Trainers Marty Ward Onondaga Nation, Snipe Clan Harold Ladouceur Cree Gerald (Jerry) Gourneau Turtle Mountain Chippewa Chamisa Goodwin Ojibwe Dominic Tiger-Cortes Muscogee Creek Tim Moccasin Cree Thomas Gardipy Jr. Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation

Media Cuyler Frank Navajo Mark D. Williams Choctaw Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine Sagkeeng Anishinaabe First Nation Dallas Soonias Nehiyaw/Anishinaabe Matthew Sakiestewa Gilbert Hopi Eugene Oree Foster Navajo Perry William Kelly Metis LA Williams Diné Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi Diné (Navajo)

Coaches Alex “Askie” Askenette Menominee Cherlyn Dawn Billy Shuswap Nation Fern Spencer Hopi/Navajo Jacqueline Lavallee Metis Jason Peters Mi’kmaw Kelvin Sampson Lumbee Mark Burnam Mohawk Orin Lou Askenette Menominee Athena Aitken Anishinaabe/Hocąk Craig Berube Cree Gerald “Jerry” Tuckwin Prairie Band Potawatomi Jason G. Montoya Santa Ana Pueblo Jonathan Harmon Hopi Kerry Danforth Oneida Marty Ward Cherokee Rick Baker Hopi August Wesley Narragansett Dano Thorne,’kwaliquinum’ Coast Salish Cowichan and Nez Perce Greg Henhawk Mohawk Jason Johnson Onondaga Nation, Wolf Clan Kellen Sampson Lumbee Malcolm Blacksmith Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Michael Daney Choctaw Terry Ware Kiowa

Builders 7G Foundation Pauma Band of Luiseño Indian Darlene Ahmo Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation Ernie St. Germaine Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Matt Roberson Wichita/Keechi Sianneh Mulbah Ojibwe Alfred Jacques Onondaga Denise Tsadeyohdi Waterman Oneida John Alexander Hunter Muscogee Creek Rick Brant (Teho:ka) Mohawk Walter and Verna Fontaine Sagkeeng First Nation Bennae Calac Pauma Band of Luiseño Indian Dennis Parrish Stewarts Point Rancheria of Kashaya Pomo John Lyall Kwakwaka’wakw Ryan Salmon Ojibwe Wilton Littlechild Cree Claudia Jimerson Cayuga Nation, Bear Clan Dr. Rosalin Miles Lytton First Nation Kathy Smith Mohawk Sam McCracken Sioux and Assiniboine Curt Styres Mohawk, Wolf Clan Dustin Quinn Martin Navajo Krista Hodder Mi’kmaw from Membertou First Nation Scott Daniels Mistawasis Nêhiyawak

Teams 1899 Carlisle Indian Industrial School 2017 NIFA Ladies Team Indigenous Canada Can Am Warriors Haudenosaunee Nationals Women 2023 PALA Sixes Cup Gold Medal Iroquois Nationals 2003 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships Silver Medalists Iroquois Nationals 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships Silver Medalists Onondaga Redhawks 2014 President’s Cup Champions Six Nations Arrows 2007 Minto Cup Champions 1999 Iroquois Nationals AlgonCrees Haudenosaunee Nationals Women 2019 PALA World Qualifiers Gold Medal Haudenosaunee Nationals Women’s Box Lacrosse Iroquois Nationals 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships Silver Medalists Kahnawake Hunters 2025 Founder’s Cup Champions Sagkeeng Old Timers The North Americans 2015 Team Canada Women's Soccer Anishnabe Iskwewak Haudenosaunee Nationals Women 2021 PALA Sixes Cup Gold Medal IIJL WORLD U16 LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP (WU16LC) Iroquois Nationals 2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships Silver Medalists Onondaga Redhawks 2010 President’s Cup Champions Six Nations Arrows 1992 Minto Cup Champions

< Back Ronald Melchert Ronald Melchert Oneida Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Ronald Melchert hails from the Oneida Nation by the Green Bay of Lake Michigan. Ronald Melchert started training as a boxer in 1969, in the basement of the historic Parish Hall in Oneida, Wisconsin, coached by Matt Powless and coach Harold King. He participated in regional meets throughout Wisconsin and Illinois and became the first Heavyweight champion of the National Indian Boxing Association winning both in 1974 and 1975 in Reno, Nevada. Melchert is a Registered Landscape Architect who has owned his own business since 1982. His experience includes working on primarily Native American projects throughout the United States. Projects include Housing, Governmental Facilities, Community Facilities, Transportation projects, Master planning, Historical Facilities, Parks and Recreation, and Entertainment Facilities of Casinos and Hotels. Melchert’s professional practice and business spans 43 years. Melchert has served as a board member on several Minneapolis not profit organizations serving the inner city Native American community. Ronald is currently the board chairman of the Little Earth of United Tribes Inc., a low income section 8 housing project of 212 units. LEUTC is the only urban HUD project dedicated to specifically Native American residents in the United States. Melchert received an Associate of Arts in Architectural Technology from Madison Area Technical College in 1973, his Bachelor of Science Degree in Landscape Architecture in 1977 from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and a Master’s of Science in Leadership from Capella University in 2016. Melchert is married to Susan and has three children and seven grandchildren. <Back

< Back Pete Conway Pete Conway Blackfeet Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2023 Pete Conway’s basketball success is easy to follow because of the accolades he has earned along the way. His reputation as a standout player began with his high school career at Montana power Billings West High School. Conway led his team to four state tournament appearances and still holds the record for the most points scored in a game for the Golden Bears. He finished as the schools second all-time leading scorer and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball for the state of Montana in 1998. He opted to play his college basketball at NCAA Division I Montana State where he played on the school’s Big Sky Conference Championship Team in 2002 and was named All-Conference in 2003. Conway left Montana State with the second most three-pointers made in school history and became the 25th member of the 1,000 point club for the Bobcats. Conway received his Bachelors of Business Management from MSU in 2003. Conway continues to lead as the Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC). In only his second season at United Tribes the team advanced to the Region Championship and in his third year they won 20 games for the first time in 20 years. Conway has amassed over 100 wins at United Tribes and his teams have advanced to play in the Region Championship four times. He has coached three NJCAA All American athletes at UTTC. <Back

Athletes Angelo Baca Diné/Hopi Brent Reiter Menominee Dean Hill Mohawk Eddie Lone Eagle Red Lake Band of Ojibwe Gewas Schindler Oneida Jeff Shattler Ojibwa Kali “KO” Mequinonoag Reis Seaconke Wampanoag Leanne Sirup Inuit Neal Powless Onondaga Shayna Powless Oneida Awehiyo Thomas Cayuga Carol Pickett Hull Inupiaq Delby Powless Mohawk Ernie Stevens Jr. Oneida Henry Boucha Ojibwe Jim Neilson Big River First Nation Katie Taylor Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Liz Duval Metis Neilson Powless Oneida Tanner Albers Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Becki Wells Staley Blackfeet and Blood Carolyn Darbyshire-McRorie Metis Drew Bucktooth Oneida Gary Sargent Red Lake Ojibwe Jack Powless Oneida Joy SpearChief-Morris Blackfoot (Kainai) Kayla Gardner Eagle Lake First Nation Martin Wheelock Oneida Nicole Johnson Inupiaq Terae Briggs Crow Brady Fairbanks Leech Lake Ojibwe David Powless Oneida Earl Sargent Red Lake Band of Ojibwe George "Comanche Boy" Tahdooahnippah Comanche James Lavallée Métis J.R. Conrad Eastern Shawnee Kyle Ḵaayák’w Worl Tlingit, Deg Hit’an Athabascan and Yup'ik Maurice “Mo” Smith Navajo Rob McClain Muscogee Creek/Red Lake Ojibwe

Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Brian Chrupalo Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Induction Category: Year Inducted Official 2023 <Back Brian Chrupalo was born and raised in the city of Winnipeg. Brian grew up in Manitoba housing that is a low-income housing complex in the cities north end. Brian is married to Lori and they have raised three adult boys, Tanner and twins Andrew and Carter. Brian is the first Treaty Status Canadian (registered to 282 Pine Creek First Nation) to work in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as an on field official. Brian has worked seventeen seasons in the CFL. During his career he has worked 278 games, he has been assigned numerous playoff assignments and worked in five Grey Cup championships. Brian was part of the 2017 season CFL/NFL officials exchange program which saw CFL officials work NFL camps and a preseason game in Jacksonville Florida. Since September 2021, Brian has been learning the Ojibwe language by taking virtual classes, this provided the unique opportunity on September 2022 to allow Brian to announce all of the game’s penalties in Ojibwe and English during the truth and reconciliation game. This was the first time in the history of the Canadian Football League that penalties were announced by an on field official in an indigenous language. Brian will announce the penalties again during the same game for the 2023 season When Brian isn’t working as a Staff Sergeant for the Winnipeg Police Service or working a CFL game he can be found volunteering as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Bear Clan Patrol Inc., an indigenous community-based organization. Brian was instrumental in obtaining funding for a food hamper program during Covid-19. This program saw four hundred families receive healthy food every week for a year. Brian will be introducing marginalized indigenous youth, opportunities to participate in football camps in 2023.

< Back Julius Poitra Julius Poitra Arikara Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Julius Poitra grew up on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in the small town of White Shield, North Dakota. His Indian name, Swift Spirit, was given to him by his step mother Roberta Bear - sister to Robert Bear, the former Arikara Chief. Julius started running while in seventh grade at White Shield. Don Yellowbird, his cross country and track coach, was also his mentor and a father figure. Julius participated in football, basketball, track, and cross country. He excelled in running and won many high school races. During his senior year, Julius won the state two-mile outdoor and 3,000-meter indoor championships. Julius was ranked North Dakota's number one runner in track, and cross country, each year of high school and went on to All American while in college. After leaving White Shield, Julius attended Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas. Julius competed in the track and cross country programs and was awarded the Tony CoffinAward. During his sophomore year of college, Julius was undefeated in cross-country winning the regional title and advancing to the national cross-country meet. He made All-American status running two miles with a foot injury. Julius ran the mile relay, two-mile run, steeple chase, as well as many indoor and outdoor track events. He was invited, and participated in, the Kansas University mile relay and during the summer ran in the national marathon and won the Team National Championship. He was recruited by several colleges and/or universities: University of Southern Alabama, University of Florida, Kansas State University, and North Dakota State University. After graduating from Haskell with a two-year degree, Julius enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve his country. He is a Desert-Storm veteran - serving from 1988 to 1993. After being honorably discharged, Julius returned to his home in White Shield and worked with students with special needs as well as coaching boys and girls track, cross country, and basketball for 25 years. After 25 years at White Shield School, Julius retired to enjoy the country life. He recently decided to come out of retirement to work for White Shield's Public Safety Department. Although he is back at work again, he still finds time to enjoy fishing, hunting, boating, and camping with his grandchildren. <Back

< Back Gino Odjick Gino Odjick Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Gino Odjick grew up on the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation reserve near Maniwaki, Quebec. As a young hockey player he learned to play from his father Joseph Odjick and spent countless hours on the local outdoor rink. The Maniwaki Arena was named after him years later. Gino was drafted in the fifth round and 86th overall at the 1990 NHL Draft. He was called up to the Vancouver Canucks later that year, and made an immediate impact. Gino played in the NHL from 1990 to 2002, including eight years in Vancouver, two in Montreal and also with the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers. In his career he had 64 goals, 73 assists and 2,567 penalty minutes in 605 regular season games. In the 1993-94 season he had a career high of 16 goals and 13 assists. He had a faithful following of fans who valued his physical toughness play and contributions to the Indigenous community. It was common for the fans to yell "Gino, Gino" often during his regular season games and 44 playoff games with Vancouver and Montreal. Gino was a key member of the 1994 Canucks team that lost the Stanley Cup in Game 7 of the final against the New York Rangers. The 2,127 penalty minutes he amassed as a Canuck was the most in franchise history. He retired from the NHL in 2002 due to heart health issues. He was awarded the 2015 Inspire Award for his contributions to the NHL and as a positive role model to Indigenous youth. This was one of the highest honors from the Canadian indigenous community. He was also inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. Gino died at the age of 52 years old on January 15, 2023 from complications related to Amyloidosis, a disease he was diagnosed with in 2014 that affected his organs and heart. University Canada West (UCW) in downtown Vancouver offered The Gino Odjick Grant, a full-tuition scholarship valued at over $40,000. Named after Canucks legend Gino Odjick, this award is available to qualified Indigenous students—male or female—pursuing an undergraduate degree or an MBA at UCW starting this September. This scholarship honors Gino's legacy as a hockey powerhouse, leader, and mentor, providing an Indigenous hockey player the chance to achieve higher education beyond the rink. This scholarship reflects his legacy, fierce determination, and unwavering support to his community and teammates. <Back

Inupiaq Officials Jerod Phillips Cherokee Gary Hull Inupiaq Danny McCourt Algonquin/Iroquois Brian Chrupalo Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Michael Thomas St. Croix Ojibwe