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< Back Lara Mussell Savage Lara Mussell Savage Sqwá (Skwah) First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Introduced to Ultimate in high school in Vancouver, BC, Mussell Savage's speed, agility, and disc-handling abilities quickly set her apart from her peers. She grew to become a prominent player in both the College and Club Ultimate scenes and is a two-time World Champion. Mussell Savage was a captain and player-coach for University of British Columbia's female Varsity Club team helping lead them to three consecutive Canadian University Ultimate Championship victories in 1998, 1999, and 2000. The team also won several U.S. tournaments and was the only Canadian team to hold a number one ranking in the U.S. college circuit. Mussell Savage was also a long-standing member of Prime, Vancouver's competitive club team, with whom she won three Canadian National Championships. Among her international achievements is as a member of Team Canada for four World Championships earning two gold and two bronze medals. She served as co-captain for the Turku 2004 World Ultimate Championships where Canada went undefeated. Mussell Savage was recognized as the 2004 National Tom Longboat Award winner for female Indigenous athlete of the year for Canada and BC's Indigenous athlete of the year in 2003 and 2004. In recognition of Prime's legacy and impact, the team was inducted into Canada's Ultimate Hall of Fame in the team category and is featured within the BC Sports Hall of Fame & Museum's exhibit "In Her Footsteps: Celebrating BC Women in Sport". Mussell Savage was inducted into the Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and she is also a featured athlete in the BC Sports Hall of Fame's Indigenous Sport Gallery. Mussell Savage's leadership and dedication to sport made her not just a top athlete but also an inspirational figure. Her performance and influence go beyond her team; she works to advance Indigenous sport and she promotes inclusivity and gender equity. She also gives back to her community having served on her Nation's elected Council for nearly ten years and is the former Chief of her community - Sqwá First Nation. She resides on Sqwá Reserve with her husband Kirk Savage, Ultimate World Champion and Canada Hall of Fame inductee, and their two children. <Back

< Back Louis Tewanima Louis Tewanima Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Louis Tewanima was born in the Hopi village of Shungopavi on the Hopi Nation during the time when there was little contact with the outside world. The Spanish, who sought to Christianize the Hopi and other northern Pueblos were instead banished from the Hopi mesas during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Much later the U.S. government sought to impose their laws on the Hopi and began to round up children to give them “proper education”. But the Hopi, who were a deeply religious society, resisted these efforts and the U.S military was dispatched. Many Hopi men were incarcerated and carted off to places such as Alcatraz. Tewanima along with 10 other men, all in their twenties were rounded up and sent by train to Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. They had little choice but to begin to transition to their new environment. One day the 5’3” Tewanima approached track coach Glenn S. “Pop” Warner and said “Me run fast good. All Hopis run fast good.” Not long after Tewanima was headed for the 1908 Olympics held in London, England. Tewanima finished ninth in the marathon. Jim Thorpe joined the Carlisle track team which dominated the best college teams around. During this time, Tewanima ran and won many races including the 10-mile indoor race at Madison Square Garden in New York and the New York Evening Mail Marathon in Manhattan. During the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm Sweden, Tewanima won the silver medal in the 10,000 meters in a time of 32:06.6, a new American record which held for 52 years until Billy Mills set a new record winning a gold medal in the 1964 Olympics. Tewanima also ran the marathon and placed 16th. When Tewanima returned home, he continued his Hopi religious practice to old age and one foggy winter evening he left the ceremonial kiva to return home, he apparently got disoriented and fell to his death off the mesa edge. He was 92 years old. The Hopi proudly hold the Tewanima Footrace in honor of their Olympian and this past Labor Day celebrated the 50th Anniversary. <Back

< Back Amber Hill Amber Hill Upper Cayuga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Amber Hill is a member of the Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan, raised on the Tuscarora Reservation. Amber has played at all levels of lacrosse for women’s field including NCAA D1, professionally, and internationally, while also playing competitive women’s box lacrosse and winning gold medals in that discipline as well. Amber was selected to play on the First Nations Lacrosse that played in the 2005 International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations Cup of Nations Festival that was held in conjunction with the World Championship in Annapolis, Maryland. This experience fed into the first U-19 Haudenosaunee Nationals women’s team that would be allowed to compete on the international stage in 2007 in Peterborough, Ontario. In 2005, Amber walked on to the Syracuse University women’s team. In the Syracuse record books, Amber currently holds the second place for Most Season Saves at 193 and third place in Career Save Percentage at .511. She also led her team to the 2007 NCAA Quarterfinals, becoming the first indigenous woman to play in the NCAA tournament. In 2007, she led the Big East in saves with 10.16/game. She was named the 2007 Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Championship. She held the Big East Defensive Player of the Week, Athletic Directors Honor Roll, Big East Academic All-Star, and the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll accolades. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in Political Science minoring in Legal Studies and Native Studies. Amber was honored to serve as Captain for the Haudenosaunee Nationals in the 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2017 World Lacrosse World Championships, and most recently in 2019 for the Pan-American Lacrosse Association World Championship qualifier where the team went 4-0 and won a gold medal. In 2018, Amber became one of the first Haudenosaunee women, alongside her cousin Awehiyo Thomas, to compete professionally in the United Women’s Lacrosse League (UWLX) with the Long Island Sound. In 2021, Amber became the first indigenous woman to compete in the inaugural professional season of Athletes Unlimited. She placed fourth out of eight goalkeepers, and 26th out of 59 players with 1,145 points. She holds fifth place in the Athletes Unlimited record book for Most Saves in a game at 10. Amber has continued her career with Athletes Unlimited into 2022 as a Facilitator/Coach and accrued a 12-0 record in her first season. In box lacrosse, Amber won 3 gold medals as a Captain with the Six Nations Snipers in the Arena Lacrosse League in 2017, 2018, and 2022. She also won two gold medals in the Women’s Major Series Lacrosse League in 2015 with the Niagara Turtle Islanders, and again in 2016 with the Grand River Attack. Amber is currently a women’s collegiate field lacrosse official. She was appointed by World Lacrosse President Sue Redfern to sit on the World Lacrosse Women’s Box Lacrosse Working Group, charged with growing women’s box lacrosse on the international stage. Amber was recently appointed to the Africa Sticks Advisory Board through the Ouallo Kouya Foundation serving and empowering Africas youth through lacrosse. Amber is the Founder of Vicious Lacrosse, training goalkeepers while addressing the mental-health challenges surrounding the position. <Back

< Back Alissa Pili Alissa Pili Inupiaq/Samoan Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Alissa Pili was born in Anchorage, AK in June 2001. On her mother’s side, Alissa is of Inupiaq descent, from the North Slope region of Alaska. On her father’s side, she is of Samoan descent, rooting from the village of Aua, American Samoa. For the first seven years of her life, she lived in Utqiagvik, aka Barrow, the northernmost city in the United States. Alissa spent the rest of her childhood in Anchorage, where she enjoyed outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, fishing and playing sports. Alissa compiled 13 state titles during her athletic career at Dimond High School including four in volleyball, four in shot put, two in discus, two in basketball, and one in wrestling. She was named the Max Preps National Female Athlete of the Year two years in a row, and is a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year for girls’ basketball. She went on to play basketball for the University of Southern California, where she was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Injuries were an issue during sophomore and junior year, and she felt like she needed a new start, so she entered the transfer portal and landed at the University of Utah. From there, her career took off, earning Pac-12 player of the year and all Pac-12 honors her first year with the Utes and she led her team to the conference title. In her second year as a Ute, during a showcase game featuring the #1 South Carolina Gamecocks, she scored 37 points with WNBA scouts in attendance, and her WNBA draft stock soared. She was drafted #8 overall in the 2024 WNBA draft to the Minnesota Lynx, and landed an endorsement deal with Nike’s Indigenous focused N7 brand, where she was the face of their 2024 Native American Heritage Month campaign. Alissa looks forward to her continued success in the WNBA and being a representative of not only the Native American and Polynesian communities around the world, but to all who love women’s sports and aspire to uplift one another. <Back

< Back SilentRain Espinoza SilentRain Espinoza Kumeyaay and Penobscot Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 SilentRain Espinoza is a descendant of the Kumeyaay and Penobscot Indian Reservations. She is the daughter of Greybuck and Mackenzie Espinoza, oldest of three with siblings Greysun and Youngbuck Espinoza. Born and raised in Alpine, California, her softball career started at the age of four playing for the Intertribal Sports League that competed against other surrounding reservations. Her freshman year of high school was when she verbally committed to playing NCAA Division I softball at the University of Washington, a renowned institution and one of the powerhouses in college softball. In 2019, SilentRain finished her freshmen season as a starter in the Women’s College World Series where the Huskies placed third. Her freshmen accolades included being named Pac-12 All-Freshman, NFCA All-Region Third Team, and Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (April 22). SilentRain was fortunate to play five seasons with the Washington Huskies due to Covid-19. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s in Education. Graduating in 2023, she left the University of Washington having competed in two Women’s College World Series. She continued her softball journey professionally and is a Nike N7 ambassador. Her first season was with the USSSA Pride in Viera, Florida where she was named to the All-WPF team as a rookie. Her second season was with the Texas Smoke out of Austin, Texas where she was again named to the All-WPF team. SilentRain aims to inspire the future indigenous generations to continue their journey in sport and set their standards high despite the lack of representation of indigenous people in the spaces around them. Creating your own path and legacy is how we will continue our culture and presence in this world. <Back

Orin Lou Askenette <Back Menominee Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2025 Orin “Lou” Askenette, was a retired Oneida Nation security officer and former boxer, trainer, referee and coach. Lou was a legendary boxing coach whose dedication and ability shaped the careers of countless champions. With over 50 years in the sport, he has made an indelible mark on boxing. Lou’s work in molding and shaping fighters has helped them prepare for life responsibilities while building careers promoting positive life skills. Lou has played a strong role in many lives, mentoring men and women warriors of Indian Country. Lou began his boxing career fighting on his father’s boxing team, the Menominee Indian boxing club. In 1959 in Fond du Lac, WI, Lou won the 135 lbs. Championship; in 1961 he won the open division tournament at Fond du Lac at 126 lbs. At the age of 18 he joined the military and from 1963 to 1967 he fought on the United States Air Force boxing team. After his military career he joined the Wisconsin Boxing Referee Association, where he was a well-known boxing official. In 1973 he started his coaching career at the Oneida Boxing Club on the Oneida Indian Reservation in Wisconsin and was recruited by Chairman Purcell Powless. In 1977 he co- founded and coached the Soaring Eagles Boxing Club in Green Bay, WI, and he continued recruiting and training amateur and professional boxing careers. Lou has coached and trained several fighters including Carlos Molina, Harry “The Hammer Funmaker, Ernie “Big Cat” Stevens Jr., Roger Ponfil, Chuck Ponfil, Joey Christjohn, Kelly Stevens, Paul “Bad Horse” Stevens, Matt Denny, DJ Denny, Tim Tomashek, Todd Moon Hill, Rory Hill, Mel Smith, Earl Smith, Paul Danforth, Buggs Danforth, John Maino, and others.

< Back Drew Bucktooth Drew Bucktooth Onondaga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Drew Bucktooth is a lacrosse and hockey player from the Onondaga Nation in upstate NY. As a member of the Syracuse Stars hockey team he played against the highest level and won back to back state championships, a national championship and a world championship and was MVP of the world championship game. As a 16 year old, Drew was selected for the United States National team but was drafted and played in the OHL instead but still played for Team USA in international competitions and was named the team captain. In lacrosse, the first goal Drew ever scored was on his own goalie, but he made sure to do it correctly after that. As an eighth grader Drew led the varsity lacrosse team in scoring, as a ninth grader he led his league in scoring. As a 10th grader Drew once again led his team in scoring and earned All American, one of only two lacrosse players in NY state history to earn the tile of All American as a 10th grader. When Drew was 15 he competed with the Iroquois Nationals in the U19 world lacrosse championships in Japan, although Drew was the youngest player there, he led the tournament in scoring and was named to the All World Team. A few years later the Lacrosse World Championships were held in Australia, and again Drew was named to the All World Team and has the distinction as the only person in history to make the U19 All World Team twice. As a member of the Onondaga RedHawks, his team captured the Presidents cup twice, which is the Canadian National box lacrosse championship. These days Drew can still be found in and out of hockey rinks and lacrosse fields coaching his four sons, Blake, Gavin, Dylan and Cruze. <Back

< Back Dennis J Danforth Sr. Dennis J Danforth Sr. Oneida Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Dennis Danforth Sr., “Teyohahase – Good Road,” is a member of the Oneida Nation (WI). Danforth earned his Associates degree in Business Management and currently works for the Oneida Comprehensive Housing Division. A devoted husband to Margaret Danforth and an amazing father to seven children and a proud grandfather to 14 grandchildren. Danforth began his boxing journey at 10 years old with his brothers at the Oneida Mission Boxing Club in Oneida, WI. This was the beginning of shaping a lifetime of family, healthy relationships, and core values through hard work, fitness, and commitment. Danforth’ high school years began at West De Pere High School, and in his junior year in 1974 he transferred to the Flandreau Indian School in Flandreau, South Dakota. Danforth was a multi-sport athlete playing football, basketball, track & field, and boxing. Trained by the late Joe O’Brien, a former Ojibwe boxer and a Marine veteran, Danforth learned valuable lessons of self-control, strategy, focus, sportsmanship, and was a boxing standout. Although Danforth was offered a football scholarship to Black Hill State University, his love of boxing took him on a journey that shaped his lifetime of self-discipline, humbleness, and competitiveness that he shares with his children and grandchildren. Danforth fought in the welterweight and middleweight classes. His greatest accomplishments as a boxer were being invited to the 1976 Olympic Trials and being a three-time National Indian Athletic Association two-weight class champion. Danforth won the 1977 South Dakota State Championship, the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Championships in Minneapolis, and eventually crowned the 1977 Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion. He received a bid to the U.S. National Golden Gloves Tournament in Hawaii, where he joined Team Minnesota. He fought hard in Honolulu where he was defeated in a controversial split decision to a former three division world champion professional fighter. Danforth was also a two-time Wisconsin State AAU Boxing Tournament champion and participated in three National AAU Boxing tournaments throughout Indian Country. Danforth now enjoys passing on core values through coaching, singing for his community, and inspiring others to learn their culture, language and always be proud of who they are. <Back

Dr. Rosalin Miles Lytton First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Dr. Rosalin Miles is a member of the Lytton First Nation and is known in her native language as Maaj meaning "first light of day". She is a pivotal figure in advancing Indigenous sports on both national and international stages as the Founder and Executive Director of the Indigenous Physical Activity and Cultural Circle (IPACC). Miles organized 10 National Indigenous Physical Activity and Wellness Conferences, and 11 Active Spirit Walk and Runs. These events have fostered a robust network for Indigenous athletes and sports enthusiasts, promoting cultural exchange and athletic excellence. Recognized by the House of Commons and honored with Vancouver Quadra’s Hidden Hero Award, Miles’ dedication to IPACC underscores her commitment to elevating the profile of Indigenous sports. Her role at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a Research Associate and Indigenous Scholar in the Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology program further amplified this commitment. Miles earned her Master’s degree in Human Kinetics and became the first First Nations kinesiologist. Miles’ Master’s degree expertise, particularly in the physiological and psychological aspects of soccer, benefited teams like the UBC women’s soccer team where she worked as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and at the University of Central Florida (UCF) for their women’s soccer team. She received the UBC Alumni Award for Volunteer Leadership, and the Robert Small Boy Award “Heroes of Our Time” Scholarships from the Assembly of First Nations. As a Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) in British Columbia and Florida, Miles played a critical role in supporting CSCS accreditation recognized by the NSCA Bronze Award. Her doctoral studies at UCF in Education, combined with her Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management provided her skills to lead and inspire in the field of sports management and education. Miles’ experience as a strength and conditioning coach at UCF, and later at University High School in Florida, where she broke barriers as one of the first female Indigenous football coaches in Florida, highlighted her pioneering spirit. She also received the NSCA High School Professional of the Year for the United States. At the University of Arizona she worked with the men’s baseball and women’s volleyball teams, and volunteered with Olympic and professional athletes. Miles competed in softball in Japan, as a champion in BC and National powerlifting, and as a fitness competitor at both the USA and World Nova Fitness challenges. Dr. Rosalin Miles work has enhanced the visibility and success of Indigenous coaches, athletes, and researchers, and has also forged lasting connections and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding in the world of sports.

< Back Madison Lavergne Madison Lavergne Métis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Madison Lavergne is Métis and was a member of the two-time NCAA DIII National Hockey Championship University of Wisconsin-River Falls team. The Falcons won in back-to-back seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25. She is currently a senior on the team. As a junior in the 2024-25 season, Lavergne was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She played in all 31 games with 30 points off 10 goals and 20 assists. She earned the WIAC Player of the Week and Falcon of the Week honors. As a sophomore in the 2023-24 season, Lavergne was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She played in all 31 games with 16 points off 10 goals and six assists. She scored four game-winning goals, including the game-winner against Gustavus Adolphus in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. She was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team. She also earned WIAC Player of the Week and two-times Falcon of the Week honors. As a freshman in the 2023-24 season, Lavergne was named an AHCA All-American Scholar. She also was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll, Lavergne played in all 29 games with 28 points (14g-14a). She scored a hat-trick against UW-Superior and was named the Falcon of the Week one time. Madison Lavergne joined the Falcons as a forward from Warroad, Minn. where she played for the Warroad High School hockey team. As a senior, she was her team’s captain and helped lead the Warriors to a Minnesota State Tournament Championship and finished the season with 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points. She was named to the All-Conference team as a junior and senior, and was on the National Honor Society. She is the daughter of Katie and Rene Lavergne, and she is majoring in Exercise and Sports Science. <Back

Iroquois Nationals 2003 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships Silver Medalists Team 2026 Induction Category: Year Inducted <Back Iroquois Nationals are 2003 World Silver Medalists 2003 WILC roster Name Position Mike Benedict Forward Cory Bomberry Forward Tony Henderson Forward Veron Hill Forward Duane Jacobs Forward Kyle Jamieson Forward J.D. Jones Forward Rich Kilgour Forward Michael Longboat Forward Tom Montour Forward Delby Powless Forward Neal Powless Forward Percy Shenandoah Forward Kim Squire Forward Mike Stevens Forward Marshall Abrams Defense Cam Bomberry Defense Tim Bomberry Defense Mark Burnam Defense Ron Cogan Defense Ryan Davis Defense Bob Henry Defense Robert Henry Defense Clay Hill Defense Allen Jones Defense Ricky Oakes Defense Brian Stevens Defense Derek General Goaltender Ken Montour Goaltender Mike Thompson Goaltender Darris Kilgour Head Coach

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.