The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame announced today that four-time Super Bowl winning tight end Rob Gronkowski, hockey great David Legwand, outstanding Green Bay Packer offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, and UCLA basketball All-American Dave Meyers have been elected into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
TROY, Mich., April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame announced today that four-time Super Bowl winning tight end Rob Gronkowski, hockey great David Legwand, outstanding Green Bay Packer offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, and UCLA basketball All-American Dave Meyers have been elected into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Rob Gronkowski – A second round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Gronkowski would go on to nine outstanding seasons with the New England Patriots as a key target for quarterback Tom Brady, while leading the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles (XLIX, LI, LIII). He earned five Pro Bowl selections and was named a First-Team All-Pro four times. "Gronk" initially retired after the 2018 season but made a comeback in 2020 to join Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won a fourth Super Bowl ring (LV). Gronkowski owns numerous Patriots franchise records, including total receiving touchdowns (79), and also set several NFL records, holding the distinction of being the first tight end to lead the league in receiving touchdowns (2011), and the first tight end with 1,000+ career postseason receiving yards.
David Legwand - The first player ever drafted by the Nashville Predators, Legwand was the second overall pick in the 1998 NHL Draft. The six-foot-two, 207-pound center played his first 12 seasons in the NHL (1998-2013) with the Predators, and the final 4 seasons with the Predators, Red Wings, Senators and Sabres. Known for his quiet leadership, Legwand left his mark in Nashville with numerous records as the franchise leader in goals (210), assists (356), points (566), game-winning goals (41) and games played (956). In his sophomore season in 2000, he scored the first overtime penalty-shot goal in NHL history. He helped his teams reach the postseason in nine of his 16 seasons. In 2022, he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Bryan Bulaga - The big offensive tackle was the first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 2010 NFL Draft. Out of the University of Iowa, Bulaga earned numerous awards in college, including All-America and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors in 2009. In the NFL, his impact was immediate, becoming the youngest player to start a Super Bowl (21 years old) and winning Super Bowl XLV with the Packers in his rookie season. Named to the 2010 NFL All-Rookie team, he would go on to a stellar 11 year NFL career, including ten seasons in Green Bay, establishing himself as a solid fixture at tackle and helping the Packers win six division titles. Bulaga finished his career in 2021 with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Dave Meyers - Among the best players in the long history of UCLA basketball, Meyers played from 1972-1975, where he led the Bruins to two NCAA Championships, including a perfect 30-0 season in 1972-73. In 1974-75, the final year of Coach John Wooden's legendary career, Meyers led UCLA to their 10th NCAA title. He was named a consensus first-team All-American in 1975 after averaging 18.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game - with 24 points and 11 rebounds in the championship game. The second overall pick in the 1975 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Meyers played five seasons in the NBA averaging 11.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. In 2024, he was posthumously inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 53rd Annual Induction Banquet, with Matt Shepard as Master of Ceremonies, will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, Michigan. Tickets for the banquet, which begins at 5:00 p.m., are $175 and can be ordered by calling Mike Obloy at (248) 217-4040. Information on the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame is available at www.polishsportshof.com.
Media Contact
David Jansen, National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame, 1 2482593428, [email protected], www.polishsportshof.com
SOURCE National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame
Share this article