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Iroquois Nationals U19 World Lacrosse Games Category Team Tribes Iroquois Confederacy Year Inducted 2022 In the summer of 1999, the Iroquois Nationals participated in the U19 World Lacrosse Games in Adelaide, Australia. It was a privilege to represent our community, Akwesasne, as well as the Iroquois Nationals on the world platform playing Tewa’a:raton or lacrosse. Drew Bucktooth, Delby Powless and myself were co-captains and it was a great honor not only to help lead the incredible talent that was comprised of our team, but to also stand alongside players who I have incredible respect for on the lacrosse field. As young men, this was the first time for many of us to be able to participate in playing the game we love, the gift from the Creator, on the international level. That year we brought home the bronze, and a big component of that was the amazing coaching staff from some of the greatest in the game, along with the natural talent that the team was comprised of. This is evident as many of the players from that team went on to have successful and long careers in lacrosse on a professional level. While in Australia, we were truly overwhelmed at the amount of support we received from many of the teams across the world, but particularly the Australian Aboriginal community. This is just a prime example of how lacrosse can truly unify people; regardless if it is between neighbors playing the game together or people who live on opposite sides of the world and have entirely different cultures. I am forever thankful for my experience that I had participating in the games and the lifelong friendships that were forged. Nia:wen to all that continue to support our young Onkwehonwe lacrosse players. I am so proud of how much the game has grown and the amazing talent that is on display from our people. I am confident that one day the Iroquois Nationals will bring home the gold to our people and the entire world will recognize the original creators of the medicine game. -written by Freeman Bucktooth Home 2026 Banquet About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Jaci McCormack Jaci McCormack Nez Perce Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Builder 2025 Jaci McCormack grew up on the Nez Perce Reservation outside of Lewiston, Idaho. She fell in love with basketball early on and earned a scholarship to play for Illinois State University, where her team competed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. After her college career, Jaci was inspired to return home and give back to her community. She served as the Deputy Executive Director for the Nez Perce Tribe, as well as the Youth Prevention Director, building deep relationships with tribal and community partners. In 2015, Jaci founded Rise Above, a non-profit organization that gives Native American youth the skills and resilience to overcome their circumstances and write their own futures. As the CEO of Rise Above, Jaci leads the organization in its mission to empower youth through a variety of programs including sports, education, financial literacy, prevention skills, and mentorship, using prevention strategies that will spark change in people’s lives. Jaci attracted an incredible group of engaged and like-minded partners and donors across the country who believed in Rise Above’s mission to empower Native American youth, including over 30 tribes, investors, prevention advocates, sports legends, and hall-of-famers, and Hollywood stars including Three Time NBA Hall of Famer, Lenny Wilkens and Award-Winning Actor Danny Glover. In 2024 Rise Above established a formal partnership with the Seattle Storm to increase basketball opportunities for BIPOC, low-income, and historically underserved youth, with a focus on the Native community in Seattle and Washington State. Jaci’s life story will be the subject of an upcoming feature film, produced by Danny Glover, Preston Holmes and Lenny Wilkens. The screenplay was written by Erica Trembly, an award- winning native writer. The film is set for production in 2025 with a projected release in 2026. In 2022, Jaci was invited to be a presenter and panelist at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and she was appointed by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell to serve on Seattle's first Indigenous Advisory Council. She is also the recipient of the 2024 Seattle Sports Commission Sports Equity and Inclusion Award. <Back

Builders 7G Foundation Bennae Calac Denise Waterman Ernie Stevens Jr. Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians Oneida Oneida Oren Lyons Onondaga Sam McCracken Sioux and Assiniboine Wilton Littlechild Cree

< Back Miguel Lara Miguel Lara Tarahumara Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Miguel Lara’s record as an ultramarathon runner is very impressive and has resulted in him winning recognition across the globe. He has finished first in more than 20 ultramarathons, including three times each at Ultramarathon Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon, Ultramaratón de las Canones and the Born to Run Series. He participated in the Boston Marathon in 2017, won the Ultra X Mexico in 2019. He won four races in 2016 including the Red Rock and Beyond 50 miles in 6:43.23, Wild Wild West Ultra 50k in 4:32.22, the Born to Run Ultra 60k in 8:13.06, and the Kodiak Ultra 100 miles in 19:58.00. Photo/Bio Credit: Ultra X <Back

< Back Autumn Apok Ridley Autumn Apok Ridley Inupiaq and Tlingit Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Autumn Apok Ridley is from Anchorage, Alaska. She is a descendant from Wales, Alaska. She currently holds three world records in the Traditional Indigenous Northern Games. Her records are the Alaskan High Kick at 83”, the Two-foot High Kick at 79”, and the Traditional One-foot High Kick (Alaskan style) at 74”. She also shares the Traditional One-foot High Kick record with two other women, Erica Carson and Carol Hull. Autumn first started participating in the traditional games at the age of 6. She was influenced by her Uncle Gregory Nothstine since he was heavily involved in the games. She broke her first world record in The Alaskan High Kick in 2012 at the Native Youth Olympics at 82”. Two years later she went on and broke her record by one inch in the Alaskan High Kick at the same competition. The next day she went and broke a 25 year old record formerly held by Nicole Johnston in the Two-foot High Kick by one inch. In July of 2014 she tied the world record in The Traditional One-foot High Kick with Erica Carson (Meckel) at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. Autumn still practices and participates in the games for fun and coaches when she has time. Photo Credit: Wayde Carroll Photography <Back

< Back Lloyd M. Powless Lloyd M. Powless Oneida Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Lloyd Powless was born on February 9, 1940 on the Pine Ridge Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. His father was Merville Powless from the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. His mother, Adeline Powless, was a nurse from Minnesota of German heritage. Lloyd was athletically talented and he played high school football in Rock Island, Illinois. As a senior in 1956 he received Illinois All-State Football honors as a defensive linebacker. He was recruited to attend several NCAA Division 1 universities on a football scholarship. He accepted the Big 10’s Northwestern University’s offer. After the first year at Northwestern, he transferred to Augustana College at Rock Island, Illinois. At Augustana College, Lloyd became an outstanding middle-linebacker. He played three years for Augustana and received honors of All-Conference first team and “Little All-American” in 1963 as a middle linebacker. Years later Lloyd was inducted into the Augustana College Hall of Fame. At the end of his college football career in 1963, he was drafted into the National Football League (NFL) as the 17th draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams. He participated in three different training camps with the Los Angeles Rams, the Denver Broncos, and the San Diego Charger but did not go further. Lloyd Powless’ life after football included working one year for Standard Oil and John Deere Company for 25 years. He has a son and a daughter who are both college graduates. His wife, an Augustana College graduate, and he are retired and live in Florida. <Back

North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame (NAIAHF) Banquet Sponsorship Information Saturday, May 30th, 2026 Oneida Casino Hotel; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA 2026 Sponsorship Information: The deadline to receive sponsorship payment and copy ready logos is noon central time on May 1, 2026. Payment can be sent to PayPal to code: coach.danninham@midco.net or postal mailed in a check or money order to Empowered Youth Development Initiatives, PO Box 652, Red Lake, MN, USA, 56671. Contact Dr. Dan Ninham at 218.368.6430 or coach.danninham@gmail.com to receive additional details about the 2026 NAIAHF Banquet sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorship provides a Nike red bag, 2’x4’ banner and gift to attending inductees. Note: No one is allowed to use the NAIAHF logo to print on a product without written consent from Dr. Dan and Susan Ninham. Platnum Sponsor $7,500 Five reserved VIP banquet tables for 10 per table and 50 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Platinum sponsors at the banquet Gold Sponsor $5,000 Three reserved VIP banquet tables for 10 per table and 30 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Gold sponsors at the banquet Silver Sponsor $3,000 Two reserved VIP banquet tables for 10 per table and 20 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Silver sponsors at the Banquet Bronze Sponsor $1,000 One reserved VIP banquet table for 10 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Bronze sponsors at the Banquet Hall Of Fame Table Sponsor $400 per 10 seat table 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor Sponsor may designate who will be seated or allow Dr. Dan and Susan to seat people Announcement as a Table Sponsor at the Banquet Hall of Fame Banquet Drawing Prize Sponsor $500+ retail value of drawing prizes 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor Announcement as a Drawing Sponsor at the Banquet 2025 Sponsors

Jim Neilson Category Athlete Tribe Big River First Nation Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 11/28/1941 - 11/6/2020 Jim Neilson was one of the first Indigenous superstars in the sport of hockey, playing in the National Hockey League for 16 seasons. Born in Big River, Saskatchewan and raised at an orphanage in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Neilson honed his hockey skills through his youth. At 17 he played Junior A with the Prince Albert Mintos in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. He made his professional debut at 19 for the Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League, named the league’s top rookie in 1962. That fall he joined the New York Rangers of the NHL for the next 12 seasons. He was named the Rangers top defenseman in 1966 and was runner-up to Bobby Orr for the Norris Trophy (top defenseman) in 1967-68. Neilson and the Rangers lost in the 1972 Stanley Cup Final to Boston in 6 games. In 1974 he was traded to the California Golden Seals, where he was named team captain and Team MVP in 1975-76. Neilson finished his NHL career with the Cleveland Barons for 2 seasons, where he again was the team captain. He was the team nominee for the Bill Masterton Award presented to the player who depicts perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication. His professional career concluded in 1978-79 when he played with the Edmonton Oilers in the World Hockey Association where he was a teammate of 17 year-old Wayne Gretzky. In 1,023 regular season NHL games, Neilson had 69 goals and 299 assists and was named to 4 NHL All Star Teams. Jim Neilson was inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Home 2026 Banquet About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Alvin Begay Jr. Alvin Begay Jr. Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Alvin Begay Jr. was born and raised on the Navajo Nation in Ganado, Arizona. Alvin tells his personal story of growing up in a traditional Hogan herding sheep and riding horses. Alvin’s family did not have a vehicle so he ran three to four miles to Ganado Trading Post and the post office for mail or errands for his parents. On one occasion, Alvin’s older sister asked him to run for help to the hospital, as she was in labor ready to give birth. He turned around after notifying the hospital and almost beat the ambulance back to his sister’s home. Alvin won a blue ribbon in sixth grade for running and leaving everyone behind by a great distance. Winning the blue ribbon was the beginning of a running career for Alvin, as he became one of the best high school runners in Arizona cross-country and track. Alvin won state cross country in 1978 and was a high school All American. In 1982, Alvin ran for Haskell Jr. College where he was second team All American in cross-country, and in 1983 he was second team All American running indoor track. Coach Gerald Tuckwin talked about Alvin as one of the best runners he coached. Alvin ran the 1985 Colorado Springs Pepsi Challenge 10K races winning and qualifying for the Western States Pepsi Challenge 10k where he finished with a time of 29.34 behind Rod Dixon. Alvin returned to school in 1986 at Dine College running at the collegiate level again winning the men’s NJCAA National Marathon championship and All American honors. The family’s most memorable races was Alvin winning the 1988 Duke City Marathon in a time of 2.20.50. The 10k Sedona Road race where Alvin surprised the elite runners by winning first place in a time of 28.34. Alvin’s notable running accomplishments include winning the Washington Pass now Narbona Pass Classic 10k race five times. Alvin is a full time rancher and enjoys the company of his sheep, cattle, horses and dogs. <Back

< Back Breas Ross Breas Ross Pimicikamak Cree Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Breas Ross, a talented young kayak paddler and a member of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, also known as Cross Lake, Manitoba, is deeply rooted in his Indigenous heritage despite not growing up in his native community. Breas is making waves as the son of Trina Ross, a member of Team Canada and a World Champion Dragon Boat paddler. Breas’s journey with kayaking began at age 8, when his mother introduced him to the sport, and he quickly progressed, joining the Manitoba Canoe and Kayak Centre alongside his older brother. By 13, Breas's dedication earned him a spot in the top kayak program and a place on the Provincial Kayak team. At age 12, in Regina, Saskatchewan, the Western Prairie Divisional Championship was particularly memorable, as he secured his first gold medal in the 2000 meter race. He concluded the competition with two gold medals and a bronze. His first individual medal earned him an Order of Sport Excellence Award presented by Sport Manitoba. At just 13 years old, Breas achieved a remarkable milestone by making Team Manitoba's Kayak team for the North American Indigenous Games, where he secured a bronze medal in the K1 3000 metre event in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In August 2024, his talent and dedication earned him an exclusive invitation to represent Team Manitoba at the U.S. Nationals Sprint Kayak Championships in Gainesville, Georgia. Competing in the Bantam division, Breas claimed three K1 individual silver medals in the 3000 metres, 1000 metres, and 500 metres events, and contributed to silver medals in the U16-K2 and U18-K4 teams. In August 2025, Breas was required to compete for the final two positions on Team Manitoba’s kayak team at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He successfully secured a spot on the team by winning a 500-meter race-off. Although age categories did not exist for his age group, he was assigned to the K4 men’s team. Ultimately, Team Manitoba’s kayak and canoe team garnered one silver and three bronze medals. <Back

Wilton Littlechild Category Builder Tribe Cree Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 4/1/1944 An Indigenous lawyer of Cree ancestry, bestowed as Honourary Cree Chief and International Chief, Wilton Littlechild was elected a Member of Parliament in Canada and Vice-President of the Indigenous Parliament of the Americas. Known for his advocacy, nationally and internationally on Human Rights and Traditional Games and Sports. Born in Maskwacis (Treaty No. 6), raised by his grandparents but taken at the age of six where he spent fourteen years in the Indian Residential School system. He witnessed and experienced various forms of abuse but was also introduced to sports, which he used to motivate his pursuit of excellence and run from abuse. He eventually excelled academically and in athletics; credits his traditional upbringing to seek balance in life; underpinned by spirituality and family support. Achievements: • Ten Athlete of the Year Awards • Holds three University and five Honorary Doctorate degrees (Physical Education, Law) • Eight Sports Halls of Fame • University of Alberta Most Outstanding Indian Athlete in Canada (twice) • Major Sports: Hockey, Baseball, Swimming • Centennial medal - Top 100 in Hockey • Order of Sport as inductee to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame • Over seventy-five Championships • Twice honoured in Switzerland and Olympic Games Ambassador Home 2026 Banquet About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Kennis M. Bellmard II Kennis M. Bellmard II Kaw Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Kennis (Ken) Bellmard is a member of the Kaw Nation. Ken is a 1976 graduate of Ponca City, Oklahoma High School where he was a three-time State wrestling place winner culminating in an undefeated season and a State championship. Ken was selected to the Oklahoma All State Wrestling team and was a USWF Junior National All-American and an AAU Greco-Roman National Champion. Ken competed in Bulgaria in 1975 and Japan in 1976 as a member of the Oklahoma AAU Wrestling team. Ken was a NCAA Division II National runner-up for Augustana College (SD) in 1977. He was a member of the Northern Oklahoma College wrestling team in 1978 and was a letterman for the Oklahoma State University Wrestling team in 1980 and 1981. Prior to entering Law School, Ken was a Junior High Wrestling Coach in Ponca City, Oklahoma where he coached a State Championship Team. He was also a High School Wrestling Coach at Newkirk, Oklahoma, where he coached a State Runner-up Team. Ken has been a Practitioner of Native America Law since 1990. Ken received an Associate of Arts degree from Northern Oklahoma College (1978), a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma State University (1981) and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law (1989). Ken is presently serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development at the United States Department of the Interior-Indian Affairs. A member of numerous professional associations, he has served as Chair of the Indian Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association and has been named as one the Best Law Firms for Native American Law in Oklahoma by US News and World Report. Ken has been on the forefront of Oklahoma Indian Gaming Development and Energy Development on Indian land. Ken is active in Kaw Nation cultural activities and has been a member of the Kaw Nation’s Cultural Committee and was drum keeper for the Kaw I-Lon-Shka Ceremonial Dances. As a member of the Board of Directors of USA Judo, Ken attended the Beijing and London Olympics as a member of the USA Judo delegation. <Back