosse
• Mark Ingerson, Salem High School, speech and debate
• A. Edward Steele Jr., Broad Run High School, softball and wrestling
• Jan Thompson, Central High School (Wise), theatre and speech
Contributors
• Bob Leader, VHSL baseball state rules interpreter and umpire
• Arthur Utley, Richmond Times-Dispatch, sportswriter
Hotel accommodations are not included with banquet registration, and attendees are responsible for making their own arrangements. Several hotels in the Charlottesville area are available, including the Omni Charlottesville Hotel, which is hosting the event.
Tickets must be purchased online, and all tickets will be held under the names provided at the time of purchase. Tickets: https://gofan.co/event/5619937?schoolId=VHSL
Questions regarding ticket orders may be directed to the VHSL office.
With the induction of the Class of 2026, the Virginia High School Hall of Fame will grow to 364 members, continuing its mission of preserving and celebrating excellence in Virginia’s public high school athletics and activities.
-The Salem Times-Register
