Michael Phelps, Lindsey Vonn, Dawn Staley head list of finalists for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has announced their finalists for the 2022 USOPC Hall of Fame Class, and it features a stunning list of athletes, including a 23-time Olympic gold medalist.

The committee probably won’t have to debate Michael Phelps’s worthiness for very long. The swimmer is the most decorated Olympian of all-time, in any sport, with 28 medals. At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Phelps tied a record by winning eight medals, and then four years later in Beijing he won another eight. All of his eight medals in Beijing were gold.

Dawn Staley, who coached the U.S. women’s basketball team to gold in Tokyo 2020, also won three gold medals as a player, and two as an assistant coach. She has played in 24 games in the Olympics, tied for sixth most all-time.

Vonn and Miller are among the most accomplished winter athletes. Miller has won six Olympic medals, including gold in Vancouver 2010 in the super combined, while Vonn has three Olympic medals. She also won gold at the Vancouver Games, taking the top spot in the downhill competition.

In total, the USOPC has named 15 Olympians, nine Paralympians, three Olympic teams, two Paralympic teams, six legends, three coaches and three special contributors as finalists.

Those finalists will have to be narrowed down to five Olympians, three Paralympians, one Olympic team and one Paralympic team for induction into the Hall of Fame. The USOPC can also select candidates from the legend, coach and special contributor categories to be inducted.

Fans are encouraged to vote on their favorites on the USOPC website until May 16.