GW Athletics retired or honored the jerseys of 10 former athletes and one coach in the inaugural year of an effort to recognize the program’s all-time greatest athletes.
Athletics officials introduced the Retired and Honored Jersey Policy prior to the 2025-2026 season in an effort to celebrate a selection of athletes who achieved great athletic success during their time at GW. During the first year of the new tradition, the pool of honorees consisted of four former men’s basketball players, two women’s basketball players, two baseball players, a women’s volleyball player, one cross country runner and the women’s basketball program’s all-time winningest coach, Joe McKeown.
Prior to this initiative, the only GW athlete to have their jersey retired was former softball player turned Olympic bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor in 2014, the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history.
A GW Athletics spokesperson said officials created the tradition last year to honor the former student-athletes and coaches whose legacy, leadership and character “rise above” Hall of Fame excellence. The spokesperson said the initiative allows jerseys to be retired, where no future player in that sport would don that number, or honored, where the jersey number would remain in circulation.
“At George Washington, excellence is measured not only by championships and accolades, but by the lasting impact made by competitors and coaches on the university, inspiring the generations that follow,” the spokesperson said.
Athletics officials announced in April that they began the process of consideration for the 2026-27 class of honorees.
Here’s a look at the jersey retirements and honors during the 2025-2026 season:
Men’s basketball honorees
Joe Holup, #16
Holup, who played at GW from 1952 to 1956, cemented his legacy by leading GW to its first-ever NCAA tournament in 1954 and a No. 12 national ranking. He remains one of the only two players in NCAA history to ever record over 2,000 career points and rebounds, still standing as GW’s all-time rebounding leader. Holup was a first round NBA draft pick in 1956, playing five seasons in the NBA with the Syracuse Nationals and Fort Wayne Pistons, now the Detroit Pistons.
Yinka Dare, #33
Dare led men’s basketball during his two seasons in 1993 and 1994, securing back-to-back Team MVP honors and two Second Team All-Atlantic 10 selections, in addition to his 1993 A-10 Rookie and A-10 Newcomer of the year awards. He anchored the team during its historic 1993 run to the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen — the furthest GW men’s basketball has made it in the March Madness tournament in program history.
Although Dare declared for the NBA draft after just his sophomore year, Dare’s name lines the GW record books, sitting in first place for all-time blocks per game, fifth in total blocks and sixth in rebounds per game. The New Jersey Nets drafted Dare in 1994, where he played all four of his seasons in the NBA.
Mike Brown, #40
Brown, who played at GW from 1981 to 1985 and was nicknamed “Washington Monument” due to his staggering height of 6 feet 10 inches, was a four-time All-Atlantic 10 selection and is just one of three players in program history to surpass over 1,000 career points and rebounds. Brown spent 11 seasons in the NBA, originally playing for the Chicago Bulls before joining the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns.
Shawnta Rogers, #54
Rogers cemented his legacy as the only player in GW history to be named A-10 Player of the Year during his tenure from 1995 to 1999, driving the team to four consecutive postseason appearances while capturing the 1999 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation’s top player under six feet tall. The three-time MVP had a legendary senior season, leading the A-10 with 20.7 points and 6.8 assists per game and pacing the nation with 103 steals. Rogers finished his collegiate career holding the program’s all-time records in both steals and assists.
Though Rogers went undrafted in the NBA, he played 11 seasons professionally, playing in the IBL leagues in the United States and spending many years on teams abroad, most notably playing in France’s top league, the LNB Pro A and becoming a two-time All-Star during his time with Le Mans in France.
Women’s basketball honorees
Jonquel Jones, #35
Jones, who most recently played out of the pool from 2013 to 2016, had her jersey retired after setting GW’s single-season rebounding record and ranking among the top five all time in career scoring average, rebounds and blocks. Jones was also a two-time All-America Honorable Mention, the 2014-15 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, the 2015 A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player and won two National Player of the Week awards during her stint at GW.
Jones was drafted an impressive sixth overall by the LA Sparks in 2016 and had a legendary 10 season career in the WNBA. After the Sparks traded her to the Connecticut Sun, Jones played her first six seasons there before being traded to the New York Liberty, where she is currently playing her fourth season with the team. Her WNBA stint includes awards like MVP and Finals MVP honors, five All-Star nods, the 2017 Most Improved Player, the 2018 Sixth Woman of the Year and two All-Defensive First Team selections. Jones was 2025’s commencement speaker and a nominee for USA Today’s Woman of the Year accolade.
Tajama Abraham, #40
Abraham holds the title of GW women’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer and only player to have scored more than 2,000 career points during her playing career from 1993 to 1997. Abraham anchored the team to an NCAA tournament run, leading them to the Sweet Sixteen in 1995 and Elite Eight in 1997.
Abraham parlayed her college dominance into a two-season WNBA stint with the Sacramento Monarchs and Detroit Shocks after being drafted 31st overall in 1997. Following her short-lived professional career, Abraham holds an impressive 20-year Division I coaching career, including five seasons as the head coach of Radford University women’s basketball. She is currently the assistant coach for Georgetown University women’s basketball.
Coach Joe McKeown
McKeown is the only coach to be honored in the inaugural class, coaching women’s basketball for 19 seasons from 1989 to 2008 before taking over as head coach at Northwestern University, where he currently coaches. McKeown remains the all-time winningest coach in program history with a 441-154 overall record and a dominant 250-52 mark in A-10 play. The five-time A-10 Coach of the Year and 2012 Hall of Fame inductee mentioned seven All-Americans and 16 future Hall of Fame players. McKeown also steered the program to 15 NCAA Tournaments, highlighted by four Sweet Sixteen Appearances and a legendary 1996-97 Elite Eight run.
Baseball honorees
Hank Bunnell, #18
Widely regarded as the greatest baseball player in GW history, Bunnell’s jersey is permanently retired in honor of his dominant collegiate run from 1968 to 71. Bunnell was named the program’s Player of the Century in 2000 and holds the all-time program record for complete games, shutouts and strikeouts. Though his professional career lasted just two minor league seasons after being drafted 48 overall by the Washington Senators in 1971, Bunnell still ranks second in career victories and holds top-ten in winning percentages at GW over half a century after he played.
Sam Perlozzo, #2
Perlozzo, who played from 1970 to 72 was named GW’s MVP and Academic All-American in 1972. Perlozzo still ranks top 10 for career stolen bases over 50 years after his graduation. After signing with the Minnesota Twins in 1972 and playing two seasons for GW, Perlozzo made his MLB debut with the Twins in 1977. He also played for the San Diego Padres in 1979 and spent a season overseas in Japan before transitioning to coaching. Inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame in 1986, Perlozzo coached in the MLB for more than 25 years, including the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies. In his coaching stint, he captured three MLB championships and two Manager of the Year awards in the minor leagues.
Volleyball honoree
Svetlana Vtyurina, #5
Vtyurina, who played from 1992 to 1996, sees her number five jersey permanently retired after a historic collegiate career that culminated with her becoming the NCAA’s all-time leader in career skills. Her career features an All-America Second Team nod, three Academic All-District/All-American selections, the 1996 A-10 Scholar Athlete of the Year award and a complete reign over the conference that included two A-10 Player of the Year honors, three Tournament MVPs and four consecutive First Team and All-Championship Team selections.
Beyond her individual dominance on the court, she was a catalyst for the team’s success, powering the Revs to a 118-28 overall record and three NCAA Tournament appearances during her tenure. Unlike many other GW greats, she did not pursue a professional volleyball career after her historic collegiate run. Instead, she stayed at GW and earned her master’s of business administration in 1998 and built an accomplished career as an economist for the International Monetary Fund.
Cross Country honoree
Megan Hogan
Hogan, who ran for GW from 2008 to 2011, was the only cross country runner to have her jersey honored. Hogan cemented her legacy with two NCAA All-American nods, three NCAA Championship appearances and back-to-back A-10 individual titles in 2009 and 2010. Hogan still holds the program’s all-time records in both the 5K and the 6K, with her 2010 conference championship run sitting eighth in A-10 history. Hogan’s professional career consisted of a 2:42.00 Boston Marathon finish and three separate U.S. Olympic trials qualifications. She earned sports in the 2012 trials, the 2016 marathon trials and the 2020 marathon trials.
